Yes, you can test the entire archelios PRO suite.

By default, you have access to archelios PRO FREE, which allows you to design projects up to 36 kWp for free.

You can apply for a loan with our sales teams:

• France: +33 (0)2 32 79 44 24 | commercial@trace-software.com
• China:#ERROR!| rwang@trace-software.com
• Germany:#ERROR!| sales@trace-software.com
• Morocco:#ERROR!| maroc@trace-software.com
• International:#ERROR!| sales@trace-software.com
• Using the following form: here

At the end of your loan, you have two options :

• You buy archelios PRO PREMIUM and take advantage of the features in the chosen range.
• Your trial period will end, and you will have access to your previous version of archelios PRO.

Click on the images to see a detailed list of features available in the chosen version :

You can see the version number in the 'Window' menu. Click on 'Extension Manager' and choose archelios

SketchUp versions < 2017

You can see the version number in the 'Window' menu. Click on 'Preferences' and choose archelios

Installation with the setup file (for Windows):

SketchUp must already be installed

1. Close all SketchUp windows.
2. Download the latest version of the plugin setup file.
   
3. Run the setup file (.exe).
4. Choose your SketchUp version where the plugins will be installed.
   
5. Complete the installation and restart SketchUp.

Manual installation with the rbz file (for Windows and MAC):

• First you need to uninstall the archelios plug-in and close SketchUp
  
• Then download the new version of the archelios plug-in from your online account
  

• Go back to SketchUp in the Extension Manager and install the new plug-in (.rbz file)
  

You need to change the plug-in settings

SketchUp runs with a grid north (the green axis by default). Solar north could be different by a few degrees.

To set the green axis to solar north, use the compass button.

To duplicate the module, archelios uses 4 points (the corners of the module) and checks if they are on the surface without obstacles. However, for performance reasons, modules which have a shorter obstacle size may be placed on the surface. Indeed, it would take too long to carry out more checks.

The position of the first module is highly important in the layout. It is the starting point for positioning and laying out the modules, and therefore, it will influence the entire duplication process.

This is all the more important for surfaces with lots of obstacles.

Generally speaking, the first module is placed in a corner of the surface to be duplicated.

Why is a row missing?

In this case, you might think that a module can be duplicated above

But when zooming in, it can clearly be seen that the corner of the module is not on the duplicated surface (therefore, it will not be placed automatically by archelios).

Check that the path and the filename do not contain any special characters, such as & or \. If any, delete them to allow the export of Archelios Online and the irradiance calculation.

Also, make sure your .skp file is saved in a directory with administrator rights. You can try it by saving your file on the desktop.

archelios PRO needs a special structure in SketchUp in order to recognise photovoltaic elements for all calculations.

This structure is automatically generated by our replication tool.

A correct structure is as follows:

• The group above must be named 'groupePV' and you can have several groups named 'groupePV'
• The 'groupePV' group must contain 'tablePV' and 'modulesPV' elements

It is strongly recommended not to break the 'groupePV' group or the structure!

While you re-create this structure manually, it might not work for some calculations because some parameters are stored in the PV group generated during duplication. If you 'explode' the group or the structure generated by Archelios PRO, those parameters are lost and cannot be re-created manually.

To display the 'Outliner' tab in SketchUp, open the 'Window' menu, select the 'Default tray' option and check the 'Outliner' checkbox

For performance reasons, the replication creates an identical definition for all 'groupePV' elements.

If you want to modify a table, you must first make it unique:

Then, delete the target module.

Click on the 'Synchronise changes' button to open the synchronisation window

It allows you to edit the project in archelios, add inverters, and if necessary, go back to SketchUp to make changes. For instance, you can add any forgotten obstacles and remove them (e.g., when a tree was cut down). You can add or delete a module, redefine the layout and so on.

If your project is heavy, you can purge the unessential elements.

Refer to the FAQ: purgeFileSU

Also, make sure that the 'Outliner' is closed. If it is open, it will refresh with each action, and therefore, it will slow down SketchUp significantly.

To change the module reference in SketchUp, please select one or more module groups, and click on 'Replace PV module reference' in the context menu.
The proposed modules are only those modules with the same dimensions as the module to be replaced

Click on the Wiring button from the archelios SketchUp plug-in

You must have previously chosen and wired the strings in archelios online and synchronised the changes

The 'Total length of the integrated cables of a PV module' parameter corresponds to the length of the two cables (+ and -), which are included in a PV module.

In this case, the value will be 240 cm (= 120 x 2)

To automatically calculate the spacing between rows, you must generate your project from our SketchUp plug-in.
When duplicating modules and after entering a module's tilt, you can press the 'Auto' button that corresponds to the spacing between rows (value A)

The value is automatically calculated based on the date and time settings in SketchUp:

To change the date and time of the shading calculation for automatic spacing (e.g. put 21 December at 12 am for the winter solstice), use the 'Shadows' tool included in SketchUp

Which may change the value of A

This spacing is considered to be the minimum value between the rows to prevent modules from casting shadows over each other.

This feature automatically calculates the spacing required between each row to prevent one row from casting shadows over another.

This feature is useful for uneven ground. If the ground is flat, you are advised to use the 'Calculate A (static)' feature, which will calculate the minimum fixed spacing needed to prevent one row from casting shadows over another (the spacing is the same between each row).

To duplicate modules from SketchUp on the ground depending on the type

1. Locate your project
2. Draw the outline of your area
3. Push and pull. Remember to let the volume exceed so that it covers the entire ground.
4. Select the ground and activate it
5. Unlock Ground Location (right-click)
6. Triple click on the ground then right click on the ground and choose: Intersect faces with model
7. Triple click on the volume then right click on the volume and choose: Hide volume

1. Go to the 'Materials' tool
2. Create a new material
   Note that the name of the texture must begin with PV- to be recognised and applied in archelios PRO.
3. Use a texture image and select it in the directory
4. Select the material and apply it to the modules

You need to rewire the inverters by following these steps:

1. Save a copy of your current SketchUp project
2. Open the 'Outliner' tab (under the 'Window' menu) and delete the 'structurePV' group

   Please note that the placement of the inverters will be lost

   
3. Re-synchronise your project

You can get a clearer idea of your ground's slope so that you know the best position for installing your project.

You can use the 'Estimation of exploitable areas' tool accessible in the toolbar of the archelios PRO plug-in.

1. Import your terrain via SketchUp tools, our 3DMAP tool or any other means
2. Select your ground
3. Adjust the variables to suit your project. Anything before the lower bound is green, anything above the upper bound is red, and the rest is orange.
4. Click on the calculation button to display the results.

Yes, this is possible with archelios PRO using the 'Calculation of volumes for earthworks' tool.

You can watch our video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-mxCwwyEQM

You will need two surfaces: one representing the original ground and the other representing the final ground (required ground).

The final ground can be imported (if you already have it) or created with the 'Sandbox' tool.

1. Place the final ground in the required position
2. Click on the 'Calculation of volumes for earthworks' tool and follow the instructions (select the original area and then the final area)
3. Fill in the depth and cost parameters for the different layers
4. Click on the 'Evaluate volumes' button to see the results

The problem may come from the level of detail on the file.

Archelios PRO calculates the shading for each module by reviewing all the edges and faces of the project that will be transferred when switching from SketchUp to Archelios PRO.

Therefore, you are advised to generate a light file by removing all heavy and unnecessary elements (for Archelios PRO from SketchUp) that do not cast shadows on the modules. It reduces the time required to switch from SketchUp to Archelios PRO online, the time needed to calculate shading and production, and the time to save the project.

E.g.: the doors, handles, adjacent buildings, structures inside buildings, etc.

The environment may contain a lot of edges, which you can see by changing the style

You can also purge all unused components and materials

First of all, you must download the new version of the archelios PRO plugin in your online account

Then, double-click on the .exe file and follow the setup wizard.

Finally, restart Revit to access Archelios PRO features.

You can watch our video on YouTube: Click here

Click on the 'archelios PRO' menu and then 'Log In'

Choose the required PV module

The PV module family can be found in 'Specialty equipment'.

Then duplicate the PV module in the project.
To duplicate, select the 3D view to make the changes.

Use the 'Array' tool in the 'Modify' menu to quickly and easily duplicate PV modules:

Link to the Revit video for using the 'Array' tool

Once the project is finished, export it by clicking on the export button to transfer the project to archelios PRO.

You can watch our video on YouTube: Click here

Revit projects contain a lot of information and therefore take a long time to export themself as they are.

You should know that beyond the export, exporting a project that is too detailed can slow down the calculation on archelios PRO, as well as the opening and saving of the project.

To maintain the integrity of the project on Revit, we recommend making invisible all the unnecessary elements for the calculation of irradiation. In particular, everything inside the buildings and the elements that do not cast a shadow (such as cars, water tanks, foundations, etc).

Despite the uselessness of those elements, they are taking up calculation time and space within the project.

To make certain elements invisible :

Click on 'Visibility/Graphics' button in 'View' tab

Uncheck all categories that are not necessary for archelios PRO

Click on 'Apply'

It is also possible to right click on an element and hide this element only or hide the whole category

Your project is ready to be exported.

• Visit the K2 Base website and create an account : K2 Base


• The creation of the project on K2 Base.:
  • Define the location :
    
  • Add a roof :
    
  • Define a module array :
    
  • Fill in the load parameters and view the results
    
• The export of the project to archelios Pro. :
  • From the summary, select archelios PRO in the design software panel :
  • Log in to archelios PRO :
    
    
    

  Once the export is complete, the project will be open and added to archelios PRO

• The creation of the Sketchup project from archelios Pro.
  • Install the plug-in
  • Open SketchUp and log in to the archelios PRO plug-in
  • Create the SketchUp 3D model

A specific page is available in the left menu to access the database management.

You can add an inverter with multiple MPPTs or edit one.

You can enter the number of MPPTs and specify the maximum current and number of inputs for each MPPT.

• The 'L' and 'O' parameters define the number of tables between each separation.
• The 'M' and 'P' parameters define the length of the separations.
• The 'N' and 'C' parameters define the number in the grid of the first table (to be left at 1 by default)
  
  Ex: If Q=1 and O=5 the first separation will be after 5 tables
  
  Ex: if Q=2 and O=5 the first separation will be after 4 tables and the following ones after 5 tables
  

• Click on the button to automatically create the groups. This button automatically generates groups according to the orientation and tilt values of the modules (there will only be one group if the modules have the same orientation and tilt)
• You can also create your own groups manually
  1. Click on the button for manual group creation
     
  2. Select the required modules in a group with the selection box (cross-shaped cursor)
     
  3. Once the modules are selected, release the left mouse button and double click to validate the group
     
  
  If you're not happy with the selection box, you can switch to 'line' mode. Proceed as follows:
  
  1. Do the step 1 again
  2. Press the 'F' key on the keyboard to switch modes
     
  3. Click on a first module
     
     - Then click on another one to encompass all the modules
     
     - That's 3 clicks here
     
  4. Double click to validate the group
     
  
  If you have separate modules that you want to put together in a group, you can use the 'manual' mode
  
  1. Do the step 1 again
  2. Then press the 'Ctrl' key on the keyboard and select all the modules you want
     
  3. Double click to validate the group
     

You can press the 'Esc' key to cancel the action.

If your project is not in 3D, click on 'Add a new configuration'.

If your project is in 3D, click on the 'Inverters' tab and then the 'Inverter' button for each existing group.

Before choosing your hardware, you can see its characteristics by clicking on the '+' button in 'Add a new configuration'.

If you have already chosen your equipment, you can see the module or inverter characteristics by right-clicking on the corresponding line in blue.

In the 'Inverters' tab, click on the 'Inverter' button and choose 'Import Solar Edge file'

The view with optimisers is slightly different as the string number is displayed on the right

You can specify the number of modules per optimiser

You can also define different string lengths at once (click on the '+' button)

The optimiser strings are saved in the structure and displayed in the configuration tree.

In our example, we have 3 optimiser strings named 'StrOpti':

The display names of the optimisers and optimiser strings can be changed in the 'Display preferences' panel of the 'Parameters' tab.

- Find the reference in the database

- Duplicate the reference in the database (Add a new inverter = from the selected reference)

- Remove the other MPPTs / check the presence of a single MPPT

- The reference is now available in the list

Inverter video link with multiple MPPT : Click here

1. In the 3D view, select the module group
2. Click on the 'Change module reference' button (at the bottom left)
3. The proposed modules are only those modules with the same dimensions as the module to be replaced

To change the module reference in SketchUp

The restriction has no impact on the quantity of energy produced.The aim of this manipulation is only to limit the electrical power output from the photovoltaic inverter.

This trick is often used to comply with regulations that impose limits on the amount of energy a producer can inject into the public grid. Indeed, the public network manager can ask to respect certain injection limits on the network, for example the fact that the power of the inverter cannot exceed that of the subscription.

How to do it in archelios PRO?

Static limiting of production makes it possible to define a maximum injectable power per hour on the public network. To do this, simply enter the limit value in the simulation parameters. (See illustrations below)

Limiting by the power factor makes it possible to limit the power of the inverter by adjusting the power factor of the installation. To do this, simply modify the cos Phi in the project simulation parameters. (See illustrations below)

Limiting by power of the inverter allows you to reduce the power of the inverter directly from the technical sheet. To do this, simply enter the inverter reference from the database and limit the inverter powers. (See illustrations below)

Click on the wiring icon for the group (or MPPT or even the string if you want to wire them separately) and follow the instructions in the bottom-left corner of the 3D view

You can wire using the 'Manual wiring' button, which can be found in the strings

Click on the icon to the left of MPPT to expand the strings.

Manual wiring works in the same way as automatic wiring, but with a few differences (no wiring restrictions):

• Click on the first module
• Using your mouse, click on the modules that you want to add to the string (if you click on a module that is already in the string, it will be removed)
• Double click (or click on the last module) of the string to validate.

Select a module in the string (it turns blue).
Then right-click on the module and choose 'Select' and 'Inverter'.

The inverter line turns blue in the table.

In case of a large solar power plant, we would advise you to use the online irradiance calculation tool (and not directly from SketchUp).
After exporting, you can calculate the irradiation for the modules

You can track the progress

Once the calculation is complete, you can display the values by right-clicking on the selected module

You can also access the shading for each module

First, select a type of bifacial module from our archelios plugin on SketchUp

The gains with bifacial modules can only be calculated with a 3D project.

Note that the model for calculating the bifacial gain does not take account of the duplicated tilted surfaces (tilt over 5°). Feature under development.

Special case of solar canopies:

• Create the duplication surface on the ground
• Duplicate with the correct height parameter (this is the parameter that will be taken into account for the height of the modules)
• Above all, do not create the tilted surface to duplicate the modules

Then, create your project, such as any other project. The gains from bifacial modules will be calculated in the 'Production' section.

There are also some parameters in the 'Parameters' tab to fine-tune the simulation

This feature is only available with a 3D project.
To see the P(V) curve of an MPPT, please select an MPPT in the 3D view and choose your month and time in the 'Production' sub-tab

You can see all the shading for the modules that are wired to the selected MPPT.

Below, you will have access to the P(V) curve. In this case, there is a 9.84% loss compared to the theoretical power.

Properly sizing the inverter is highly important for the safety of the system and for producing energy.
For example, the voltage per string in this project is invalid (red indicator).

archelios simulates production and therefore simulates each MPPT with its voltage. In this case, the modules do not produce enough energy for the voltage to be sufficient for the inverter to generate power.

For a clearer idea, here is the curve of an MPPT for the month of January at 12 pm (only available with a 3D project)

Instead of producing the theoretical maximum power of 1,670 W, this MPPT only delivers 713 W. This value corresponds to the maximum power point found on the curve in the MPP voltage range.

The contrast is more significant in the example when using the same time in July because the voltage of the modules is even lower (due to heating in the modules).

The whole curve is outside the MPP voltage range (which starts at 500 V).

The performance ratio will be very low due to the incorrectly sized inverter.

Losses are displayed as a percentage in relation to the previous step and not generally over the entire project.

For example, inverter losses are calculated in relation to the energy arriving in the DC cables and not through irradiation of the modules. These are relative percentages.

As for the performance ratio, our calculation takes into account more than the system. It takes into consideration the shading and IAM losses.

First, the performance ratio is the ratio between the specific energy yield and the annual incident irradiation in the module plane. The performance ratio's calculation takes into account more than the system. It takes into consideration the shading and IAM losses. In other words, it is not the displayed losses that allow us to calculate the performance ratio but the production results through the energy yield.

The performance ratio cannot be found with the losses because these losses are an average across all the modules and inverters over the entire observation period. The losses at the start of the commissioning period will not be the same as at the end. They are displayed relatively since this provides an overview of the losses to optimise the installation.

To define the performance ratio, use this formula: a specific energy yield/irradiation in the module plane with horizon shading.

Since the formula has to be performed for each array, it is a problem when there is several inclinations or orientation.

The irradiation in the module plane is given for guidance only in the 'Site' section

For example, if you have two tilt angles: 13° (for 1,770 modules or 37% of the plant) and 32° (for the rest), which gives:

Near-shading losses are an irradiation loss on the modules.

Partial shading losses are caused by connecting shaded / unshaded modules in series, or modules with different orientations or inclinations in series.

A small tool-tip is displayed when you mouse over the % loss bar

Yes, you can save the simulation parameters.
From the archelios software :

From the archelios plug-in on SketchUp

These parameters will therefore be copied from one study to another.

When you confirm your address, horizon shading is automatically calculated in archelios. archelios uses data from NASA.

You can still import your file with the import button

Here are some template files you can download:

• Suneye
• Suneye (southern hemisphere)
• Custom file

An installation (comprising around 130,000 modules) can be divided into groups (usually into transformer groups) The raw results can then be duplicated for the global calculation (CSV file) or the AutoCAD plan (DXF format).

The procedure for this type of design is as follows :

1. Create a group for the plant (either 1 MWp or a transformer group) and export the project to archelios Pro. Configure the project (inverters, wiring, etc.) and calculate the power production.:
   
2. Create a new project without 3D directly from archelios PRO:
   
3. Add modules and inverters:
   
4. In the Production section, click on 'Import losses' and select the previous project:
   
5. Calculate the production and save the project. This calculation will give more accurate results.:

   Without an imported shading profile

   

   With an imported shading profile

   

archelios PRO delivers many export options for designing the next stage of the project, including CSV (Excel) and DXF (AutoCAD).

The CSV export provides raw data and calculation results for the entire plant.

When a project is designed in sections to allow for wiring and fast calculation, all the project sections can be joined together in AutoCAD using the DXF export feature. This saves time without losing any precision in the calculation results.

The self-consumption section is available in the 'Self-consumption' tab

If your file does not cover a full year, you can choose a partial import that will allow you to spread your measurements over a full year.
archelios calculates an average week with all the measured points, which are then spread over the year.

If this uniform distribution method is not suitable for your project, you can spread your electricity consumption on a month-by-month basis.

It is also possible to import a real load curve from Enedis in the following way:

Add average Enedis profiles based on current consumption by profile type.

- Select profile
- Enter annual consumption
- Import profile

Add electrical equipment profiles based on the usage habits of this equipment. Several profiles can be imported at once by pressing the Ctrl key. -
- Select the profiles to integrate into the simulation -
- Import equipment(s)

It is also possible to create a profile completely

- Add a new device

- Enter the name of the equipment
- Enter the maximum power
- Edit the associated profile from the graph

All consumption profiles can be modified after import. (See section:editConsumptionProfile)

You can automatically calculate the minimum peak power that needs to be installed to fulfil a minimum % of your electrical needs with the photovoltaic electricity produced.

Click on the 'Size the peak power' button in the 'Self-consumption' tab

Enter your self-production rate or the kWh that you want to consume by photovoltaic electricity. Confirm a value with the 'Enter' key to automatically calculate the second value.

Click on the 'Calculate' button to start the calculation.

The result is displayed below

If the resulting rate is less than the value entered, you can go to the advanced settings to increase the power range used for the calculation

You can also change the number of steps in the calculation: the higher the number, the greater the accuracy will be for the power that needs to be installed, but the calculation will take longer

For example, you consume 4,000 kWh of electricity per year. Of the 4,000 kWh, 2,000 kWh are photovoltaic electricity produced by your modules. Your photovoltaic self-production rate is equal to (2,000 kWh (self-produced electricity) / 4,000 kWh (total consumption)) x 100 = 50%.

This self-production rate shows the savings that you will achieve with a photovoltaic self-consumption installation. With a photovoltaic self-production rate of 50% (in the previous example), you will halve your electricity bill.

You can adapt all the average profiles for the devices to the overall annual consumption indicated on the bill.

Click on the 'Annual consumption' button after choosing all the electrical devices.

Enter the overall annual consumption and click on the 'Validate' button

All the profiles are adapted in power to match the actual annual consumption.

Yes, you can display the costs in euros or any other currency. To do so, go to the 'Economy' section and enter the input value for the currency

Remember to confirm the change by clicking on the blue 'Compute economic results' button

This feature can be used to define the peak power to be installed for greater profitability according to a minimum self-consumption and self-production rate

Click on the 'Optimisation of self-consumption' button to open the window

You can adjust the minimum percentage settings for the self-consumption and self-production levels required for this project

Valid data are represented in the graphic with a white background. The grey areas on the left and right represent invalid peak power values in relation to the required self-consumption and self-production rates. Depending on the project, these grey areas might not exist or, on the contrary, may cover everything.

You can also adjust some parameters such as the minimum and maximum kWp for the calculation. The range is limited by default for performance reasons.

The calculation is based on a profile of a kWp, which itself is calculated from the current project.

The first graphic represents the self-consumption and self-production rates for each peak power. The current line represents the performance of the current project, and the optimum line represents the optimum performance based on the calculation.

In this case, you can clearly see that the last valid value for achieving the minimum self-consumption rate is 2,325 kWp with 30.57%. The next calculated step will have a self-consumption rate of less than 30%.

Year 10 is selected by default, since the archelios calculations use the average values of the observation period (20 years by default).

The second graphic is used to represent the differential NPV between a PV-free project (all the electricity needed to fulfil needs is purchased from the grid) and a self-consumption project.

The maximum gain calculated in accordance with the self-consumption and self-production rates is displayed at the top.

If your file contains 24 values or less (24 hours), this 'typical' day will be replicated on all other days of the year.

If your file contains between 25 and 168 values (168 hours equal one week), this data will be replicated every 7 days of the year. This will be considered a 'typical' week.

If your file contains over 168 values, this data will be taken as it is in the year.

The calculations in archelios PRO are based on a number of project-related economic analysis principles, namely:

• Discounting: the conversion of a future value to a current equivalent value. It is based on the WACC.
• WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital): the weighted average of the loan interest rate and the equity rate (the expected rate of return from the invested capital).
• NPV (Net Present Value): the discounted added value generated throughout the duration of the project. A project is profitable if its NPV is positive.
• Discounted Payback Period: the duration required to have a zero NPV. A project is profitable if the discounted DPP is less than the observation period.
• LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity): the full cost of the energy produced, in euros per kWh. This is the ratio between the total discounted cost and the total discounted production.
• IRR (Internal Rate of Return): this is the discount rate which ensures that the NPV is equal to 0.

In archelios PRO, the economic calculations are discounted to see the NPV. This value automatically takes account of the WACC. If it is positive, it means that the project (including its financing) is profitable in relation to the investor's expectations.

The discounted payback time refers to the amount of time required for income to compensate for the initial investment and annual expenses. If the payback time is within the observed period, the NPV will be positive and the project is considered to be profitable.

The project's IRR is independent of the discount rate, because it is the rate that can be used to obtain a zero NPV. A project is profitable if the IRR is greater than the discount rate.

The different electrical profiles are integrated into a table whose first three columns are customizable:

- Profile name
- Maximum profile power
- Number of similar profiles in the installation

After modifying a value in the table, click on Update table to calculate the annual consumption.

* Values framed in red can be modified directly in the table

Energy storage makes it possible to increase the installation's self-consumption rate through the physical or virtual storage of energy produced and not consumed during the day.

In this case, the excess production is stored until the batteries are full, then the surplus is reinjected into the electricity grid.

It is possible to manually enter the battery configuration :
- Select battery manufacturer and model
- The number of batteries in series
- The number of parallel chains

* Connecting batteries in series or in parallel has no impact on the energy flow calculations. Verification of the compatibility of the battery voltage with the operating voltage of the charger/inverter is independent of this study and remains the responsibility of the user.

The maximum storage in kWh is then calculated from these elements.

With a GOLD subscription, it is possible to size the storage according to the desired number of hours of autonomy*:

- Select the battery manufacturer and model
- Click on the size batteries button

* Battery sizing is based on maximum demand over the defined period, assuming full batteries, and taking into account the minimum and maximum state of charge assumptions entered by the user.

- Enter the desired number of hours of backup time and the system voltage*
- Click on Size Batteries

* The system voltage corresponds to the voltage that the inverter/charger can support.

The configuration is automatically populated based on the maximum storage capacity required to meet the backup time requirement.

Advanced settings allow you to precisely configure the battery operation.

Batteries tend to degrade more quickly when they are fully discharged or fully charged. It is therefore best to maintain the charge within the manufacturer's recommended range.

This range can be defined through the minimum state of charge, which prevents the battery from completely discharging (deep discharge), and the maximum state of charge, which allows charging to be stopped before the battery is fully charged.

These parameters are provided in the technical documentation and/or can be configured on the storage system.

Archelios allows you to enter the forward efficiency through the Charger Efficiency (AC) -> Battery (DC) parameter and the return Inverter Efficiency (Battery (DC) -> Grid (AC) parameter.

This data must be available in the charger system's technical data sheet.

Battery end of life can be entered in archelios PRO to take its renewal into account in the self-consumption analysis. This is the percentage of the initial capacity (called SOH for 'State Of Health') below which the battery is considered to be at the end of its life and must be replaced.

Battery temperature is used to calculate the battery's calendar aging and usable capacity, as it decreases with increasing temperature.

The user can choose between a fixed temperature, for use in an air-conditioned room, or an average annual ambient temperature with an adjustment entered by the user (default choice).

Charging from the grid allows energy to be stored from the electrical grid, only when the battery is not discharging.

It is possible to configure charging periods from the network using an hourly graph.

* As intelligent load management (EMS) is under development, determining the optimal periods when charging from the network is permitted remains the responsibility of the user.

In the case of virtual storage, excess production is injected into the electricity grid to be stored virtually and released later when needs exceed production.

The sole data required for the calculation is the virtual storage capacity in kWh, which can be infinite.

Like physical storage, this allows for increased self-consumption and self-production rates.

* The valuation of virtual storage is managed through economic analysis.

For physical storage, the calculation method is taken from the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) software documentation.

If there is excess PV energy, the battery is charged from the PV and supplemented from the grid during the permitted periods. Otherwise, the battery is discharged. The grid charge is not processed while the battery is discharging. If there is no demand, the battery can be fully charged from the grid, still during the permitted periods.

The charging current is determined from the charging power (PV power – consumption) or discharging power (consumption – PV power), corrected for the charging or discharging efficiency, then limited by the maximum currents.

At each time step, the battery's relative state of charge (SOC) can be calculated.

After a year of simulation, the aging is calculated:

- Calendar aging, based on the battery temperature and the average SOC over the year. (With fixed or adjusted annual average ambient temperature)
- Cyclic aging, based on the number of cycles, the technology, and the average depth of discharge.

The aging for the year is taken as the lower of the two previous values.

Notable differences between lead-acid and lithium technologies

- The model describing the charge and discharge of lead-acid batteries is specific; they cannot charge or discharge as quickly as lithium batteries.
- The parameters of the model calculating voltage based on state of charge and current are specific to each technology (for example, the internal resistance is higher for lead-acid batteries).
- The Faradaic efficiency is different (Lead-acid: 0.8 / Li-ion: 0.98).
- The parameters of the cyclic aging model vary depending on the technology (a lead-acid battery degrades faster than a lithium battery).
- The variation in battery capacity as a function of temperature depends on the technology.

For physical storage, the cost of batteries will have to be integrated into the economic analysis either in the total cost, the unit cost from the list of materials or through the average price, per peak Watt.

Depending on the duration of the simulation, the costs associated with battery renewal should be added to the maintenance and operating costs. (Visible from the battery degradation graph in the self-consumption analysis)

*Future developments will allow automatic battery renewal to be taken into account in the economic analysis.

The results are partially displayed based on the checkboxes on the left, which allow for precise analysis of the various results. All checked categories are displayed on the graph and also present in the .csv export available above the graph.
Data can be displayed and exported by year, month, or over a customizable period using the sliders below the graph.

Production: Total production of the photovoltaic installation

Needs: Total consumption of the building -> Annual coverage rate (Production / Needs)

Self-consumption without storage: Total consumption from PV production
Self-consumption with storage: Total consumption from PV production + Stored PV energy

-> Self-consumption gain: Self-consumption gain through energy storage.

Overproduction: Production that is neither self-consumed nor stored, and fed into the grid.
-> Percentage of unconsumed production

Deficit: Needs not covered by the PV installation + storage (physical) and transported from the distribution grid. Allows for the sizing of an external source in the case of sites not connected to the grid.
-> Number of hours where PV production cannot meet needs

Battery charge: Energy required to charge the batteries / Energy from the grid / Energy from solar (taking into account AC => DC efficiency)

Battery discharge: Energy released by the batteries (before DC => AC efficiency losses)

Battery state of charge: Display of battery charge/discharge sequences
The annual results present a summary of the analysis

Self-consumption without storage: Total consumption from PV production
Self-consumption with storage: Total consumption from PV production + Stored PV energy

Number of hours of autonomy without sun: Number of hours during which the building's consumption can be covered by the energy stored by the batteries without.

-> Self-production rate with and without storage: Percentage of self-consumed production / total requirements

-> Self-consumption rate with and without storage: Percentage of self-consumed production / Total production

Maximum charge current clipping: Corresponds to the energy that cannot be charged into the battery because the charge current does not allow it.

Maximum discharge current clipping: Corresponds to the energy that cannot be drawn from the battery because the discharge current does not allow it.

Self-consumption (kWh): Allows you to view the annual self-consumption in kWh over the observation period.

Self-consumption (%): Allows you to view the annual self-consumption rate as a % over the observation period.

Number of cycles (cumulative): Allows you to view the number of cycles accumulated annually over the observation period.

Storage efficiency: Allows you to view the proportion of recoverable energy compared to the stored energy as a % over the observation period.

Battery degradation (%): Allows you to view the annual cumulative degradation rate of the battery over the observation period.

Nominal Capacity: The nominal capacity of a battery is the maximum amount of energy, generally measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), that the battery is designed to store. It is a theoretical measurement that assumes ideal operating conditions and a new, fully charged battery.

Monthly Self-Discharge (%): This describes a set of automatic electrochemical processes that cause batteries (accumulators) to discharge more or less quickly, even when no electrical load is connected. The rate of self-discharge determines how much of the initially stored charge (capacity) is still usable after storage. Self-discharge is one of the most important characteristics of batteries or accumulators.

C-rate (%): A battery's 'C-rate' defines the rate at which it charges or discharges relative to its maximum capacity. It is expressed in multiples of 'C'.

When the C-rate is given in hours, it represents the time required to fully charge or discharge the battery at that rate.

For example:

- A C-rate of 1h (C-rate: 1C) means that the battery will fully charge or discharge in 1 hour.
- A C-rate of 2h (C-rate: 0.5C or C/2) indicates that a full charge or discharge will take 2 hours.
- A C-rate of 0.5h (C-rate: 2C) means that the battery will be charged or discharged in 30 minutes.
- A C-rate of 10h (C-rate: 0.1C or C/10) indicates a charge or discharge in 10 hours.

The relationship is therefore inversely proportional: the smaller the number in front of the 'hour' unit, the higher the C-rate (expressed without a time unit) and the faster the charge or discharge.

In summary, a C-rate expressed in hours directly gives the duration of the charge or discharge cycle at that rate. This is another way of expressing the same information as the standard C-rate.

If the C-rate is not provided by the manufacturer, it can be obtained by the following calculation: Nominal battery capacity (Ah) / 'Standard' charge/discharge current (output)

Maximum charge current (A): This refers to the maximum current that can be sent to the storage battery by the regulator to recharge it.

Maximum discharge current (A): This refers to the maximum current that can be sent to the storage battery by the regulator to discharge it.

Maximum number of battery modules: This refers to the number of battery modules that can be interconnected to form a storage system.

Output short-circuit current (A): The short-circuit current likely to occur on the battery side.

The formula for calculating battery storage capacity is relatively simple and involves multiplying the battery voltage by the battery's ampere-hour (Ah) rating. This value is then divided by 1000 to convert it to kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Storage Capacity (kWh) = Battery Voltage (V) x Battery Capacity (Ah) / 1000

It's important to note that a battery's ampere-hour rating is typically specified at a specific discharge rate. Therefore, it's essential to consider this factor when calculating the overall storage capacity of a battery system.

Some energy suppliers offer electricity storage solutions in virtual 'batteries'. These solutions allow a photovoltaic electricity producer to virtually store kWh that would not have been self-consumed in order to use them later when the photovoltaic installation is not producing (at night, for example).

To take this type of solution* into account, the following data should be added to the economic analysis:

Commissioning cost: Any commissioning costs must be added to the project investment.

Annual subscription cost: This must be added to the maintenance and operating costs.

Subscribing to a virtual storage offer means taking out an electricity supply contract with the supplier of the virtual battery offer. The purchase tariffs for energy from this supplier must therefore be provided.

*Current economic management of virtual storage allows for the management of subscription offers that include the management of routing taxes. Support for offers with routing tax management independent of the subscription is planned for future developments.

Discounting: Discounting is the act of reducing one or more future amounts to today’s value. This answers the question: “what is the current value of X euros in X years?” Unlike capitalization which allows you to know the future value of a sum today.

- Inflation rate: This is a percentage estimate of the increase or decrease in the prices of goods and services each year over the period.

- Equity rate: The expected rate of return on invested capital. The fact of depriving oneself of capital requires in return future remuneration.

The effect of updating on the project is therefore visible by the updated return time.

Project types:

- Connected to the network: Total resale of solar production to the electricity network.
- Self-consumption: Consumption exclusively of solar production without resale to the electricity network.
- Self-consumption + network: Priority consumption of solar production with resale of the surplus to the electricity network.
- Autonomous: Consumption exclusively of solar production without connection to the electricity network.

Sales price of the energy produced: Sales price for the first year of the electricity produced and resold to the electricity network (price per kWh).

Purchase price of energy from the network: Purchase price in the first year of electricity transmitted from the electricity network (price per kWh).

Price evolution: Evolution of the price per year of electricity (%/year).

Add a threshold: It is possible to manage different sales rates according to thresholds, that is to say that below an energy threshold a first rate is applied, above that a second rate is applied.

Chrome : https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95472?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

Firefox : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/pop-blocker-settings-exceptions-troubleshooting

Internet Explorer : https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17479/windows-internet-explorer-11-change-security-privacy-settings

Opera : http://help.opera.com/Windows/12.10/en/popups.html

Safari : https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21485?locale=en_US

You can rename all items at once in the 'Settings' tab. You can choose from which item you want to start numbering.

Do not forget to apply your changes.

You can also rename one element at a time by right-clicking on the element to open the context-sensitive menu.

In this case, the inverter has been renamed without affecting the other inverters:

Then double click on the file saved on your computer or use the import option from archelios CALC

For more information about our archelios CALC software, visit : https://www.trace-software.com/products/archelios-calc/

As for colours, the export to DXF depends on the archelios 3D view according to the drop-down list:

If you choose 'Group colour', the modules will be shown in the colour of the group that they belong to, and the same applies to 'Inverter / MPPT / string colour'. If you choose 'Irradiation colour', you will have the colour of the irradiance of each module (if previously calculated).

This file allows users to customise their output reports for presenting to their customers.

To find out how to use this file, refer to the dedicated 'Manual' tab which describes the steps to be taken.

Please make sure that the decimal separator is a period '.' and not a comma ','.

There are several reasons why the simulation results are different to other software:

• The weather data on which the simulation is based. The data in archelios PRO may be different to the data in the other software (data source, observation period, exact location, etc.). You can find the details of the weather source in the 'Location' tab. By default, archelios PRO uses Meteonorm data, but you may also import data from other sources here
• The simulation parameters. The default values in the simulation parameters (last tab) are realistic, but they might not exactly correspond to your project or the values present in other software. These assumptions can obviously be modified, depending on your experience (e.g. soiled modules) or your knowledge of the project's more specific data (such as losses in cables or module tolerance levels).
• The simulation models. archelios PRO includes models that are known and published in scientific literature. Thanks to studies into the accuracy of the modelling process, the production results produced by several software programs can be benchmarked against real results by eliminating the two previous biases.
  • Photon study
  • IJEEE study

By default, weather data comes from Meteonorm software. The monthly averages, which generally cover a period of 19 years (the period is indicated in the name of the weather station), are processed by archelios to generate hourly irradiance data representative of an average year.

The method used (some parts of which are determined randomly) makes it possible to simulate more or less sunny days, with intra-day variations, which explains the days with very low production, or the peaks and troughs of production within of the same day.

However, the method verifies that for each month, the sum of the irradiation of these 'real' days is equal to the monthly average of the meteorological station from Meteonorm.

In addition, and in order to guarantee the repeatability of the results from one simulation to another of the same project, the random nature of the method is framed in such a way that the series of 'real' days is always the same.

The Pxx energy yield represents the degree of uncertainty used during the calculation.
The P50 energy yield is the mean production level, meaning that there is a 50% chance of exceeding the energy yield.

The P90 energy yield means that there is a 90% chance of exceeding the production level, while combining all the uncertainties.

The following parameters are the different uncertainties used when calculating the P90 energy yield.
Therefore, they only influence this result.

This means that these parameters are different from those used for the simulation, since they determine the uncertainties relating to the assumptions used for the simulation parameters.

The parameters defined in the 'P90' section are the uncertainty percentages relating to the assumptions used for the simulation parameters.

Let's take the example of 'Characteristic mismatch'. You have a parameter that is taken directly into account in the simulation (e.g. 1%). This 1% has a direct influence on the simulation. In the P90 section, the specified percentage will correspond to the uncertainty (standard deviation) associated with this parameter. If you put 0%, it means that you're sure of the assumptions for your simulation.

You can add a new weather station by clicking on the 'Weather station' button after the first calculation.

Several types of imports are available

The formats with daily and hourly data are transformed into average monthly days (24 hours per average day / month).

Since these data are retransformed, an 'actual days' profile is recreated when calculating the self-consumption and clipping.

Here are some template files you can download:

• 3E TMY
• Archelios meteo
• Helioclim tmy3
• Helioclim PVSyst tmy
• NREL tmy
• PVGis tmy
• Solargis tmy
• Solargis PVSyst tmy

On PVGis website :

On Archelios website

Fill in the missing data and add your new weather station

The 'Site' section displays information, but is also useful for calculating the energy subsequently produced

This can help you choose the best tilt and orientation (if permitted by the project). The section in red is for your information only (it does not affect the project)

The REAL orientation and tilt of the modules are defined in tab 2 (configurations).

archelios calculates the true irradiance in the module plane to simulate the energy production of the project.

The bifacial gain is based on the additional contribution made by the back face of the module. This contribution is calculated every hour from the irradiance on the back face and the bifaciality factor. A mismatch loss factor is also applied.

The back face irradiance includes :

• Direct irradiance: same calculation as for the front face
• Diffuse irradiance :
  • Circumsolar diffuse: same calculation as for the front face
  • Isotropic diffuse: the calculation is based on the portion of sky seen from the back face (taking account of the module rows behind)
  • Albedo-related diffuse irradiance, which is equal to the radiation reflected by the ground and weighted by the view factor of the back face from the ground The radiation reflected by the ground takes account of shading caused by the rows of modules

By hypothesis, the rows of modules are infinite.

• Calculation of the storage volume from the required number of days of autonomy and the daily need
• Calculation of peak power based on a daily calculation (365 days): the peak power is calculated iteratively, while checking that the need is still fulfilled and by taking account of the storage volume previously calculated. The calculation factors in the system's performance. By default, a monthly tolerance of 5% is taken into account, i.e. archelios accepts that the monthly deficit is no more than 5% of the value of the monthly requirement.
• Calculation of pump power from the peak power, considering an oversizing coefficient of 5%

The IAM is calculated with the ASHRAE model. The default b0 value for the formula is 0.05.

• IAM losses on diffuse irradiation
• update to the default values for the simulation parameters

• Power losses in the cables are now calculated from the losses at STC (and not from a simple percentage of the losses). Depending on the conditions, if you enter 1% for the losses at STC, you'll have approximately 0.5 to 0.7% for the whole year.
• Configuration-level production is now computed from the I-V curves for each module
• Minor modification concerning the module temperature model

• Cultivated field, asphalt : 0.15
• Ploughed ground, cobblestones, stones, rocks : 0.2
• Dry sand, grassland, meadows, concrete, gravel : 0.25
• Desert, sea : 0.3
• Old snow : 0.6
• Fresh snow, white paint, lime, dry white plaster : 0.8