Software for electrical and photovoltaic engineering

New features 2025 Series - Photovoltaic engineering

Electro Graphics releases the latest 2025 Series of electrical and photovoltaic design software. Here are the most important features and enhancements introduced about photovoltaic engineering in the software Solergo


 Solergo

 

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Download brochure Electro Graphics New features 2025


Energy community management according to CACER decree

Updates in line with the new Operating Rules for Self-Consumption (in Italy).

Solergo 2025  is adapted to the recent Operational Rules for the Widespread Self-Consumption and PNRR Contribution (CACER and TIAD Decree). This new version of the software includes important updates to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Main new features:

Transitional mechanism: the new rules for plants intending to benefit from the transitional mechanism provided for by the Ministerial Decree of 16 September 2020 have been implemented, with particular attention to the requirements and deadlines.

Calculation of curtailments: the software correctly calculates the applicable curtailments in case of accumulation of incentives, following the indications of Annex 1 of the CACER Decree.

Exemptions for third sector entities: exemptions have been introduced from the reduction of the incentive tariff for incentive-eligible shared electricity (EACI) pertaining to withdrawal points owned by territorial, religious, third sector and environmental protection entities.

Energy apportionment: the software is able to subdivide shared incentivisable electricity into exempt and non-exempt, based on the presence of withdrawal points belonging to the aforementioned entities.


In the ‘Other Consumption Units’ section of the project in  Solergo,  it is possible to identify the withdrawal points that belong to entities exempt from the curtailment. By selecting the appropriate option in the master data of the consumption unit, the software will automatically allocate the energy and calculate the incentives.

Solergo 2025 offers comprehensive support for the management of self-consumption plants in the light of new regulations. Thanks to these updates, projects can best assess the benefits of the incentives under the NRP and ensure that the rules are correctly applied.




Generation of an energy community project with import of already realised plants

Solergo 2025 simplifies the creation of energy community projects by allowing you to quickly import other PV plant projects.

This functionality is a real accelerator for the creation of complex projects, saving you time and reducing data entry errors.

The new ‘Import Project’ command allows you to easily add sections of an existing plant to a community project, automatically organising all relevant information.

This is ideal for projects with several units because it simplifies the design and management of community projects.

However, it is important to remember that this functionality is limited to energy community projects and is not compatible with all types of photovoltaic systems.



Import of climate data and horizon profile from PVGIS with calculation of producibility

Solergo introduces new commands for quick and easy access to PVGIS data, making it easier to design photovoltaic systems accurately and efficiently.


Importing PVGIS climate data

A specific utility allows you to import the climate data of a specific location directly from the PVGIS photovoltaic geographic atlas of the European Commission (JRC).

Within the Location page, after selecting the installation location of the planned plant, acting on the Import from PVGIS button Solergo sends the set geographical coordinates (Latitude, Longitude, Altitude) to the PVGIS website (an active internet connection is required). The climate data collected for the location are automatically imported and the climate data source box is set to PVGIS.


PVGIS horizon profile import

The solar diagram for the location under consideration with the shading profile from the panorama as seen from the modules is decisive on the output of the photovoltaic system. The corresponding horizon profile can be obtained easily by importing the horizon profile again from the JRC European Commission's Photovoltaic Geographic Atlas (PVGIS).

Within the Exposures - Shading page, the Import from PVGIS command imports the horizon profile of the location set in the Location page and considering the Orientation and Inclination angles set in the Exposures - Orientation page.

If no internet connection is available, it is possible to import the horizon profile from a CSV file that can be downloaded from the same PVGIS source.



Calculate maximum plant power via PVGIS

A new  Solergo feature is dedicated to calculating the maximum plant power through the PVGIS web service. The European Commission's photovoltaic geographic atlas (PVGIS) provides the producibility data of the planned plant from which Solergo determines the value of the power needed to obtain the required energy production.

The function therefore allows you to size the photovoltaic system efficiently and accurately, maximizing energy production.

In the dialog box dedicated to calculating the maximum plant power through PVGIS, you can enter the data needed for the calculation.

• Total annual energy consumption expected for the user; this value represents the amount of energy that the photovoltaic system will have to produce to meet the energy needs.

• Tolerance margin between the energy production of the system and the expected user consumption; this parameter defines the flexibility of the calculation, allowing you to evaluate different system configurations.

• Photovoltaic module technology that you intend to use; Available options include CIS, CdTe and other thin film types, each with their own characteristics and performance.

• The percentage of system losses that is expected.

• The installation location of the system (ground or roof/building integrated); this information is crucial for calculating the maximum system power, as it affects the exposure of the solar modules to sunlight.

• Exposure that will determine the tilt and orientation of the modules, factors that significantly affect energy production.


Using the PVGIS Producibility Data Viewer function, you can directly consult the PVGIS data relating to the installation area and gain in-depth information on solar radiation and photovoltaic potential.


Calculating and displaying results

Solergo starts the calculation of the required power by sending the entered data to the PVGIS system. The service will determine the plant power closest to the value needed to produce the required energy, considering the expected user consumption and the margin of tolerance.

The results displayed are:

• Solar radiation database used by PVGIS for the calculation: this database contains detailed information on the solar radiation incident on the installation area, a key factor for the accurate estimation of the maximum plant power.

• Maximum power calculated by PVGIS for the plant: this represents the maximum theoretical power that the plant could reach in ideal conditions.

• Annual energy that the photovoltaic plant could produce with the calculated maximum power: this value represents a realistic estimate of the actual production, considering the system losses and typical operating conditions.

The calculation of the maximum plant power with  Solergo and PVGIS offers an accurate assessment of the maximum plant power needed to meet the energy needs of the project, considering the specific requirements of the installation site. This allows the system to be sized efficiently to maximize energy production and minimize costs, obtaining the maximum return on investment.


The use of PVGIS data is a reference source for the evaluation of solar potential and guarantees maximum reliability of the results.



Management of inverters with multiple trackers and different characteristics between them

Solergo 2025 offers an innovative feature for managing photovoltaic inverters equipped with multiple trackers, each with specific electrical characteristics. This feature allows you to accurately configure and size complex systems, ensuring maximum precision and reliability of calculations.

Flexible tracker configuration

The window dedicated to the flexible configuration of MPPT trackers in Solergo allows you to enter the electrical data of each tracker, specifying:

• the maximum nominal power that can be supplied by the tracker in ideal conditions.

• the maximum current that can be supplied by the tracker in maximum load conditions.

• the maximum current that can be supplied by the tracker in the event of a short circuit.


Three configuration modes are available to adapt to every need:

Unbalanced trackers: ideal for configurations in which the trackers have different characteristics. The data of the last trackers are automatically calculated based on the total data of the inverter.

Same data for all trackers: simplifies the configuration when all trackers have the same electrical characteristics.

Independent data for all trackers: offers maximum flexibility, allowing you to enter specific data for each tracker up to a maximum of 4. For more complex configurations, you can use the Unbalanced trackers or Same data for all trackers modes.



Accurate electrical checks for each tracker

Solergo 2025 performs electrical checks independently for each tracker, ensuring an accurate assessment of the performance and safety of the entire system. This functionality ensures that each component of the system is correctly sized and operates optimally.


The new Solergo 2025 functionality for managing inverters with multiple trackers represents a major step forward in the design and sizing of photovoltaic systems, offering users a powerful and versatile tool to optimize the performance of their systems.

• Greater precision in the calculation thanks to the possibility of configuring each tracker in detail.

• Flexibility because it adapts to a wide range of photovoltaic system configurations.

• Reliability because automatic electrical checks guarantee the safety and efficiency of the system.



Enhanced flexibility in the use of two-module optimisers

The use of power optimisers is now standard in the photovoltaic industry. Due to their ability to maximise the energy output of each individual module, regardless of environmental conditions, optimisers offer a competitive advantage in any type of system.

Solergo 2025 takes this flexibility to a new level, allowing the system to be configured with a variety of connections between PV modules and optimisers.


Customised configurations at your hand

In the Components section of  Solergo, it is possible to select an optimiser model that supports the connection of two PV modules (either in series or in parallel). This feature, combined with the ability to also manage optimisers with only one module connected, opens up a range of design possibilities, adapting to the specific needs of each system.


Impact on design and documentation

The choice of optimiser configuration has a direct impact on several aspects of the design:

• Power and electrical parameters: the system's nominal power and electrical operating parameters are automatically updated according to the chosen configuration.

• Module counting: the total number of installed PV modules is calculated accurately.

• Documentation: all reports and documentation generated by Solergo will reflect the selected optimiser configuration, ensuring maximum transparency and accuracy.


Key advantages of this new functionality:

• Maximum flexibility and adaptability to any type of system and any design requirement.

• Optimisation of performance and maximisation of energy production through customisation of the optimiser configuration.

• Ease of use through intuitive interface and quick configuration.

• Accurate calculations and detailed documentation.


 Solergo 2025 new optimiser configuration functionality gives installers and designers unprecedented creative freedom, enabling highly customised, high-performance PV systems.




Review of technical and economic documentation in relation to regulatory developments

The technical and economic documentation produced in  Solergo was revised and updated in relation to regulatory adaptations.



Extension and updating of pv modules and inverters databases

For all types of devices that can be used in a photovoltaic system, new series are now available.



See all new features 2025:

 

Download brochure Electro Graphics New features 2025


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