Solar Pathfinder Assistant Software w/ PV and Thermal

Solar Pathfinder Assistant Software v.5 (Basic + PV and Thermal)

Any scientific analysis requires accurate input and careful calculations. The Solar Pathfinder and Assistant provide mathematical precision for accurate shading assessment (solar site analysis) by eliminating gross errors in structure orientation, solar system sizing, and PV/collector placement. The Solar Pathfinder Assistant software dovetails local weather data (using NREL/WMO) and site-specific shade analysis in a customizable report. Originally furnished for the ecological and photovoltaic applications, the Assistant software now services the growing thermal technologies.

Regardless of the industry being serviced, the software identifies the shading patterns and total potential energy produced at any given site. The Solar Pathfinder Assistant software is a fast, accurate, and proven way to create a data-rich report for solar rebate programs.

System Requirements:

• Solar Pathfinder unit
• Digital Camera
• Operating System: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
• Recommended RAM: 256MB
• Disk space used at install: 60 MB (includes 25MB for .NET 2.0)

 

 

How the Solar Pathfinder Assistant Works

The Solar Pathfinder Assistant is your fast track to producing comprehensive reports on all of your solar panel installations. Enabling the Assistant to make the calculations for you is easy. Just follow these six steps and generate your report in seconds!

1. Arrange the Solar Pathfinder unit as you would at any installation site, setting it up at the prospective site level and pointing it to "magnetic south."

2. Take a picture of the Solar Pathfinder with your digital camera and upload the image to the Solar Pathfinder Assistant.

3. Type either the zip code (U.S.) or the latitude of the solar site.

Entering the site location automatically inputs the following data:

• Latitude
• Magnetic declination
• Tilt angle* (assumes tilt = latitude)
• Closest global weather data station*
• Closest NREL data station*
• DC Rate (kWh)*
• Derate Factor*
• Azimuth (degree east/west of true south)*
• Cost of electricity* (cents/kWhr)
• Tilt mode*

*denotes data you can override manually

4. Select the panel and inverter make and model you plan to install at the site as well as how many of each.

5. Calibrate the site picture by simply cropping it and aligning the level and declination settings directly on the picture you have taken.

6. Next, you'll trace the shading around the site with a few clicks of the mouse.
7. Click "Create Report" to get your fully customizable solar site analysis.

The Assistant can create a report for a single analysis or the average of several analyses (4 corners of an array, etc.)!

Every report includes:

• Ideal/Actual percentage of sunlight
• Ideal/Actual Solar Radiation (kWh/m2/day)
• Ideal/Actual kWhr
• Angle/azimuth values
• Cost Savings
• Side-by-side view/Single tracing view

System Requirements

• Solar Pathfinder unit
• Digital Camera
• Operating System: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7
• Recommended RAM: 256MB
• Disk space used at install: 60 MB (includes 25MB for .NET 2.0)