Which Solar Simulation Software

[karagoncoloz]

Dear Friends,
I would like to purchase a software to simulate my solar projects and prepare presentations to my customers with output data.

Which software do you recommend?

http://www.pvsyst.com/

https://sam.nrel.gov/

http://www.valentin-software.com/index_en.php

http://sel.me.wisc.edu/trnsys/

http://www.helios3d.com/

http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/Programs/ESP-r.htm

http://solargis.info/pvplanner/

[J.P.M.]

Dear Friends,
I would like to purchase a software to simulate my solar projects and prepare presentations to my customers with output data.

Which software do you recommend?

http://www.pvsyst.com/

https://sam.nrel.gov/

http://www.valentin-software.com/index_en.php

http://sel.me.wisc.edu/trnsys/

http://www.helios3d.com/

http://www.esru.strath.ac.uk/Programs/ESP-r.htm

http://solargis.info/pvplanner/

Whatever you choose, do yourself a favor and be able to do whatever the software does with a pencil and paper before you blindly assume it's reflecting reality. The confidence and knowledge gained by doing so will be seen by others and you will sell more. Respectfully, using any of these tools without that knowledge is somewhat analogous to giving a loaded handgun to a 2 yr. old with the safety off. Do your homework first. Who knows, you might even sell something that approaches cost effectiveness.

I'm somewhat familiar w/ SAM and TRYNSYS. I got TRYNSYS after writing a bunch of stuff back in the day on FORTRAN and confirmed that I was not a programmer. Of those 2, given the uncertainty of the inputs (weather data), SAM seems to give reasonable output and the presentation looks cleaner. SAM also has the advantage of being free for the download. Help is available - a guy by the name of Gilman at NREL seems particularly well informed and patient.

Another CAUTION: If you use SAM, be very careful of the utility rate structures in the library. I'd respectfully suggest you use self reliance to get the local rates correct. PITA, but it will save you a world of embarrassment during and especially after pitching your marks.