Abstract
This paper presents a software tool, freely available on theWorldwideWeb,
that can be concurrently run by multiple users on different hardwareâsoftware
platforms. To evaluate the limits and competitiveness of PVenergy
in Spain, several companies, utilities and institutions have been
working together in a project called FotoRED. Within this project,
several computer tools have been developed to analyse the potential
of connecting photovoltaic stations to the utility grid. One of these
tools is the simulator presented here, a program to estimate the
energy balance and economic behaviour of grid-connected PV buildings.
Depending on several construction parameters of the building, the
photovoltaic generators installed, the geographical location, weather
conditions, etc., the program estimates the energy consumed in the
building, the photovoltaic energy that can be generated on-site and
the resulting energy balance on a daily, monthly and yearly basis.
The economic behaviour of the building can also be simulated over
a 30-year period, generating cash-flow diagrams, investment payback
curves and other economic information to describe the buildingâs
expected performance. Many building designs and several existing
buildings have been simulated with this tool so far. One example
of these is presented and the conclusions reached during several
simulation runs are discussed.
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