For projects in the Full evaluation stage, you can now request, export, and run a PV simulation using 1-minute TMY data. Considering high-resolution 1-min data from the initial design phase is essential for achieving higher accuracy in performance forecasts, optimizing system configuration for local conditions, and maintaining compliance with evolving technical and grid requirements. This results in more robust, efficient, and bankable solar power projects.
Why 1-minute resolution matters in PV power plant design:
- Refine DC/AC ratio optimization:
Capture real-time dynamics between PV array sizing and inverter capacity. This minimizes inverter clipping losses and supports more cost-effective system designs.
- Reveal short-term power variability:
Accurately reflect rapid irradiance changes, such as cloud edge effects and intermittent cloud cover that are typically smoothed out in 15- or 60-minute datasets. This leads to more accurate production estimates and improved system performance.
- Gain site-specific meteorological insights:
Analyze local weather patterns, temperature fluctuations, and humidity impacts in greater detail, enabling more precise site suitability assessments.
- Enhance energy storage and power smoothing:
Better represent real-world fluctuations for improved storage system sizing and support for advanced grid compliance and power quality requirements.
- Strengthen financial modeling and risk assessment:
Reduce the systematic overestimation of energy yield and improve long-term performance predictions, resulting in more reliable and bankable project outcomes.
Adopting 1-minute resolution data represents a significant advancement in PV system design methodology. It provides more accurate performance predictions and enables better-optimized installations across diverse geographical locations and climate conditions. Using 15-minute data instead of 60-minute data typically reduces production overestimation by approximately 50%, though significant differences from 1-minute data remain.
More about one-minute data ->
Sample reports and data ->