How to Practice PVSyst | 5 Recommended Exercises for Beginners

Table of Contents

• Begin PVSyst practice with small tasks rather than real projects

• Task 1: Create one standard grid-connected model

• Task 2: Compare energy production by changing azimuth and tilt angles

• Task 3: Change combinations of module capacity and PCS capacity

• Task 4: Modify loss conditions one by one and observe the changes in results

• Task 5: Simulate while taking shading and terrain conditions into account

• Checkpoints for applying practice results to real projects

• Common pitfalls to watch for when practicing PVSyst

• Summary: Practice PVSyst together with an understanding of site conditions

Start PVSyst practice with small tasks instead of real projects

When using PVSyst for the first time, trying to reproduce all the conditions of a real project at once can leave you confused by the sheer number of input items. In an actual solar power plant, many elements are intertwined: the shape of the site, surrounding obstacles, racking height, module layout, electrical design, grid connection conditions, maintenance planning, and considerations such as snow and soiling. If you try to enter all of these perfectly from the start, you end up learning the software and making design decisions at the same time, and you may not be able to tell where you went wrong.

For beginners, a recommended approach is to first create a single, simple virtual power plant and practice by gradually modifying that model. For example, narrow the conditions: arrange solar panels on flat ground with the same orientation, initially do not include shading effects, and do not deal with batteries or complex self-consumption conditions. The initial goal is not to fully reproduce a real project, but to grasp the basic concepts of PVSyst.

When practicing with PVSyst, it is important to make it possible to reuse the same conditions multiple times. Copy the initial baseline model and create models that differ only in azimuth, only in tilt angle, only in PCS capacity, and only in loss conditions so that the changes are clear for comparison. This makes it easier to understand which setting caused the differences in the results.

Also, when practicing it is important to always note what you changed. PVSyst result reports display many numerical values, but when you look back later you may not be able to tell under which conditions the results were calculated. In professional work, because you need to compare design proposals, explain them internally, explain them to clients, and manage the history of recalculations, developing the habit of managing conditions from the practice stage will be useful.

The practice exercises are intended not only to teach the operations but also to help you learn how to interpret power generation simulations. The numeric values entered on the PVSyst screen are ultimately reflected in results such as annual energy production, monthly energy production, the breakdown of losses, performance ratio, output limits, and shading losses. By proceeding with an awareness of which inputs affect which results, the exercises transform from mere operational practice into practice in making design decisions.

Task 1: Create one standard grid-connected model

The first practice task is to create one standard grid-connected model. This task is designed to let you experience the basic operations of PVSyst. A grid-connected model is one that assumes the electricity generated by a photovoltaic system is connected to the power grid, and it is a fundamental concept when considering industrial/utility solar PV or ground-mounted power plants.

First, set a practice location. It need not be an actual project, but assume a typical area within the country and proceed as far as loading the meteorological data. For beginners, it is more important to understand that elements such as the site, latitude, longitude, elevation, solar irradiation, and temperature form the basis of the simulation than to delve deeply into minor differences in meteorological data. Even with the same system capacity, annual energy production changes depending on local solar irradiation and temperature conditions. When practicing with PVSyst, it is essential to first develop the sense that "energy production is not determined by system capacity alone."

Next, input the installation conditions for the solar panels. For this step, set the azimuth to face south and use a typical fixed value for the tilt angle, avoiding complex layout conditions. For the initial model, it's best not to over-optimize and to use standard, easy-to-understand conditions. First establish baseline values for the azimuth and tilt angle so they can be compared in later tasks.

After that, set the conditions for the modules and the PCS. For beginners' practice, it is more important to understand the relationships among design items such as module capacity, number of modules in series, number in parallel, PCS capacity, input voltage range, and DC/AC ratio than to focus on actual specific equipment names. In PVSyst, if the combination of modules and PCS is inappropriate, warnings or cautions may be displayed. These warnings are not merely error messages but clues for verifying the consistency of the design conditions.

In the first task, rather than getting deeply into detailed loss or shading settings, the goal is to first create a model that can complete the calculation. Once the calculation is finished, check the main results such as annual energy production, monthly energy production, performance ratio, and the loss diagram. What’s important here is not memorizing the numerical values of the results, but understanding which screen shows which information.

By the time you finish this exercise, you will understand the workflow of creating one project in PVSyst: setting the site, entering basic system parameters, running a simulation, and reviewing the results. In practical work, creating this basic model is the starting point for everything. By carefully creating the first project, it will be easier to proceed with subsequent comparative exercises.

Task 2: Compare power generation by varying azimuth and tilt angles

The second exercise is to change the azimuth and tilt angles and compare how the energy output changes. When learning how to use PVSyst, comparing azimuth and tilt angles is a very straightforward exercise. This is because there are few parameters to change, making it easy to observe their impact on the results.

First, copy the standard model created in Task 1. Then, keeping the system capacity, weather data, modules, PCS, and loss conditions the same, change only the azimuth. For example, using the south-facing model as the baseline, compare the case where it is rotated slightly east, the case where it is rotated to the west, and the case where the azimuth is rotated by a larger amount. The important point here is not to change many conditions at once. When practicing changing the azimuth, keep conditions other than the azimuth as constant as possible and observe the differences in results.

Changing the azimuth affects not only the annual energy yield but also the generation trends by time of day. South-facing installations tend to be advantageous in terms of annual energy yield, while east-facing ones relatively increase generation in the morning and west-facing ones relatively increase generation in the afternoon. In practice, rather than simply maximizing annual energy yield, factors such as the consumer’s electricity usage, conditions for selling electricity, the potential for output control, and the surrounding environment are also considered. For beginners practicing, first confirm that changing the azimuth alters both the amount of generation and the generation pattern.

Next, compare by changing the tilt angle. The tilt angle is the parameter that indicates how much the solar panels are inclined relative to the horizontal plane. A smaller tilt angle places the panels closer to the mounting surface, while a larger tilt angle makes them stand more upright. The tilt angle that is closest to optimal varies depending on local solar irradiation conditions and the season. By testing multiple tilt angles in PVSyst, you can verify differences in annual energy production, winter energy production, and summer energy production.

In this exercise, when comparing results, pay attention to monthly energy production as well. Even if differences look small when examining only the annual energy production, a monthly view can reveal differences in winter or summer. For example, increasing the tilt angle may make the system receive more solar radiation in winter, but depending on installation conditions and the region, it does not necessarily provide an advantage in the annual total. In practicing with PVSyst, it is important to cultivate the attitude of “do not judge results by a single number.”

Also, when comparing azimuth and tilt angles, it is necessary to consider the practicality of the layout. Even if conditions show higher energy yield on paper, actual sites have constraints such as racking spacing, maintenance access, snow loads, wind loads, aesthetics, and constructability. PVSyst is a useful tool for design studies, but you should not ignore site conditions based solely on simulation results. Developing the habit, from the practice stage, of distinguishing between numerically optimal conditions and conditions that are feasible on site will improve your decision-making in practice.

Task 3: Change the combination of module capacity and PCS capacity

The third exercise is to change combinations of module capacity and PCS capacity to check the effects of the DC/AC ratio and output limits. One area where beginners often get stuck when using PVSyst is the relationship between the module-side capacity and the PCS-side capacity. In solar power generation, the total capacity of the modules and the rated capacity of the PCS do not necessarily have to be the same. In practice, the capacity balance is considered while taking into account generation output, equipment utilization rate, peak shaving, cost, and grid constraints.

In the exercise, using the baseline model from Assignment 1, we will change the number of modules and the number of strings to vary the DC-side capacity. Keeping the PCS capacity fixed, we will create models with the module capacity slightly increased, further increased, and reduced. This changes the DC/AC ratio and affects the annual energy production and the tendency for output curtailment to occur.

What I want to confirm here is that increasing module capacity does not always lead to a proportional increase in energy production. If module capacity becomes large relative to the PCS capacity, the PCS can hit its output limit during periods of good irradiance, causing some of the potential generation to go unused. In PVSyst results, losses related to this kind of output limitation can sometimes be observed. For beginners' practice, it is important to see under which conditions these losses increase.

On the other hand, a certain degree of oversizing can help compensate for generation during low-irradiance periods and in the mornings and evenings, and can therefore work to increase annual energy production. In other words, when considering the DC/AC ratio, you should not simply decide that “bigger is better” or “smaller is better”; instead, you need to compare the increase in energy production with the increase in output limitation. Using PVSyst, you can quantify this balance numerically.

In this task, attention is also paid to the integrity of string design. Depending on how many modules are connected in series and how many parallel strings are used, the voltage and current conditions change. There are design checkpoints such as whether the configuration is appropriate for the PCS input range, whether the open-circuit voltage at low temperatures will exceed the upper limit, and whether the operating voltage at high temperatures will fall below the lower limit. These aspects may seem difficult for beginners, but by practicing while checking PVSyst warnings and calculation results, they can gradually gain understanding.

For practitioners, this issue is extremely important. This is because, in the proposal and basic design stages, it is often an issue how to present the installed capacity, how to set the PCS capacity, and how to explain the projected power generation. When practicing with PVSyst, getting a feel for how much the results change when you tweak the capacity slightly will make comparative evaluations in real projects smoother.

Assignment 4: Change the loss condition one at a time and observe the changes in the results

The fourth exercise is to change the loss conditions one by one and observe how the results change. Understanding how to interpret loss conditions is essential for making sense of PVSyst results. In solar power generation simulations, the theoretical solar irradiance derived from meteorological conditions does not directly translate into the final energy output. The final output is altered by various factors such as temperature loss, wiring loss, mismatch loss, soiling loss, conversion loss, and shading loss.

When practicing as a beginner, it is important not to change multiple loss items at once. If you change several losses simultaneously, you will not be able to tell which item affected the results. First, copy the baseline model and change one thing at a time—only the temperature conditions, only the wiring losses, only the soiling losses, and so on. Then compare the changes in annual energy production, performance ratio, and loss diagrams in each results report.

The temperature-loss exercise verifies the basic principle that as module temperature rises, power generation efficiency decreases. While solar panels tend to generate more easily under stronger irradiance, there is the countereffect that efficiency falls as temperature increases. In PVSyst, ambient temperature, wind, mounting method, and thermal characteristics are related to temperature conditions. Because the way temperature losses are considered changes depending on differences such as rooftop versus ground-mounted installations and ventilation conditions, being mindful of the installation environment during the exercise deepens understanding.

In the wiring loss exercise, you check the losses caused by electrical resistance. Under conditions such as long wiring distances, small cable cross-sections, or large currents, wiring losses tend to become larger. If you change the wiring loss in PVSyst, the difference is reflected in the results as a change in generated power. In practice, this is a part that electrical design engineers examine in detail, but those responsible for power generation simulations also need to understand that wiring loss is not a simple fixed value but an element based on design conditions.

When practicing soiling loss assessments, assume the local environment and the maintenance plan. In areas with low rainfall, high dust levels, expected bird damage, or locations near farmland or development sites, determining how to account for the impact of soiling becomes a challenge. By changing the soiling loss in PVSyst, you can check how much the annual energy production will vary. However, during the practice phase, rather than entering large, unfounded values to make the results extreme, it is important to observe changes within a realistic range.

In practicing mismatch losses, consider the effects of differences in module characteristics and variations in irradiance conditions. In actual power plants, not all modules operate under exactly the same conditions. Manufacturing variations, partial shading, soiling, and ageing cause differences within strings and arrays. In PVSyst exercises, it is useful to change the mismatch loss and check where it is reflected in the loss diagram.

Through this exercise, beginners can acquire the ability to break down and analyze the "causes of low power generation." In practice, when simulation results are lower than expected, it is necessary not just to recalculate but to check which losses are large, whether there are errors in the input conditions, and whether the site conditions are reasonable. Practicing changing loss conditions one at a time lays the foundation for that.

Task 5: Simulate with consideration of shadows and terrain conditions

The fifth practice exercise is to run simulations with shading and terrain conditions in mind. For beginner exercises in PVSyst, it is advisable to start with a simple model without shading, but to get closer to real-world practice you need to understand the effects of shading. In solar power generation, shadows from surrounding buildings, trees, slopes, shadows between rows of mounting structures, equipment, fences, and so on can affect energy output. In particular, during mornings, evenings, and winter the solar altitude is low and shadows tend to lengthen, which can cause differences in annual and monthly energy yields.

In this task, first assume a simple obstacle and check its shadow. For example, assume an obstacle of a certain height on the south side or on the east/west sides of the solar panels, and compare the results with and without the shadow. There is no need to build a complex three-dimensional model from the start. The aim for beginners is to see how setting shadows affects the power generation and loss diagrams.

Next, pay attention to the shadows between racking rows. In ground-mounted solar PV, panels in the front row can cast shadows on panels in the rear rows. The way shadows form depends on racking spacing, tilt angle, panel height, and installation azimuth. Practicing these conditions in PVSyst shows that simply adding more panels is not necessarily the right approach. While packing many panels into a site increases installed capacity, it can also increase inter-row shading and reduce power generation efficiency.

When practicing shading analysis, you should check not only the annual energy production but also the seasonal variations and time-of-day trends of shading losses. Look at whether shading has a larger impact in winter, whether it is concentrated in the mornings and evenings, or whether a particular layout is causing larger losses. In practice, how much shading impact is tolerated depends on the project's objectives. Sometimes capacity is prioritized on a constrained site, while other times a more conservative layout is chosen to prioritize maintainability and generation efficiency. When practicing with PVSyst, it is important to compare multiple layout conditions and evaluate the balance between shading losses and system capacity.

Being aware of terrain conditions from the beginner stage will be useful in practical work. Simulations that assume flat land are easier to practice with, but actual sites often have elevation differences and slopes. Terrain undulation affects panel installation height, inter-row sightlines, how shadows form, earthwork planning, drainage planning, and constructability. Even before handling detailed terrain in PVSyst, it is important to assume the site is not perfectly flat and not to over-rely on the results.

In this exercise, the key point is to consider the connection between the simulation input conditions and on-site verification. Shadows and terrain have limits in accuracy if they are assumed only from a desk. By confirming on-site the positions and heights of obstacles, site boundaries, existing structures, and ground undulations, and reflecting that information in the design conditions, PVSyst results will be closer to practical application. Even for beginners’ practice, if on-site information is lacking, clearly state it as assumed conditions and make them updatable later.

Checkpoints for Applying Practice Results to Actual Work

When you work through PVSyst practice exercises, it's important not to stop at reviewing the results but to organize them into a form that can be used in professional practice. The purpose of a simulation is not merely to run calculations. It is meant for comparing design conditions, forecasting power generation, explaining loss factors, and building consensus among stakeholders. Therefore, even at the practice stage, be mindful of how you will interpret and explain the results.

First, what I want to confirm is the annual power generation. This is the figure many stakeholders look at first, but judging solely by the annual generation is risky. Even with the same annual generation, monthly generation trends and the breakdown of losses can differ. For example, in projects where winter generation is important, where the timing of self-consumption is critical, or where output curtailment is likely to have an impact, you cannot judge based on the annual total alone.

Next, check the performance ratio. The performance ratio is used as an indicator of how effectively the system is generating power relative to solar irradiance conditions. Beginners tend to judge whether the performance ratio is high or low by looking at the number alone, but in reality it needs to be considered together with loss conditions and the installation environment. If the performance ratio is low, check which factors are affecting it, such as shading losses, temperature losses, wiring losses, PCS losses, and output limitations.

Checking the loss diagram is also important. In the results from PVSyst, the flow from solar irradiation energy to the final electricity production is presented by loss component. Beginners should practice reading this loss diagram carefully. Check at which stages large losses occur, which losses reflect the conditions you changed, and whether there are any unexpectedly large losses. Once you can read the loss diagram, it becomes easier to investigate the causes when the results seem off.

Also, you need practice explaining the comparison results. For example, try explaining in your own words how much the annual energy production changed when you altered the azimuth angle, what differences appeared between winter and summer when you changed the tilt angle, and how the balance between output limitation and increased energy production changed when you varied the DC/AC ratio. In practice, there are occasions when you must explain results to colleagues or clients. It is important not only to be able to operate PVSyst but also to be able to explain what the results mean.

When saving practice results, it’s convenient to include the conditions in the file name or model name. For example, choose names that make distinctions clear, such as baseline conditions, orientation changes, slope changes, capacity changes, and loss changes. Produce result reports in the same format so they are easier to compare. In actual work, recalculations and changes in conditions occur frequently, and it can become unclear which results are the latest. From the practice stage, be mindful of condition management and history management.

Common Pitfalls When Practicing with PVSyst

One thing beginners practicing with PVSyst often stumble over is proceeding with calculations without understanding the meaning of the input values. You may be able to run a simulation simply by filling in the fields on the screen, but if the input conditions do not match reality, the results will be difficult to use in practice. In particular, meteorological data, module conditions, PCS conditions, loss conditions, and shading conditions have a large impact on the results, so you need to know what you entered.

One common stumbling block is ignoring warning messages. In PVSyst, warnings may appear when there are inconsistencies in the design conditions or when values fall outside the recommended range. Beginners often don’t understand what the warnings mean and proceed with the calculations anyway. However, warnings can contain important design hints. Not all warnings are immediately fatal problems, but you should at least develop the habit of checking what is being pointed out.

Another point of caution is being overly meticulous in evaluating differences in results. Simulation results are estimates based on input conditions and do not exactly match actual on-site power generation. In real operation there are many variables, such as solar irradiance, temperature, soiling, maintenance status, equipment characteristics, output curtailment, and downtime. When practicing, prioritize understanding the trends resulting from changes in conditions rather than being overly concerned with small numerical differences.

Also, when trying to practice in a way that approximates real-world work, it's best to avoid making the conditions too complex from the start. Handling battery storage, self-consumption, complex shading, terrain, multiple orientations, multiple PCS, and fine-grained loss settings all at once makes it difficult for beginners to see the relationships between causes and effects. First learn the operations and the way of thinking with a simple model, and then add complex conditions afterward—this is more efficient.

When practicing with PVSyst, it is also important to be aware of the justification for input values. Even when using provisional values, make it clear that they are assumptions. For use in real projects, you need to organize the justification from drawings, specifications, on-site surveys, equipment specifications, design conditions, maintenance conditions, etc. If input values without a basis are mixed in, it becomes difficult to explain the results later. Even at the practice stage, developing the habit of noting the source of input values will be useful in actual work.

Furthermore, it's important not to try to rely on PVSyst alone. PVSyst is a useful tool for power generation simulations, but understanding site conditions, surveying, layout planning, electrical design, construction planning, and maintenance planning are connected to separate considerations. In particular, terrain, obstacles, and the actual panel layout — the accuracy of on-site information influences the results. Practicing simulations while also considering how to obtain on-site information and incorporate it into the design will improve practical skills.

Summary: Practice with PVSyst should be done in conjunction with an understanding of site conditions

As a way to practice PVSyst, it is recommended to first create a standard grid-connected model, then change and compare azimuth and tilt angles, examine combinations of module capacity and PCS capacity, change loss conditions one by one, and finally consider shading and terrain conditions. By progressing through these five tasks in order, you can gradually acquire not only PVSyst’s basic operations but also the approach to power generation simulation.

Beginners shouldn't aim to learn all the features at once. First, it's important to be able to complete a single model from start to finish, compare results under different conditions, read the key items in a results report, and explain what the loss means. Once you can do these things, it becomes easier to organize conditions and make comparative evaluations in real-world projects.

On the other hand, to make PVSyst results useful in practice, understanding on-site conditions is indispensable. No matter how detailed the simulation settings are, if information about the site's shape, terrain undulations, nearby obstructions, existing equipment, buildable area, and maintenance access is inaccurate, the reliability of the results will decline. In solar PV design, it is important to bridge desk-based calculations with the actual conditions on site.

Therefore, when translating PVSyst practice into real-world work, it is advisable to also consider on-site surveying and obtaining high-precision positional information. LRTK, as a GNSS high-precision positioning device that can be attached to an iPhone, supports on-site position acquisition, point cloud measurement, and coordinate management. In examining photovoltaic power plants, accurately understanding site boundaries, racking locations, obstacles, and terrain undulations leads to improved accuracy of the conditions entered into PVSyst.

By evaluating power generation with PVSyst and recording site conditions precisely with LRTK, it becomes easier to connect desktop simulations with field information. Practitioners learning to use PVSyst should not stop at software practice; by being mindful of how to reflect on-site coordinates, terrain, and obstacle information in the design, they can produce simulations that are more robust for practical work.