Estimating annual yield with a single factor (kWp × 1,500 or similar) may be enough for a first screening, but not for an investment decision. SolarSimPro calculates yield hour by hour: for every hour the sun's position, the irradiance on the module plane, the cell temperature and the shading state are each processed separately.
| Quantity | How it is processed |
|---|---|
| Irradiance data | Long-term meteorological data for the location; horizontal irradiance is transposed onto the module plane. |
| Module plane | The tilt and azimuth of each surface — per roof face on rooftops, and the table tilt on land. |
| Cell temperature | Calculated from ambient temperature and irradiance, then converted into a power loss using the module's temperature coefficient. |
| Shading loss | The hourly shading from the ray-traced analysis is subtracted directly. |
| System losses | Cabling, soiling, mismatch and inverter efficiency enter as separate items. |
| Degradation | The annual degradation rate is applied across the 25-year projection. |
P50 means "in half of all years, generation is expected to exceed this value" — the central scenario. P90 means "in 90% of years at least this much is generated", and is the conservative figure used in financing. Banks and investors normally size debt service on P90. Seeing both on the same page lets you discuss the expected case and the safe case together.
Comparing the hourly generation curve with the hourly consumption curve gives the self-consumption ratio: how much of the energy produced is used on site immediately, and how much is exported? That distinction is decisive in the financial model, because a kilowatt-hour you consume yourself is not worth the same as one you export.
If hourly consumption data is not available, an annual or monthly figure is entered and a consumption regime — office hours, shift work, residential, irrigation, cold storage or hotel — is chosen to distribute it across 8,760 hours. The comparison can be made hourly or monthly, and the difference between the two is shown in the report.
Once the layout is ready the simulation is a single step — the inputs are already in the model.
The whole year, hour by hour — 8,760 hours. Results are also summarised monthly and annually.
P50 is the expected (median) yield — exceeded in half of all years. P90 is the conservative figure expected to be exceeded in 90% of years, and is the one used in financing.
Enter your annual or monthly consumption and choose a regime (office hours, shift work, residential, irrigation, cold storage, hotel); the total is distributed across 8,760 hours according to that profile.
It is. Cell temperature is computed from ambient temperature and irradiance, then converted into a power loss using the module's temperature coefficient.
Let us run the yield simulation for your own project together.