OpenSolar 3D Design Tool Provides Unmatched Accuracy In New Findings By Two Of The Solar Industry’s Leading Expert Resources

Accuracy is key when quoting customers on solar design and the energy output of any proposed system. OpenSolar has had its design and sales platform verified by independent experts — and emerged shining!

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SYDNEY and SAN FRANCISCO — OpenSolar, Inc., a solar SaaS company keenly focused on empowering solar installers with the world’s most accurate and entirely free solar design and sales platform, has announced the findings of independent, third-party assessments that validate the unmatched accuracy of its solar design tool.
As a result, solar installers utilising OpenSolar’s industry-leading design tool, can have full confidence they are providing customers with the most accurate photovoltaic (PV) designs that fit their solar energy needs.
Combined with other key features of OpenSolar’s free-to-use platform — such as access to a range of state-of-the-art hardware, a portfolio of competitive solar financing options, and on-demand customised permitting proposals — the company enables solar installers to convert more prospects into booked sales while saving time and eliminating the costly licensing fees attached to other solar design and sales platforms.

As part of OpenSolar’s validation process, the company engaged with PV EvolutionLabs (PVEL) and the United States National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), two of the solar industry’s most trusted expert resources, to provide independent, third-party assessments of the accuracy of its design tool. The assessments include the following processes and findings.

Shading​

OpenSolar asked NREL, which has been benchmarking shading accuracy of solar design tools for years, to assess the company’s 3D design tool. NREL compared the shading estimates provided by OpenSolar’s remote 3D tool with assessments made on the same roof using a SunEye, the world’s leading hand-held electronic shade measurement tool for on-site assessment. NREL found the accuracy of OpenSolar estimates to be best-in-class.

  • OpenSolar’s assessment of Sun Access Values was accurate to within +/- 3%

  • The current US market leader was only found to be accurate to within +/- 5%

Site Assessment

OpenSolar engaged PVEL, the leading independent lab for the global downstream solar industry, to assess the accuracy of its system-generated site models. PVEL took measurements both in the field and in OpenSolar across a wide range of differently shaped and sized roofs. PVEL found the accuracy of OpenSolar’s models to be best-in-class.

  • OpenSolar’s assessment of scale was accurate to within 1 ⅓ feet 100% of the time (no other tool provides as narrow a tolerance)

  • OpenSolar’s assessment of pitch was accurate to within 4 degrees over 97% of the time (no other tool provides as narrow a tolerance OR such high compliance)

Energy Modelling

OpenSolar’s energy modelling (the conversion of key inputs, including pitch azimuth and shading into the key output: production) is based on NREL’s most advanced System Advisor Model (SAM).  The company engaged with PVEL to validate the integrity of OpenSolar’s implementation of SAM when comparing it to industry-standard energy modelling tools like PVsyst or standalone implementations of NREL’s SAM.  PVEL found:

  • OpenSolar’s energy modelling is consistent with standard engineering practices

  • OpenSolar’s production figures are within 0.0%-0.2% of standalone SAM estimates

  • OpenSolar’s production figures are within 0.1%-1.9% of PVsyst estimates

“Our assessment of OpenSolar’s software confirms that its implementation of the SAM energy production model engine is accurate and in line with industry standards for residential and commercial projects, and its 3D ray-tracing calculations of beam shading are as good or better than other available products,” said Ryan Desharnais, Chief Technical Officer of PVEL.

“We also sent measurement teams to a wide range of residential rooftops and verified the accuracy of OpenSolar’s physical site assessments,” he added, concluding that “When taken together, these findings demonstrate that OpenSolar can produce high-quality energy generation estimates for solar projects.”

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