PVsyst 8
PVsyst Version 8 brings major enhancements to our software features, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to the development and simulation of photovoltaic projects.
Define your project
- System design: Rapidly design grid-connected, standalone, or pumping photovoltaic systems. The program guides you in selecting components for sizing your project.
- System sizing: Visualize sizing constraints for modules and inverters, including I/V curves and power distribution, focusing on optimal inverter sizing and comprehensive loss analysis.
- New orientations: Benefit from flexibility in project customization by defining unlimited orientations and explore the possibility of combining trackers and fixed plans in a single simulation.
- Simulation and results: Calculate annual energy distribution, analyse key metrics such as total energy, yield, and specific energy, through detailed reports on gains and losses.
Setup shadings
- Near shadings: Model your 3D scene directly or import it from another CAD tool. Fast design tools, orientation identification, scene validation, and advanced multithreading calculations will allow you to define your system as close to reality as possible.
- Horizon: Simply define distant shadows by determining the sun positions to which your system will be directly exposed. The tool allows you to import horizon data directly via Meteonorm and PVGIS.
- Layout: Precisely calculate electrical shading losses (mismatch) by calculating the I/V characteristics of the photovoltaic array, by adding the voltage of each module in a string, and aggregating the string currents.
Many different tools
- Grid storage and self-consumption: Choose your storage and self-consumption strategy. Grid storage involves storing excess energy from the photovoltaic array for future use, improving energy management and reliability. Self-consumption involves the direct use of photovoltaic energy on the production site, minimising grid dependence and optimizing the use of solar energy.
- Bifacial systems and trackers: Simulate bifacial installations and photovoltaic systems on single or dual-axis trackers, with safety and backtracking options.
- Meteorological databases: Use on-board mapping (Bing or OpenStreetMaps) to locate your project and automatically import meteorological data from one of these databases: Meteonorm 8.2, NASA-SSE, PVGIS-TMY (5.1 & 5.2), NREL/NSRDB TMY, Solcast TMY, Solar Anywhere TGY, and Solargis. Many other formats can also be imported manually.
- Ageing, optimization, and batch processing: Explore our suite of advanced tools providing detailed results for advanced design decisions. Combine multi-year batch simulation for serialised simulations, including row spacing and bifacial height adjustments, and photovoltaic module ageing.
- Economic assessment: Evaluate the costs of your systems (CAPEX, OPEX, custom costs), establish detailed pricing strategies. The result of this assessment will calculate NPV, LCOE, ROI, and various profitability metrics.
- Components: Access a verified and regularly updated database including photovoltaic panels, inverters, batteries, pumps, and optimizers (AMPT, Huawei, Maxim, Sungrow, SolarEdge, TIGO) for realistic simulations.
Off-grid systems
- Pumping systems: Simulate your sun-tracking pumping systems by integrating hydraulic properties and characteristics, water storage, and water requirements through the selection of various components.
- Standalone systems : Evaluate the efficiency of your off-grid installations with energy storage, focusing on defining user electrical needs for an accurate assessment of stand-alone systems.
Define
Perform rapid simulations by defining a wide range of parameters.
Design
Refine the definition of your system's losses and shading.
Simulate
Conduct an hourly simulation using all your input data.
Analyse
Generate a comprehensive final report including customisable graphs and deliverables.
Software languages
English
French
Italian
Spanish
German
Portuguese
Turkish
Chinese
Korean
Japanese
Polish
Download & Prices
PVsyst 8 Professional
30 days free trial version
Full features without any restrictions
Updates included
Also grants access to PVsyst 7
Discounts on grouped orders :
2-4 licences : -5%
5-9 licences : -15%
10+ licences : -20%
CHF 700 .- / year
Education
Full features with “Education” watermark on reports
Granted upon supply of an educational program
For teacher devices only
CHF 420 .- / year
Classroom
Full features with “Classroom” watermark on reports
Granted upon supply of an educational program
Manufacturers mentionned as generic in reports
CHF 25 .- / year
Student
Full features with “Student” watermark on reports
Granted upon supply of a student card
Manufacturers mentionned as generic in reports
CHF 25 .- / year
Training / Research
Full features with “Training” / “Research” watermark on reports
Granted upon supply of a training / research program
CHF 560 .- / year
Installation & System Requirements
Installation requirements :
- PVsyst must be installed on the workstation where it will be used, and one license per computer is required
- The program works properly in full license mode only if the computer’s date and time are correct and have never been modified. PVsyst is not liable if the program does not work because the computer’s clock has been changed
Supported operating systems:
- All Windows client versions currently supported by Microsoft: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11 (32-bit or 64-bit)
- PVsyst only runs on Windows; to install and use PVsyst on Mac, refer to this page.
Unsupported Operating Systems:
Servers and application servers (Citrix, ZenDesktop, ZenApp,…), Remote Desktop, Azure Virtual Desktop machine, Windows Enterprise editions.
Minimum required configuration:
- At least 2 GB of RAM
- At least 2 GB of free space on the hard drive
- Minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels
- Graphics card supporting OpenGL 2.0 or higher
- .NET 4.8 framework (for Meteonorm)
- PVsyst workspace does not support shared or remotely synced drives / folders (including OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc…). Files and workspaces can be synced as a separate task, once PVsyst has been closed