Manual (English) PDF

PV F-CHART
User's Manual
Windows Version
F-Chart Software
Phone (608) 836-8531
Fax (608) 836 8536
www.fchart.com
1983 2001 by S.A. Klein and W.A. Beckman

All rights reserved.
No part of this program or manual may be reproduced by any means or transmitted without the
written permission of the authors.
The authors make no guarantee that the program is free from errors or that the results produced
with it will be free of errors, and they assume no responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the
program or for the results which my come from its use.
Registration Number__________________________
ALL CORRESPONDENCE MUST INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION
NUMBER
Printed in the USA
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1, Overview
1
1.1 Getting Started.................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 An Example........................................................................................................................ 1
CHAPTER 2, PV F-Chart Commands
11
2.1 Working with Menus........................................................................................................ 11
2.2 Changing Parameter Values ............................................................................................. 11
2.3 Dialog Boxes .................................................................................................................... 11
2.4 Using Scroll Bars ............................................................................................................. 12
2.5 Menu Command Descriptions.......................................................................................... 12
2.5.1 The File Menu............................................................................................................ 12
2.5.2 The Edit Menu ........................................................................................................... 14
2.5.3 The Preferences Menu ............................................................................................... 14
2.5.4 The System Menu ...................................................................................................... 15
2.5.5 The Load Menu.......................................................................................................... 16
2.5.6 The Weather Menu .................................................................................................... 17
2.5.7 The Run/Plot Menu.................................................................................................... 18
2.5.8 The Windows Menu................................................................................................... 19
2.5.9 The Help Menu .......................................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER 3, System and Output Descriptions 20
3.1 Tracking Options............................................................................................................. 20
3.1.1 Flat Plate Array .......................................................................................................... 21
3.1.2 Compound Parabolic Concentrator............................................................................ 21
3.1.3 One-Axis Tracking Collector..................................................................................... 22
3.1.4 Two-Axis Tracking Collector .................................................................................... 22
3.2 Utility Feedback Systems................................................................................................ 22
3.3 Battery Storage Systems.................................................................................................. 24
3.4 Systems with No Utility Feedback or Battery Storage ................................................... 26
3.5 System Parameter Descriptions....................................................................................... 28
CHAPTER 4, Economics
31
4.1 Economics Parameters ..................................................................................................... 31
4.2 Economics Output ............................................................................................................ 35
CHAPTER 5, Algorithms
40
5.1 Monthly-Average Array Output...................................................................................... 40
5.2 Monthly-Average Excess Energy.................................................................................... 44
5.3 Effect of Load Variability ............................................................................................... 45
5.4 Battery Storage Systems.................................................................................................. 46
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References
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CHAPTER 1
______________________________________________________________________________
Overview
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1.1 Getting Started

PV F-Chart is a computer program useful for the design and economic analysis of photovoltaic
systems. The program is an implementation of methods developed at the University of
Wisconsin Solar Energy Laboratory to estimate the long-term average performance of
Utility Interface Systems
Battery Storage Systems
Systems with No Interface or Battery Storage (i.e., Stand-Alone Systems)
Weather data for many locations are included with the program.
The easiest way to become acquainted with PV F-Chart is to try an example problem using the
default parameters supplied with the program. PV F-Chart conforms to the Windows standard
interface and can be run with a minimum of instructions. After you have become familiar with
the program, you may wish to review the detailed program instruction set in Chapter 2 and the
system and economic parameter sets in Chapters 3 and 4. A detailed presentation of the
algorithms used in the program is provided in Chapter 5.
1.2 An Example
When you start PV F-Chart (click on the file PVFCHART.EXE), a header will appear showing
the version number, registration number, and your company information. To proceed, click OK.
After clicking the mouse button, the header will disappear and two windows containing the
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system and economic parameters of the default system will appear. The default system is a
utility feedback system with a flat-plate array. (It is possible to change the default system to
your specifications, as described with the Save as command in the next chapter.) Before
changing any of the values, let's look at the available commands.
Commands are distributed among eight pull-down menus. Detailed descriptions of each of the
commands can be found in the next chapter. A brief summary follows.
The File menu provides commands for loading and saving work files and printing information.
The Edit menu commands allow specification of multiple (e.g., monthly) values of the
parameters, and window position rearrangements
The Preferences menu commands allow specification of the unit system (English or SI) and the
visibility of the economics parameter window.
The System menu contains the commands to select the system type and sun tracking option for
the photovoltaic system that is to be analyzed.
The Load menu contains a commands allow the hourly average load information to be viewed,
changed, stored, or retrieved from a disk file.
The Weather menu allows maps of the U.S. and Canada to be viewed showing the locations for
which weather data are available as well as commands to view, change, or add weather data.
The Run/Plot menu contains commands to run a specific system or to run multiple calculations
for a range of values of a specific parameter.
The Window menu brings selected windows to the front and determines how windows are
arranged.
The Help menu provides on-line help as well as access to the manual. Help is available for most
menus, commands and parameters by highlighting the object and pressing F1.
To select a command, place the cursor on the desired menu title, press the mouse button, and
while holding the button down, slide the cursor to the command you wish to execute; then let up
the mouse button. Help is available for all commands in the Help menu. Many of the menu
commands have keyboard equivalents that are indicated in the menus. For example, the Print
command in the File menu, which prints all information for the work session, can be issued by
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entering Ctrl+P. Menus (or commands within a menu) that are not presently accessible are
dimmed. Dimmed items cannot be selected.
Each system is described using two sets of parameters: the system set and the economics set.
The system set contains the parameters describing the optical, thermal and electrical performance
of the system. The default Utility Interface system parameters are:
To move the Economics parameter window to the front, place the cursor anywhere on the
economics window and click the mouse button (or issue the Economics On command from the
Preferences menu or use the Windows menu and select Economics Parameters.).
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Depending on the screen size, the entire economics window may or may not fit on the screen.
When the entire window cannot be displayed, the window will be provided with a scroll bar
along the right hand side. Use of the scroll bar is needed to view the entire window. The
operation of the scroll bars is the same as in any Windows application. The indicator,
represented by the sliding box, can be controlled in three ways. It can be moved incrementally in
either direction by clicking on the arrows. Holding the mouse button down while the cursor is
positioned over the arrows causes a continuous slow scroll. The indicator can be moved up and
down in large discrete amounts by clicking in the gray area above or below the indicator box.
By placing the cursor on the indicator box and holding the mouse button down, the indicator can
be dragged to any desired position.
There are several other window controls that you should be aware of. The title bar at the top of
the window displays a title indicating the window's contents. When the window is active (i.e.,
the front window) the title bar will be displayed with horizontal lines. The title bar serves as a
handle should you wish to move the window. Move the cursor to a position within the title bar
and press and hold the mouse button while dragging the window to a new position. At the left
corner of the title bar is a small box referred to as the 'go-away' box. Clicking the mouse button
while the cursor is positioned in the go-away box will cause the window to be removed from
view. The little square at the bottom right of the window is called a size box. The vertical size
of any of the windows can be changed by moving the cursor to the size box and holding the
mouse button down while dragging the mouse up or down to make the window longer or shorter.
PV F-Chart allows the electrical demand (i.e., the load) to be entered for each hour of each
month. This is done through the commands in the Load menu, as described in Chapter 2. The
load in the default system is a sine wave with a 24-hour period, a mean of 125 W and amplitude
of 31 W. You can view the default load by moving the cursor to the Load menu, pressing the
button and holding it down while you move the cursor over Chg/View Load.
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Instructions for changing the load appear in Chapter 2. Monthly loads can be viewed by
selecting the appropriate tab. The default load is the same for all months. Leave the load as it is
for now by clicking the Cancel button to remove the load dialog box from the screen.
Select Calculate from the Run/Plot menu (or enter F2) to initiate the calculations for this system
in Boston, Massachusetts. When the calculations are completed, two new windows will appear
showing the performance and economics results, respectively. The economics output window
will be in front and by default, it will display a summary of the economic calculations.
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Move the cursor to an exposed portion of the System Performance Results window to bring it to
the front. (An alternative way to bring this window to the front is to select System Performance
from the Windows menu.)
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The utility feedback system performance is calculated on a monthly-average hourly basis. By

default, the Performance Output window displays an annual summary of the system
performance. However, hourly totals for each hour of each month can be viewed by selecting
the tab for the appropriate month. Use of the scroll bar is needed to view the results for all
months.
The system or economics parameters can easily be changed to determine the effect of alternative
designs. For example, to determine the performance for a 50% larger array, click on an exposed
portion of the system parameter window to bring it to the front. Alternatively, you can select
Utility Interface from the System menu to bring the window to the front. You may first want to
use the Stack command in the Edit menu to organize the windows on the screen so that all of the
title bars are visible. Now move the mouse to position the cursor just after the 6.00 in the edit
box for the Array area. The line for which changes are being made will be highlighted (i.e.
displayed in inverse). Now press the backspace key and enter a 9 to change the area to 9 m2.
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Press F2 to repeat the calculations: Then click on the System Performance Results to display
the results on a monthly basis.
Notice the non-intuitive results. Although the array area was increased by 50% from 6 to 9 m2,
the fraction of the load supplied directly by the system increased only from 32.8% to 36.5%!
Most of the additional electrical output of the larger array was sold back to the utility because
this energy was not produced at the time it was required by the load.
There is another way to examine the effect of a parameter such as array area on the system
performance and economics. The Parametric Plot command in the Run/Plot menu produces a
plot of the solar fraction and/or the life-cycle savings as a function of any selected parameter.
For example, to generate a plot of solar fraction as a function of array area, select Parametric Plot
and highlight Array area as shown in the following dialog box.
Enter the low and high values of the parameter (array areas of 6 m2 and 12 m2, respectively, in
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this case). If the Spline fit box is checked, a spline curve will be fit through the points. Click the
Ok button to initiate the calculation. When the calculations are completed, the plot will .
Most of the system parameters may assume monthly values. For example, suppose you wish to
consider the advantage of adjusting the slope of the array at monthly intervals. The approximate
optimum slope for any month will be the latitude minus the average solar declination for that
month. (Average monthly declinations are given in Table 1.6.1 of Duffie and Beckman [6].) To
assign monthly values to the array slope (or to change the values), move the mouse to the
parameter and click the mouse button; the parameter description will now be highlighted. Select
Multiple Values from the Edit menu (or alternatively, press Ctrl-M) and a dialog box will appear
showing the monthly values which, by default, are all equal to 50 degrees. Enter the following
optimum values for Boston;
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Click the Ok button when the values are entered. The dialog box will disappear and the system
parameter window will be in front. The edit box for Array slope now contains the word
"Multiple" to indicate that this parameter has multiple values. You can change or view the
values at any time by clicking the mouse button when the cursor is on the parameter.
Now pull down Calculate from the Run/Plot menu (or enter F2) to determine the increase in
performance resulting from monthly orientation changes.
Any of the output appearing on the screen can be printed, written into a disk file or moved to the
Clipboard. In either case, select Print from the File menu (or enter Ctrl-P) to bring up the Print
dialog box.
If a check appears in the box, the item following the checkbox will be printed. (A dimmed item,
cannot be printed because it is not currently on the screen.) To select or unselect an item, move
the cursor to the appropriate check box and click the mouse button. By default, the output will
go to the printer. Click the Print button to initiate the printing process. Following the traditional
Windows practice, a printer can be selected from the Printer Setup command in the File menu.
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CHAPTER 2
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PV F-Chart Commands
______________________________________________________________________________
2.1 Working with Menus

Commands are distributed among nine pull-down menus appearing at the top of the screen. To
select a command, place the cursor on the desired menu title, press the mouse button, and while
holding the button down, slide the cursor to the command you wish to execute; then let up the
mouse button. Many of the menu items have command key equivalents. That is, they can be
executed either by using the mouse or by pressing the command Ctrl key followed by the
appropriate letter or number as shown to the right of the command in the pull-down menus.
2.2 Changing Parameter Values

The information needed to describe a system is contained in the system and economic parameter
windows. To change the values of these parameters, move the cursor to the rectangular box
containing the value and click the mouse button. The parameter description will be highlighted
(shown in yellow) to indicate that it is the active parameter. Use the Backspace key (or drag the
mouse with the lift button held down) to erase characters to the left of the flashing vertical line
indicator. Characters entered from the keyboard are placed to the right of the indicator. A
double click within the edit box will cause all of the characters in the edit box to be highlighted
(i.e., displayed in inverse video). Pressing any key will replace the highlighted field with the
character being typed. All parameter values are checked after they are entered. PV F-Chart
will immediately inform you of an improper parameter with an appropriate message.
2.3 Dialog Boxes

Many of the menu commands such as Change/View Load, will produce a dialog box in which
you must supply information. Information that you can change is enclosed within a small
rectangular edit box. Default values, if available, will be displayed. Values can be changed in
the same manner as described for parameter values. Click the Ok button to accept all of the
changes. Click cancel to disregard all changes.
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2.4 Using Scroll Bars
Many of the PV F-Chart windows are equipped with horizontal and vertical scroll bars that allow
the contents of a window that is larger than the screen to be viewed. The operation of the scroll
bars is as follows. The indicator position, represented by the small box, can be controlled in
three ways. It can be moved either direction by clicking on the arrows. Holding the mouse
button down while it is positioned over the arrows causes a continuous slow scroll. The
indicator can be moved up and down in large discrete increments by clicking in the gray area
above or below the indicator box. By placing the cursor on the indicator box and holding the
mouse button down, the indicator can be dragged to any desired position.
2.5 Menu Command Descriptions

The remainder of this chapter provides detailed descriptions of each of the menu commands,
starting with the FILE menu. Menu names will be shown in bold. Command names appearing
in the menus will be shown in italics. Much of the information presented here is available within
the program by selecting of the command for which information is needed and pressing F1.
2.5.1 The File Menu
Open will allow you to access and continue working on any file saved previously with the Save
or Save as commands. After the confirmation for unsaved work, a dialog box will appear
showing the names of all previously saved PV F-Chart files in the current folder of the
selected disk drive. Click the mouse button on the Desktop button to view the contents of
other drives. Other folders can be accessed in the normal Windows manner. Select a file by
clicking the mouse button on the file name followed by a click on the Open button or
alternatively, by double-clicking on the file name. When an old file is opened the screen will
return to the state it was in when the file was saved. The nine most recently saved files are
listed at the bottom and can be opened by double-clicking on the desired file.
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Save will store all of the information in your work session on the disk with the same file name
and on the same disk drive with which it was last saved. For a new work session, you will be
prompted to supply a file name, just as if the Save as command were given. All information
concerning the work session is saved on the disk, except the output. The stored information
includes any changes you may have made to the meteorological data and the load. The Save
menu item is deactivated (i.e., dimmed) after the save operation until a change is made.
Save as provides the same function as the Save command except that it will first prompt you to
supply a file name. This command allows you to save the work session with another name or
in another folder than used previously. A dialog box will appear in which you must supply a
file name. Enter the file name of your choice in the box. The file name may have spaces, but
should not contain a colon. The extension PVF will be added automatically. Click the Save
button when the name and drive are correct. Each time PV F-Chart is started, a default file
called DEFAULTS.PVF is brought up. If you wish, you can change this default file by
setting up the parameters windows as you like and then saving it with the name
DEFAULTS.PVF in the folder where PVFCHART.EXE is located.
Print will allow printing of the contents of any window to a printer. A dialog box will appear
with a number of check boxes on the left. If a box is checked, then the item it represents will
be printed. To enter or remove a check mark, move the cursor to the box and click the mouse
button. Dimmed items cannot be printed because they do not exist. Click Ok to start the
print process.
To send output to a disk file rather than a printer, go to the Windows Start menu and select
Settings and then Printers. Choose to add a printer. A dialog box will appear and choose
local printer. When asked for the printer port, choose File and then use Generic/Text only
for the printer driver. In order to print to a text file, choose the Generic/Text only printer in
the Printer Setup command
Printer Setup brings up a dialog where you may choose your printer. This command need be
given only once, provided that the same printer is used throughout the work session.
Quit command provides a graceful way to exit the program.
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2.5.2 The Edit Menu
Cut, Copy and Paste perform the normal Windows functions.

Monthly allows a parameter to assume monthly values. To enter multiple values for a
parameter, select the parameter by clicking the mouse button on the parameter value. If
multiple values for this parameter are supported, the Monthly menu item in the Edit menu
will be active (i.e., not dimmed). Select the Monthly item from the Edit menu (or use
Ctrl+M). A dialog box will appear, showing the default values of the parameter. These
values may be edited in the usual manner. The dialog box has three buttons. The Cancel
button returns the program to the state it was in before the Monthly command was issued.
The Constant button causes the parameter to assume a single constant value equal to the first
value displayed, e.g., the January value. Pressing Ok will result in the parameter being
associated with the displayed values. The word "Monthly" will be displayed in place of the
parameter value. To edit multiple values, click on "Monthly". A maximum of seven
monthly varying parameter values are allowed.
Copy Window places a copy of the active window on the clipboard. The clipboard information
may be pasted into other programs such as word processors, spreadsheets or presentation
software.
2.5.3 The Preferences Menu
SI and English control the unit system in which parameter values are entered. The currently
selected unit system is indicated by a check mark in front of SI Units or English Units in the
menu. The unit system can be changed at any point. All system information, including the
weather data will be converted to the new unit system. You can use PV F-Chart to
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automatically do unit conversions by changing the unit system to that for which you know
the parameter value, entering the value, and then changing back to the original unit system.
Economics On and Economics Off control the visibility of the economics parameter set. By
default, the economics parameter window is visible. To remove the economics window from
view and to thereby bypass the economic calculations, select Economics Off. To make the
economics window visible (or to move it in front of all other windows), select Economics
On. The economics parameters remain at their current values whether or not the economics
window is visible. However, the economics calculations will be done only when the
economics parameter window is visible.
2.5.4 The System Menu
Utility Interface will set up the parameters appropriate for a utility interface system. If the utility
interface system has already been selected (as indicated by a check mark in front of the menu
item), this command will cause the utility interface parameter window to be moved in front
of all other windows. (See section 3.2 for information on this system.)
Battery Storage will set up the parameters appropriate for a battery storage system. If the battery
storage system has already been selected (as indicated by a check mark in front of the menu
item), this command will cause the battery storage parameter window to be moved in front.
(See section 3.3 for information on this system.)
Stand-Alone will set up the parameters appropriate for a stand-alone photovoltaic system. If the
stand-alone system has already been selected (as indicated by a check mark in front of the
menu item), this command will cause the stand-alone system parameter window to be moved
in front of all other windows. (See section 3.4 for information on this system.)
Flat-Plate Array will set up the parameters for a fixed flat-plate array. A check mark will appear
in the menu item to indicate which collector geometry option has been selected. Information
on collector tracking options is presented in section 3.1.
CPC Array will set up the parameters for a photovoltaic system in which a fixed imaging optical
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system provides a concentration ratio greater than one on the photovoltaic cell array.
Information on collector tracking options is presented in section 3.1.
1-Axis Tracking Array will set up the parameters for a photovoltaic system in which a flat-plate
or concentrating optical system tracks the solar position by continuously rotating about a
single axis. A polar axis orientation is obtained by specifying the axis slope equal to the
latitude and the azimuth to be 0 degrees. Information on collector tracking options is
presented in section 3.1.
2-Axis Tracking Array will set up the parameters for a photovoltaic system in which a flat-plate
or concentrating optical system tracks the solar position by continuously rotating about two
axes. See section 3.1 for additional information.
2.5.5 The Load Menu
Change/View Load is used to view or modify the load information for each hour of each month.
This command will bring up a dialog box showing the monthly and the hourly load
information. The average load for any hour (in Watts) may be changed by clicking in the
appropriate box and editing as needed. To display the load information for the next month,
move the cursor to the box containing the right arrow (to the right of the month name) and
click the mouse button. Clicking on the left arrow displays the load information for the
previous month. When the load for all months has been entered, click the Ok button. If you
wish to discard all changes made to the load, click the Cancel button. The load information
is stored along with other system information when the Save or Save as commands (in the
File menu) are issued. The load may also be stored separately with the Save Load File
command in this menu.
Open Load File will open and read a previously stored file containing load information. This
command eliminates the need to enter the same load information for a different system than
considered previously. A dialog box will appear showing the names of all previously stored
load files on the disk. Click the drive button to view the contents of other disk drives. Click
on the name of the load file and then click the open button. The load information in the file
will then replace the existing load information.
Save Load File saves the load information in a separate file on the disk. This command will
only save the load information. It will not save the system parameters, weather data, and
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other information associated with the session which can be saved with the Save or Save as
commands in the File menu. A dialog box will appear in which the name of the load file
must be entered. Click the Drive button to change the disk drive upon which the file will be
stored. Click the Ok button or press the return key to store the load file. This file can be
retrieved with the Open Load File command.
2.5.6 The Weather Menu
Select Data Location is used to first select a file of weather data and then to select the city from
the file. When searching for a particular city, select any city and then press the first letter in
the name of the desired city. The cities can be sorted by city name or by state (or country or
province) using the sort by radio buttons.
Weather data for the 16 California climate zones have been supplied by the California
Energy Commission. The data for those cities that are in both the original PV F-Chart
database and the CEC database are not the same. The PV F-Chart database, USA_Old,
comes from a 1978 DOE report, Input Data for Solar Systems by V. Cinquemani, J.R.
Owenby, Jr. and R.G. Baldwin (prepared under interagency agreement no E(49-26)-1041).
The PV F-Chart database USA_New comes from the National Solar Radiation DataBase
(NSRDB) created by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Change/View data is used to examine or modify any of the meteorological data for the currently
selected city indicated in the menu title. A dialog box will appear showing monthly values of
the solar radiation, ambient temperature and ground reflectance. Click the cancel button if
you are just viewing the data. Any of these values can be changed. Click the OK button
after making the desired changes. These changes will be stored along with other specific
system information when the Save or Save as command is used. It is also possible to
permanently store the data, independent of the system description, by clicking the Archive
button. The Archive process permanently alters the master data file, so be sure that you
have a backup copy.
Add New Data allows the user to enter meteorological data for a new location. A dialog box will
appear with rectangular boxes in which the city name, latitude, and monthly-average values
of the solar radiation, ambient temperature and ground reflectance. Click the Ok button to
save the data. The city name will not be placed on a map, but will appear in the list of cities
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shown with the Cites Not on Map command. This command will permanently alter the
master data file. It is not possible to delete a city. Be sure that you have a backup copy of
the original program.
Create new Data File allows the user to select data from individual cities in any of the city files
and construct a new city file.
2.5.7 The Run/Plot Menu
Calculate initiates the calculations for the system described by the parameter values in the
system and economics windows. A dialog box will appear showing the progress of the
calculations. The Run command generates a performance output window and, if the
economics parameter window is open, an economics output window. Click the mouse button
on the window you wish to view to bring it to the front. These output windows can be output
to a printer, a disk file using the Print command.
Parametric Plot produces a plot of solar fraction and/or live-cycle savings versus any of the
parameters that can have continuous values. Place the cursor on a parameter in the system,
collector or economics parameters. If the Parametric Plot command is available for the
selected parameter then executing this command will bring up a dialog window where the
range of the parameter is selected along with the number of calculations to make within that
range. A spline interpolation is done between points if the box in front of Spline fit is
checked. The plot may be copied to the Clipboard using the Copy Window command in the
Edit menu.
Double-clicking on any plot provides a means to change the character of the plot. Any of the
plotting attributes can be changed but pleasing plots will be obtained with the plot default
settings. The number of divisions, axis font size, plotted range, the presence or absence of
grid lines and linear or logarithmic scales can be selected and changed.
Monthly Plot plots monthly values of the calculated thermal performance parameters such as
solar fraction, incident solar energy and others as well as weather data. These plots can only
be generated after the calculate command has been issued. When the Monthly Plot command
is issued a dialog box appears. First select either the Calculated performance or Weather data
radio button and then select the quantity to be plotted. The minimum and maximum values
of the selected quantity will be displayed in the display format currently selected.
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2.5.8 The Windows Menu
System Parameters or any of the other windows can be moved to the front by selecting it.
Tile and Cascade organizes the open windows on the screen. The Tile command will place all
windows side by side in two columns. The Cascade command places the window currently
being edited in front and all other windows are positioned so that only their title bars are
showing. These commands only affect the visual display.
2.5.9 The Help Menu
Help Index will activate the help processor that provides specific information on the use to PV
F-Chart. Help for any parameter is available by selecting the parameter and then either
selecting Help Index or by pressing the F1 key. Help on commands is obtained by dragging
the cursor to the command of interest and pressing F1 or by selecting the command after
issuing the Help Index command.
Using Help provides instructions on how to move around in the help processor.
PV F-Chart Manual starts Adobe Acrobat and displays an electronic version of this manual.
About PV F-Chart displays the window that comes up when the PV F-Chart program is started.
This window lists the program version number and the registered owner. This information
must be supplied when making inquiries about the program.
f-Chart Web Site opens the default browser program and sets the URL to the f-Chart web site.
The program developers can be contacted by e-mail through the web site.
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System and Output Descriptions
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The PV F-Chart program has been developed to provide long-term average performance
estimates for photovoltaic systems having utility feedback capability, battery storage, or standalone systems having neither utility feedback nor battery storage capacity. In all three system
configurations, power conditioning equipment maintains the array output at its maximum power
point and supplies the proper voltages and current to the other equipment. The user supplies the
monthly-average hourly load on the system. Power generated above that needed to supply the
load must be fed back to the utility, stored in a battery for use at a later time, or dissipated,
depending on the system configuration. Energy required by the load that is not supplied by the
system must be obtained from an auxiliary source.
This chapter is organized in to five sections. Section 3.1 describes the collector and tracking
options. Example calculations for the three system configurations using the default parameter
values with a flat-plate array are presented along with an explanation of the output in sections 3.2
through 3.4. Detailed descriptions of the system parameters appear in section 3.5. Economics
parameters and output are treated in Chapter 4.
3.1 Tracking Options

Four types of solar collector tracking options may be evaluated by PV F-Chart. The tracking
option is chosen from the System menu. Each tracking option requires several parameters.
Information on each of the parameters appearing in the system parameter windows is provided in
section 3.5.
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Chapter 4
3.1.1 Flat Plate Array

The flat-plate option is used for a photovoltaic array which is fixed at the slope and azimuth
specified in the system parameter list. The system parameters appropriate to this tracking option
are:
Array Area
Array Slope
Array Azimuth (South=0)
Monthly values of the slope and azimuth can be supplied so that it is possible to evaluate the
performance advantage of adjusting the array orientation at monthly intervals. The radiation
absorbed on the array is determined as the product of the incident radiation and the incidence
angle modifier that accounts for the effect of solar incidence angle on the fraction of the incident
radiation that is absorbed. The incidence angle modifier is calculated using the Fresnel equations
for a single glazing surface.
3.1.2 Compound Parabolic Concentrator
The compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) option is used a photovoltaic system in which a
fixed imaging optical system provides a concentration ratio greater than one on the photovoltaic
cell array. The parameters for this tracking option are:
Array Area
Array Slope
Axis Azimuth (South=0)
Axis Orientation (EW or NS)
Concentration Ratio
Acceptance Half-Angle
The array area is the photovoltaic cell area which is smaller than the area upon which solar
radiation is incident if the concentration ratio is greater than 1. The slope and azimuth of this
plane are assumed fixed, but may be varied monthly by providing monthly values for these
parameters. The axis orientation may be east-west or north-south. See section 3.5 for a
complete definition of each of these parameters. The diffuse and ground-reflected components
of the incident radiation are assumed to be isotropic. An incidence angle modifier which
accounts for the effect of solar incidence angle on the fraction of the incident radiation which is
transmitted through the glazing cover over the CPC is calculated using the Fresnel equations for
a single glazing surface.
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PV F-Chart
3.1.3 One-Axis Tracking Collector

The one-axis tracking option allows an evaluation of the performance of a flat-plate or
concentrating optical system which tracks the solar position by continuously rotating about a
single axis. The parameters for this option are:
Array Area
Array Slope
Axis Azimuth (South=0)
Concentration Ratio
The array area is the photovoltaic cell area which may be the same or less than the collector
aperture area depending on the concentration ratio. See section 3.5 for a complete definition of
each of these parameters. An incidence angle modifier which accounts for the effect of solar
incidence angle on the fraction of the incident radiation which is absorbed is internally calculated
using the Fresnel equations for a single glazing surface.
3.1.4 Two-Axis Tracking Collector
The two-axis tracking option evaluates the performance of a concentrating or non-concentrating
optical system that is continuously rotated about two axes so that the plane containing the
photovoltaic array is always normal to the beam radiation from the sun. The parameters
appropriate to this tracking option (described in section 3.5) are:
Array Area
Concentration Ratio
3.2 Utility Feedback Systems

A photovoltaic system with utility feedback capability is shown schematically in Figure 3.1. In
this configuration, power generated in excess of the instantaneous load is sold back to the utility.
The parameters and default values in both SI units are listed below for a system with a flat-plate
array.
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Chapter 4
Power
Conditioning
Equipment
Load
Utility
FIG. 3.1 Utility Feedback System
The default load (listed on page 5) is used in this example. The hourly loads are the same for all
months. The hourly output consists of twelve sets of monthly-total hourly results for each hour
in which there is solar radiation. The monthly total output, shown below, provides the monthlyaverage daily performance for each month and for the year.
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PV F-Chart
Solar is the monthly (or yearly) total solar radiation incident on the array in kW-hrs. For a
system with a concentration ratio greater than one, the array area will be smaller than the area
upon which solar radiation impinges by a factor equal to the concentration ratio.
Efficiency is the array efficiency defined as percent of the solar radiation incident on the
collector that is converted to electrical energy. The effects on efficiency caused by the
power-tracking equipment and the angular dependence of the array transmittance and
absorptance of solar radiation on the collector are included in this efficiency. The array
output in kW-hrs can be found as the product of Solar and Effic.
Load is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical demand on the system in kW-hrs.
f is the percent of the load supplied directly by the array.
Sell is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical energy that can be sold back to the utility in kWhrs. It is the product of the excess energy produced by the array (i.e., the energy produced in
excess of that needed to supply the instantaneous load) and the power-conditioning
equipment efficiency.
Buy is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical energy that must be purchased from the utility to
satisfy the load in kW-hrs.
3.3 Battery Storage Systems

A photovoltaic system with battery storage is shown schematically in Figure 3.2. The control
logic assumed for this system is as follows. Electrical energy produced by the array is first used
to supply the load. Any excess energy is then directed to the battery. Losses resulting from this
transfer process to (and from) the battery are considered by specification of the battery
efficiency. If the excess energy sent to the battery accumulates to an amount equal to the
effective battery capacity, additional excess energy must be dissipated. Utility feedback
capability is not considered.
Excess
Battery
Power
Conditioning
Equipment
PV Array
24
Load
PV F-Chart
Chapter 4
FIG. 3.2 Battery Storage System
The parameters for the battery storage system with a flat-plate tracking option are listed below
with the default values in SI units.
The output for these default parameters and the default load (listed on page 5) is as follows.
Solar is the monthly (or yearly) total solar radiation incident on the array in kW-hrs. The array
area will be smaller than the area upon which solar radiation impinges by a factor equal to
the concentration ratio.
25
Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
absorptance of solar radiation on the collector are included in this efficiency. The array
output in kW-hrs can be found as the product of Solar and Efficiency.
Load is the monthly (or year) total electrical demand on the system in kW-hrs.
f is the percent of the load supplied by the system, including both the energy supplied directly
from the array and from the battery.
Excess is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical energy produced by the array that does not
contribute to the load as a result of either inefficiencies in the battery or the battery being
fully charged at the time the energy was produced.
Buy is the monthly (or yearly) total additional electrical energy needed to satisfy the load in kWhrs.
3.4 Systems with No Utility Feedback or Battery Storage

The simplest photovoltaic system is one that does not have the option of utility feedback or
battery storage. A schematic of this system is shown in Figure 3.3. The energy produced by the
array is either used directly to supply the instantaneous load or it must be dissipated.
Excess
Power
Conditioning
Equipment
Load
PV Array
FIG 3.3 Schematic of a System with No Utility Feedback or Battery Storage

The parameter set for this system with the flat-plate tracking option is:
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Chapter 4
Output for these default parameters with the default load (listed on page 6) is:
Solar is the monthly total solar radiation incident on the array in kW-hrs. For a system with a
concentration ratio greater than one, the array area will be smaller than the area upon which
solar radiation impinges by a factor equal to the concentration ratio.
absorptance of solar radiation on the collector are included in this efficiency. The monthly
array output in kW-hrs can be found as the product of Solar and Efficiency.
Load is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical demand on the system in kW-hrs.
27
Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
f is the percent of the load supplied directly by the array.

Excess is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical energy in kW-hrs that must be dissipated in a
stand-alone system with no battery storage or utility feedback options. This energy was
produced by the array at a time in which the load was satisfied.
Buy is the monthly (or yearly) total electrical energy that must be purchased from the utility to
satisfy the load in kW-hrs.
3.5 System Parameter Descriptions

The first nine parameters are the same for all systems. The remaining parameters will depend on
the choice of system type and tracking option. A description of each system parameter is found
in this section. Additional information may be found in Chapter 5 that describes how these
parameters are used in the calculation of system performance.
City is the location where the system is located. Existing city data can be viewed or changed or
data for a new city added from the Weather pull down menu.
Cell temperature (NOCT conditions) is the temperature which the array attains under no-load
and at the nominal operating conditions of 20 C and 800 W/m2 on the aperture plane. This
temperature is measured in collector-array thermal tests. It can also be estimated in terms of
()/U where () is the transmittance-absorptance product and U is the array overall heat
transfer coefficient. For a flat-plate array, the relationship is
NOCT = 800 * ()/U + 20

where NOCT is in degrees C and U must be in units of W/m2-C. For concentrating
collectors, the assumption is made that 75% of the 800 W/m2 represents beam radiation; the
remainder is diffuse and ground-reflected radiation. In this case, the 800 in the above
equation is replaced with (600 CR + 200) where CR is the concentration ratio.
Array reference efficiency is the product of the cell packing factor and the cell reference
efficiency determined at a reference array temperature (following parameter). The packing
factor should be based on the area specified in the array area parameter.
Array reference temperature is a temperature at which the array efficiency (preceding
parameter) is known.
Array temperature coefficient * 1000 is the rate at which the array efficiency linearly
28
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Chapter 4
decreases with temperature for maximum power-tracking operation. This coefficient is

primarily a function of the cell material. Typical values are 0.0043 (1/C) for silicon cells and
0.0025 (1/C) for gallium arsenide cells. The value entered is a factor of 1000 greater than
the actual coefficient. The array temperature coefficient is insensitive to temperature for the
range of conditions encountered with low concentration ratios.
Power tracking efficiency is the efficiency of the control logic and electronic equipment used to
control the array to operate at its maximum power point.
Power conditioning efficiency is the efficiency of the control logic and electronic equipment
that transforms the electrical energy produced by the array into the form required by the load,
utility, and battery.
% Standard deviation of load is a parameter that allows a distribution to be considered in the
monthly-average hourly loads. The load distribution for any hourly period is assumed to be
uniformly distributed with its mean equal to the load entered for that hour and its minimum
to maximum range equal to the product of this parameter and the hourly mean load. For
example, if the hourly load is 100 W and the % Standard deviation of load is 100%, the load
is assumed to be uniformly distributed over the range of 0 to 200 W. If this parameter is set
to 0, a distribution of loads in not considered; i.e., the load at a given hour is always the fixed
value entered by the user.
Effective battery capacity is the total energy that can be obtained from the battery when it is
fully charged. It is the product of the single-cell battery capacity, the number of cells, and
the allowable depth of discharge.
Battery efficiency is the ratio of the energy sent to the battery to that which can be usefully
obtained from the battery. In a battery storage system, some energy is lost due to internal
battery resistance and electrolyte gassing. Typical values of battery efficiency range between
0.6 and 0.9.
Array area is the total photovoltaic cell area (gross or net) used in the system. The same area
(gross or net) should be used to evaluate the array reference efficiency and the array cost per
unit area economics parameter.
Array slope is the angle between the plane of the array and the horizontal. A vertical array will
have a slope of 90 degrees.
Array azimuth is the deviation of the normal to the collector surface from the local meridian
with zero indicating that the array faces directly towards the equator, west positive, and east
negative. PV F-Chart will yield exactly the same results for the same azimuth angle, east or
29
Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
west of zero.
Axis orientation toggles between East-West (EW) and North-South (NS) indicating the axis
orientation of the CPC collector. Specify EW if the axis points east-west and NS if the axis
points north-south when the azimuth angle is 0. Specify NS if the collectors are mounted
vertically with the axis pointing straight up.
Concentration ratio is the ratio of the aperture area of the solar collector to the photovoltaic
gross array area multiplied by the optical efficiency of the concentration system.
Acceptance half-angle is the maximum angle measured from the axis of the CPC for which
incident beam radiation will strike the array.
Axis slope is the angle between the axis of the collector and the projection of the axis into the
horizontal plane in degrees. An east-west axis orientation has an axis azimuth of 90 degrees
whereas a north-south orientation will be 0 degrees. A polar axis orientation is obtained by
specifying the axis slope to be equal to the latitude and the azimuth to be 0 degrees.
Axis azimuth is the angle between the projection of the axis into the horizontal plane and local
meridian. An east-west axis orientation has an axis azimuth of 90 degrees.
30
CHAPTER 4
______________________________________________________________________________
Economics
______________________________________________________________________________
The economic calculations done in PV F-Chart are life cycle cost calculations of a) electricity
purchased from a utility or other auxiliary source; b) electricity sold back to a utility, if
connected; and c) owning and maintaining the photovoltaic system. The life cycle cost of the
electricity used is computed from the present cost of electricity, the value of any electricity sold,
the anticipated electricity inflation rate, the market discount rate and the period of the economic
analysis. The life-cycle costs of owning and operating the photovoltaic system includes such
items as interest and principle payments on funds borrowed to pay for the system (e.g., on the
mortgage), insurance, maintenance, income tax effects of incremental property taxes and interest
payments, tax credits, resale value and depreciation. In this section we discuss the meaning of
the economic output. The life cycle cost method, as applied to any type of solar energy system,
can be found in the book Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, 2nd Ed. by Duffie and
Beckman [6].
4.1 Economics Parameters

This section provides a description of all economic parameters. A number of parameters near the
end of the list pertain to time of day rates. Time of day rates are not allowed in the battery
system since it is not possible to tell when the system will require auxiliary energy with the
existing algorithms. As a result, these parameters are not visible for the battery storage system.
The ratio of selling to buying price of electricity is not visible for the stand-alone system, since it
is assumed to not be grid-connected.
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Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
Cost per unit area is the cost per square foot or square meter of the photovoltaic system
including such items as the battery that increase with increasing array area. If the total cost
of the system is known, then set this parameter to zero and place the total cost into the "Area
independent cost" parameter. The same gross or net area supplied in the array area parameter
should be used to calculate both the cost per unit area.
Area independent cost is the cost of fixed equipment such as controllers, part of the battery, and
other costs that are independent of collector area. If the total cost of the system is known,
then set this parameter to the total cost and place a zero in the "Cost per unit area" parameter.
Period of economic analysis is the number of years over which the life cycle cost analysis is
done. Often this is 20 years or the same as the term of the mortgage.
Percent down payment is the percentage of the incremental cost of the solar system which is
paid out at the time of installation. The balance is paid for by a mortgage.
Annual mortgage interest rate is the yearly rate charged by the lender on funds borrowed, in
percent.
Term of the mortgage is the number of years over which the funds borrowed must be repaid.
32
PV F-Chart
Chapter 4
Annual market discount rate is the yearly rate of return from the solar system owner's best
alternative investment, in percent. For a home owner, this is often the interest rate available
at a bank, either the savings account rate or the rate for certificates of deposit (CD's). For a
business, the internal rate of return of the company is often used.
% Extra insur. and maint. in year 1 is the first year's extra insurance, maintenance, and other
non-fuel operating expenses attributable to the system, expressed as a percent of the initial
investment.
Annual % increase in insur. and maint. is the average expected inflation rate of these
expenses (previous parameter) over the period of the economic analysis.
Eff Fed.+State income tax rate is the effective combined federal and state income tax rate of
the solar system owner. If tax laws do not permit deducting of state taxes on federal returns
(e.g., if the owner uses standard deductions on his/her federal return) then this parameter is
the sum of the federal and state brackets, in percent. If state taxes are deducted from federal
income for tax purposes, then the effective rate is the sum of the federal and state rates minus
their product.
True % property tax rate is the ratio of the increment in real estate taxes due to the solar
system to the cost of the solar system (not the assessed tax value of the solar system),
expressed as a percent. Some taxing districts specifically exempt solar systems in which case
this parameter should be zero.
Annual % increase in property tax is the anticipated average yearly rate of inflation of
property taxes over the period of the economic analysis, in percent. This is often set equal to
the general inflation rate.
% Resale value is the anticipated resale or salvage value of the solar system at the end of the
period of the economic analysis, as a percent of the initial solar system cost. If the solar
system were added to a house and treated like any other part of the house, the percent resale
value would be equal to the ratio of the house selling price at the end of the economic
analysis divided by the house purchase price. If the solar system were worn out and needed
replacement at the end of the economic period, then the resale value would be negative and
equal to the removal cost divided by the initial solar system cost. These two limits probably
bracket the actual situation. If the period of the economic analysis is long, say 20 years or
more, then the resale value will have only a small effect on the life cycle cost.
Consider rebates toggles between Yes and No to to indicate whether tax incentives should be
considered in the economic analysis. The parameters are arranged so that two tiers can be
33
Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
considered, each with its own credit rate and maximum investment.
% Rebate in tier 1
Maximum investment in tier 1
% Rebate in tier 2
Maximum investment in tier 2
These four parameters are provided to enter tax credits or government subsidies that
effectively reduce the purchase price of the solar system. If Consider rebates (previous
parameter) is set to No, these four parameters are ignored. Since some solar systems may be
subsidized by more than one government agency, provision has been made to consider
credits from two agencies with different limits of eligibility. Consider a state government
with a tax credit of 25% on the first $2000 of investment and a federal government with a
40% credit on the first $10000 of investment. The credit on the first $2000 would be 65%
and the credit on the next $8000 would be 40%. The percent credit rate in tier one is 65%.
The maximum investment in tier one is $2000. The percent credit in tier two is 40%. The
maximum investment in tier 2 is $10000.
Commercial system? (Yes, No) toggles between "Yes" and "No" to indicate if the solar system
can be depreciated for tax purposes and if fuel is deductible as a business expense. If this
parameter is set to "Yes", then the depreciation schedule in the next parameter is used in
calculating taxes and fuel is assumed to be deductible as a business expense. For a business
that makes a profit and pays taxes, the government subsidizes fuel. Consequently,
commercial solar energy systems are harder to justify on economic grounds than residential
or other non-profit solar systems. If fuel is deductible, but depreciation is not allowed, set
this parameter to "Yes" and set the depreciation schedule to zero. If depreciation is allowed
but fuel is specifically not allowed as a business expense, set this parameter to "Yes" and
artificially increase the electricity cost by the effective income tax bracket. For solar systems
on private homes, this parameter should be set to "No".
Commercial depreciation schedule is applicable only if the commercial system parameter is set
to "Yes". In this case, then you may enter 10 yearly depreciation values that effect the taxes
paid. For a 3-year depreciation schedule, the U.S. Government currently allows 25%, 38%,
and 37%. For a five-year schedule, the rates are 15%, 22%, 21%, 21% and 21%. For a 10year schedule, the rates are 8%, 14%, 12%, 10%, 10%, 10%, 9%, 9%, 9% and 9%.
Price of electricity is the average purchase price per kW-hr, paid in the first year.
Annual % increase in electricity is the anticipated average yearly inflation rate of electricity
during the period of the economic analysis. It is assumed that the average rate occurs each
year of the analysis.
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Chapter 4
Peak Rate Schedule (Yes,No) toggles between Yes and No to indicate whether or not peak
electrical rates are to be considered.
$On-peak/$Off-peak ratio is the ratio of the cost of buying (or selling) electricity to a utility
during the on-peak period to the cost of buying (or selling) during the off-peak period.
Hour Start On-Peak Rates is the hour (1-24) at which on-peak rates begin. On-peak rates
begin at the beginning of this hour.
Hour Start Off-Peak Rates is the hour (1-24) at which off-peak rates begin. Off-peak rates
begin at the beginning of this hour. If this hour is equal the time to start on-peak rates then
the on-peak rates are assumed to be on for the entire day.
Month Start On-Peak Rates is the month in which the on-peak rates begin. Clicking the mouse
button on the month toggles to the following month.
Month Start Off-Peak Rates is the month in which the off-peak rates begin. If this month is
equal to the month in which on-peak rates begin, then the on-peak rates are assumed to be in
effect for the entire year. Clicking the mouse button on the month toggles to the following
month.
$Sell/$Buy Ratio is the ratio of the price that electricity can be sold to a utility to the cost of
buying electricity from the utility.
4.2 Economics Output

Two tabs on the Economic Results Window control the level of detail displayed for the
economic calculations. The economics output resulting corresponding to the Summary tab
appears as follows:
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Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
First Year Electrical Cost (w/o PV) is calculated by multiplying the cost of electricity per kWhr by the annual electricity requirements. If appropriate, time-of-day rates are included in
these calculations. (Time-of-day rates are not allowed in the battery system since it is not
possible to tell when the system will require auxiliary energy.)
First Year Electrical Cost (with PV) is the cost of the electricity (beyond that supplied by the
system) over the first year minus the value of any electricity sold back to the utility. Timeof-day rates are considered in this calculation.
First Year Value of Electricity Sold, applicable only to utility feedback systems, is the value of
the excess electricity produced by the system and sold to the utility including time of day
rates and the Sell/Buy ratio.
Initial Investment is calculated by multiplying the cost per unit area by the array area and
adding the fixed cost.
Down Payment - Tax Credit represents the capital cost during the first year.
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Chapter 4
Mortgage Payment is the annual mortgage cost of the system that must be paid each year for
the term of the mortgage (20 years in this case).
Resale Value is the present worth of the product of the % Resale value and the Initial
Investment. For commercial property, the resale value is reduced by tax considerations.
Annualized Payment is the constant annual payment that has a present worth equal to the lifecycle cost.
Life Cycle Savings are calculated by subtracting the present worth of the owning and operating
costs from the present worth of the fuel savings, both calculated for the period of the
economic analysis. This savings represents the economic advantage of the system over a
non-solar system. The life cycle cost is the sum of the present worth of the electricity cost
and the owning and operating cost. This number is often very large! However, with a
positive life cycle savings, the non-solar system would have an even larger value.
Breakdown of Life Cycle Costs includes both electricity costs and equipment costs.
Life Cycle Electricity Cost is the present worth of the escalating electricity payments over the
period of the economic analysis.
Life cycle equipment cost is the present worth of the down payment, annual mortgage
payments, insurance, maintenance, and property taxes. This cost is reduced by tax
considerations.
Breakdown of equipment costs into expenses and credits.
The Down Payment is assumed to be made at the beginning of the first year and is therefore
not discounted. The Mortgage cost is the present worth of the sum of the annual mortgage
payments. Maintenance and Insurance costs are the sum of the present worth of the inflating
annual payments. Property Taxes are also calculated as the sum of the present worth of the
inflating annual payments. However, property taxes are a net cost since income tax
deductions have been included. Interest represents the tax benefit resulting from including
the mortgage interest as a deduction on federal and state income tax forms. Depreciation is
the present worth of the depreciation, calculated according the Commercial depreciation
schedule, for income producing buildings. Resale is the present worth of the product of the
% Resale value times the initial investment. For commercial property, the resale value is
reduced by tax considerations. The Tax Credits from federal and state governments are
calculated if Consider Rebates is set to Yes.
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Chapter 4
PV F-Chart
Selecting the Cash Flow tab provides the annual cash position for each year of the economic
analysis which appears as follows.
Maint & Ins is the annual expense to maintain and insure the equipment.
Prop Tax is the annual property tax.
Energy Cost is the annual payment made to the utility for auxiliary electricity.
Tax Savings is the annual saving due to state and federal tax deductions. For non-commercial
systems, this term includes property taxes and interest. For commercial systems,
maintenance, insurance and fuel are tax deductible and these savings are included in this
term. In year 0, this column includes any additional state and federal rebates.
Net Savings is the difference between the annual expenses incurred without a solar system and
the expenses incurred with a solar system. In year 0, this term is the difference between the
down payment and the tax rebates.
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PV F-Chart
Chapter 4
Pres Worth is the present worth of the Net Savings column. The total of the Pres Worth column
is equal to the life cycle savings.
39
CHAPTER 5
______________________________________________________________________________
Algorithms
______________________________________________________________________________
PV F-Chart was developed to provide estimates of the long-term performance of photovoltaic

systems. It is based on algorithms developed by the Solar Energy Laboratory at the University
of Wisconsin - Madison. PV F-Chart is not a simulation program. A simulation calculates the
instantaneous (or hourly) performance of a system and then integrates it over time using as input,
short-term (typically, hourly) weather records for a specific location and time period. In
contrast, PV F-Chart uses long-term monthly averages of the solar radiation and ambient
temperature. The effect of variations in weather parameters on the long-term average
performance of photovoltaic systems is considered through the use of solar radiation utilizability,
a radiation statistic that incorporates the distribution of solar radiation. The advantage of this
approach is greatly reduced computational effort without sacrificing the accuracy of the results.
The photovoltaic system performance algorithms used in PV F-Chart are largely based on the
methods developed by Siegel et al. [1] and Clark et al. [2]. These methods were developed from
simulation studies done with the TRNSYS [3] simulation program and photovoltaic component
models developed by Evans et al. [4]. The algorithms are outlined in this chapter. Also needed
in the calculations are methods of estimating the monthly-average hourly solar radiation on
inclined surfaces, the solar radiation utilizability, and monthly-average hourly ambient
temperatures. These methods are fully documented in the cited references.
5.1 Monthly-Average Array Output

The three photovoltaic system configurations that can be evaluated with the program are
described in Sections 3.2-3.4. In all three configurations, power-tracking equipment maintains
the array output at is maximum power point. The photovoltaic array model assumes that, for
maximum power tracking, the instantaneous array efficiency, , is a linear function of cell
temperature, Tc.
= r [1 - (Tc - Tr)] pt
(1)
The array reference efficiency, r, is the product of the cell packing factor and the cell reference
efficiency determined at a reference temperature, Tr. is the temperature coefficient of
efficiency that is assumed to be constant over the range of temperatures encountered. The
40
PV F-Chart
Chapter 5
efficiency of the power tracking equipment, pt, is included in the definition of the array
efficiency.
An energy balance on the array results in E, the rate at which electrical energy is produced by the
array.
E = A Ic = c () A U (Tc - Ta)
(2)
A is the cell array area upon which the cell packing factor has been calculated. c is the
instantaneous solar radiation per unit area incident on the array. () is the solar radiation
transmittance-absorptance product of the array. U is the array overall heat loss coefficient per
unit array area for losses to an environment at temperature Ta. The first term on the right hand
side of equation (2) is the rate at which solar radiation is absorbed by the array. The last term in
this equation is the rate of thermal energy loss. The difference between these two terms
represents the rate of electrical energy production.
Solving for the cell temperature from equation (2) and substituting it into equation (1) yields
= r pt [1 - (Ta - Tr)] - c / (U ( ()))
(3)
In the last term, () is about an order of magnitude greater than so that a relatively large error
in causes only a small error in this term. For simplicity in the computations that follow, in
the last term of equation (3) is approximated to be the product of r, pt, and () to yield the
following expression for the array efficiency.
= r pt [1 - (Ta - Tr)] - c () / (U (1 - r pt))
(4)
In practice, it is not necessary to determine separate values of () and U since only their ratio
appears in equation (4). This ratio can be found in terms of the nominal operating cell
temperature (NOCT) defined as the cell temperature achieved by the cell under no-load
conditions at 20 C and solar radiation of 800 W/m2 on the collector aperture [5]. For flat plate
arrays, equation (2) with set to 0 results in the following relation for the NOCT in C and U
and W/m2-C.
NOCT = 20 + 800 () / U
(5)
When the concentration ratio is greater than 1, a solar flux of 800 W/m2 on the collector aperture
may result in a flux greater than 800 W/m2 on the array surface. To estimate the flux on the
array, it is assumed that 75% of the incident solar radiation is beam radiation and the remainder
is diffuse or ground-reflected radiation. NOCT is then found from equation (5) with 800 W/m2
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Chapter 5
PV F-Chart
replaced by (600 CR + 200) W/m2 where CR is the concentration ratio.

Equation (4) gives the array efficiency when the average ambient temperature is Ta and the solar
radiation is c. Over the long-term (e.g., 10 or more years), the ambient temperature and solar
radiation for a particular hourly period (e.g., 10:00-11:00 AM during all January days) vary
considerably; this variation can be described by the probability distributions, P(Ta) and P(c),
respectively. What is needed for long-term performance calculations is the long-term average
array efficiency for each hour and month. is the average efficiency weighted in proportion to
the solar radiation and it can be formally defined by
Ic,max
Ic P(Ic ) dIc
0
Ic,max
(6)
Ic P(Ic ) dIc
The denominator in equation (6) is, the long-term average hourly solar radiation per unit area on
the array for the hour and month under consideration. Ic is calculated as the sum of three
radiation components corresponding to the beam, diffuse, and ground-reflected radiation in the
manner outlined in reference [6].
1+cos(s) 1-cos(s)
Ic = I (1- Id I ) R b C+ Id I
+
2
2
(7)
I is the monthly-average hourly radiation per unit area on a horizontal surface which is
estimated from monthly-average daily radiation data as described in section 2.13 of reference
[6]. The monthly-average diffuse fraction, I d/ I , is calculated using the correlation given by
equation (10) of reference [7]. Rb is the ratio of beam radiation on the aperture plane to that on a
horizontal surface and C is the concentration ratio. s is the tilt of the array from horizontal and
is the ground reflectance. For the one and two-axis tracking options, the surface azimuth and s
are computed internally using the algorithms presented in reference [8].
Substituting from equation (4) into equation (6) and integrating to the extent possible
analytically results in
Ic,max
)
(
1-r pt Ic2 P(Ic ) dIc

= r pt 1- ( Ta -Tr ) -
Ic U
42
(8)
PV F-Chart
Chapter 5
T a is the monthly-average hourly temperature which is estimated in terms of the monthlyaverage daily temperature and horizontal solar radiation using the correlation given by equations
(13)-(15) of Erbs et al. [9].
The integral in equation (8) can be shown to depend only on geometry parameters (which are
constant for a particular hour and month) and k t, the ratio of I to I o, the extraterrestrial
radiation for the hour. The integral has been evaluated numerically by estimating I c as
indicated in equation 2.15.7 of reference [6] and rearranging to produce:
I t,max
k t,max
Ic2
P(k t ) dk t =
a1I 02
k t,max
k 2t P(k t )
0
k t,max
2
+a 3I0
0
dk t +a 2 I 02
k 2t ( I d I ) P(k t ) dk t
k 2t ( Id I ) P(k t ) dk t
2
(9)
where a1, a2, and a3 are constants for a given hour and month.
a1 = (Rb C)2 C (1-cos(s)) Rb + 2 (1-cos(s))2 / 4
(10)
a2 = Rb C (1 + cos(s) 2 Rb C) + (1 + cos(s) 2 Rb C)(1-cos(s)) / 2
(11)
a3 = [(1 + cos(s)) / 2 Rb C]2
(12)
The dimensionless parameter, kt, is the ratio of the horizontal solar radiation to the
extraterrestrial radiation. The diffuse fraction (Id / I) is a function of kt; the correlation given in
equation (1) of reference [7] is used here. Each of the three integrals in equation (9) can be
evaluated numerically since the long-term probability distribution of kt is a known function of
k t, as shown by Liu and Jordan [10]. Least squares curve-fitting the results obtained from the
numerical integration results in
k t,max
k 2t P(k t ) dk t = -0.1551 - 0.9226 k t
(13)
k 2t ( Id I) P(k t ) dk t =0.1456-0.0544 ln(k t )
(14)
k t,max
43
Chapter 5
PV F-Chart
k t,max
k 2t ( Id I) 2 P(k t ) dk t = k t (0.2769 - 0.3184 k t )
(15)
The monthly-average hourly array output, E, is then given by
E = A Ic K
(16)
where K is a factor which accounts for the dependence of the array transmittance-absorptance
product with solar radiation incidence angle. This factor is calculated for a single cover and
nominal surface absorption properties as described in Chapter 5 of reference [6].
5.2 Monthly-Average Excess Energy

In any photovoltaic system, there may be times when the electrical energy produced by the array
is greater than that needed to satisfy the electrical demand, i.e., the load. This excess energy may
be fed back to the utility (Section 3.1), sent to a storage battery (Section 3.2), or dissipated
(Section 3.3). The amount of excess energy is affected by the capacity of the array relative to the
load, and by the distribution of the load during daytime hours. The PV F-Chart program allows
the load distribution to be entered on a monthly-average hourly basis, thus incorporating
considerable generality with regard to the types of loads that can be considered.
The long-term monthly-average array output for a particular hourly period (e.g., 10:00-11:00
AM) is given by equation (16). A critical radiation level, Icrit, can be defined as the radiation
level on the array at which the electrical energy production is just equal to L , the monthlyaverage load for the hour.
Icrit = L / (A pc K)
(17)
where pc, the power conditioning equipment efficiency, accounts for the reduction in array
output resulting from the transformation of the array electrical energy into the voltage-current
characteristics needed by the load. Radiation above the critical level will result in excess energy
production. The fraction of the solar radiation incident on the array that is above the critical
level is referred to as , the solar radiation utilizability [6 or 11]. can be estimated for any
array orientation using the correlation of Clark et al. [12].
In terms of utilizability, the monthly-average hourly energy in excess of the average hourly load
is D given by
D = pc E
44
(18)
PV F-Chart
Chapter 5
The energy produced by the array that is used directly to supply the load is pc ( E - D ). The
fraction of the load met by a system (without battery storage) is then
f0 = pc( E - D ) / L
(19)
The significance of the energy represented by D differs among the three system configurations.
In the utility feedback system, D is the monthly-average hourly energy that is fed back into the
utility grid and it is called Sell in the program output. In a battery storage system, the excess
energy is sent to the storage battery. A portion of this energy, dependent primarily on the ratio of
the daily total of D to the effective battery storage capacity, is stored in the battery for later use
as described in Section 5.4. In a system having neither utility feedback nor battery storage, the
excess energy D must be dissipated; it is called Excess for this system configuration.
5.3 Effect of Load Variability

The method of calculating the monthly-average excess energy described in Section 5.2 assumed
that the electrical demand for any hourly period was constant and equal to the monthly-average
load for that hour. In many cases however, the demand will not be constant but will vary from
minute to minute within an hour and from day to day. The variability in the load will cause an
under prediction in the excess energy given by equation (18).
The variability in the load affects the excess energy calculation since the critical level at which
the utilizability, , is evaluated depends on the load as evident in equation (17). When load
variability is taken into account, the long-term hourly average value of , designated is given
by
=
Lmax
P(L)dL
(20)
where is evaluated at a critical level corresponding to a particular load value, and P(L) is the
probability distribution of the load. In the PV F-Chart program, the probability distribution is
assumed to be uniform with a mean equal to the monthly-average hourly load and a minimum to
maximum range equal to the product of the mean and the value (divided by 100) entered for
%Variation of load. If the variation is 0, is set equal to . Otherwise, is evaluated
numerically from equation 20. is used in place of in equation 18 to obtain D, the monthlyaverage excess energy.
45
Chapter 5
PV F-Chart
5.4 Battery Storage Systems

The addition of battery storage to a photovoltaic system generally increases the performance of
the system. This performance increase can be expressed in term of F, defined as
F = f f0
(21)
where f is the fraction of the monthly load supplied by the system with storage and f0 is the load
fraction supplied by an equivalent system with no storage. f0 is estimated as described in the
preceding sections.
Consider the constraints that limit the possible values of F. If all of the excess energy produced
by the array can be stored (and subsequently used), F would be the product of the monthly total
excess energy, Dm, and the battery storage efficiency divided by the monthly total load, Lm. Dm
and Lm are obtained by summing the monthly-average hourly values of D and L over all hours.
This combination of parameters is designated d.
d = b Dm / L m
(22)
If the array output is such that it is always less than the electrical demand, there will be no excess
energy and consequently, F will be 0. F cannot exceed (1 - f0) since the load fraction supplied by
the system cannot exceed unity. (Utility feedback capability is not considered in battery storage
or stand-alone systems.) For large values of d, all of the daytime portion of the load will be met
directly by the array; the battery will then be discharged at night and F may be limited by the
effective daily battery storage capacity, Bc. In general, the maximum value of F is given by
Fmax = MIN [(1-f0), pc N Bc / Lm]
(23)
where N is the number of days in the month.

An equation for F that satisfies the constraints above has been derived by Clark [2].
F = 1 / (2 Z) {d + Fmax [(d + Fmax)2 4 Z d Fmax]0.5]}
(24)
Z = 1.315 0.1059 f0 Lm / (pc Bc N) 0.187 / K t
(25)
where
K t is the monthly-average clearness index defined as the ratio of the monthly total radiation on a
horizontal surface to the monthly extraterrestrial radiation.
In order to correlate Z, Clark used TRNSYS [3] in conjunction with photovoltaic array,
46
PV F-Chart
Chapter 5
regulator-inverter, and battery models developed by Evans [4] to obtain values of F. Equation
(23) is based on 73 years of hourly simulations using 15 different load profiles in Seattle,
Madison, and Albuquerque climates for a range of battery sizes between 0 and 2 times the
monthly-average daily load. To allow for larger battery sizes, Z is replaced by Z' defined in the
following manner.
Z' = Z + (1-Z){1-exp(-0.10(pcBcN/Lm)2}
(26)
The procedure for estimating the load fraction of battery storage system agrees with the
simulation results with a standard deviation of less than 3% on an annual basis.
47
References
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
1. Siegel, M.D., Klein, S.A., and Beckman, W.A.,"A Simplified Method for Estimating the
Monthly-Average Performance of Photovoltaic Systems," SOLAR ENERGY, Vol. 26, pp.
413-418, (1981)
2. Clark, D.R., Klein, S.A., and Beckman, W.A., "A Method for Estimating the Performance of
Photovoltaic Systems," SOLAR ENERGY, Vol. 33, No. 6, pp. 551-555, (1984)
3. Klein, S.A. et al., "TRNSYS - A Transient System Simulation Program", EES Report #3811, Solar Energy Laboratory, University of Wisconsin - Madison, (1981)
4. Evans, D.L., Facinelli, W.A., and Otterbein, R.T., "Combined Photovoltaic/Thermal System
Studies, SAND 78-7031, Arizona State University - Tempe, (1978)
5. Stultz, J.W. and Wen, L.C., "Thermal Performance Testing and Analysis of Photovoltaic
Modules in Natural Sunlight", Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
Report 5101-31, July 29, (1977)
6. Duffie, J.A. and Beckman, W.A., Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, 2nd Ed., WileyInterscience, New York, (1991)
7. Erbs, D.G., Klein, S.A., and Duffie, J.A., "Estimation of the Diffuse Radiation Fraction for
Hourly, Daily, and Monthly-Average Global Radiation," SOLAR ENERGY, Vol. 28, p. 293,
(1982)
8. Braun, J.E. and Mitchell, J.C., "Solar Geometry for Fixed and Tracking Surfaces", SOLAR
ENERGY, Vol. 31, No. 5 (1983)
9. Erbs, D.G., Klein, S.A., and Beckman, W.A., "The Estimation of Degree-Days and Ambient
Temperature Bin Data from Monthly-Average Temperatures,", ASHRAE Journal, June,
(1983)
10. Liu, B.Y.H. and Jordan, R.C., "The Interrelationship and Characteristic Distribution of
Direct, Diffuse, and Total Solar Radiation,", SOLAR ENERGY, Vol. 4, No. 3, (1960)
11. Liu, B.Y.H. and Jordan, R.C., "A Rational Procedure for Predicting the Long Term
Performance of Flat Plate Solar Energy Collectors," SOLAR ENERGY, Vol. 7, p. 53, (1963)
12. Clark, D.R., Klein, S.A., and Beckman, W.A., "Algorithm for Evaluating Hourly Radiation
Utilizability Function," ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Vol. 105, pp. 281-287,
(1983)
13. Menicucci, D.F., and Fernandez, J.P., "Verification of Photovoltaic System Modeling Codes
Based on System Experiment Data" Proceedings of Eighteenth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists
Conference., p. 1335 (1984)
48

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PV F-CHART

1983 2001 by S.A. Klein and W.A. Beckman

1.1 Getting Started

The utility feedback system performance is calculated on a monthly-average hourly basis. By

2.1 Working with Menus

2.2 Changing Parameter Values

2.3 Dialog Boxes

2.4 Using Scroll Bars

2.5 Menu Command Descriptions

2.5.2 The Edit Menu

Cut, Copy and Paste perform the normal Windows functions.

2.5.8 The Windows Menu

System and Output Descriptions

3.1 Tracking Options

3.1.1 Flat Plate Array

3.1.3 One-Axis Tracking Collector

3.2 Utility Feedback Systems

FIG. 3.1 Utility Feedback System

3.3 Battery Storage Systems

3.4 Systems with No Utility Feedback or Battery Storage

FIG 3.3 Schematic of a System with No Utility Feedback or Battery Storage

f is the percent of the load supplied directly by the array.

3.5 System Parameter Descriptions

NOCT = 800 * ()/U + 20

decreases with temperature for maximum power-tracking operation. This coefficient is

4.1 Economics Parameters

4.2 Economics Output

PV F-Chart was developed to provide estimates of the long-term performance of photovoltaic

5.1 Monthly-Average Array Output

replaced by (600 CR + 200) W/m2 where CR is the concentration ratio.

1-r pt Ic2 P(Ic ) dIc

a2 = Rb C (1 + cos(s) 2 Rb C) + (1 + cos(s) 2 Rb C)(1-cos(s)) / 2

a3 = [(1 + cos(s)) / 2 Rb C]2

k 2t P(k t ) dk t = -0.1551 - 0.9226 k t

k 2t ( Id I) P(k t ) dk t =0.1456-0.0544 ln(k t )

k 2t ( Id I) 2 P(k t ) dk t = k t (0.2769 - 0.3184 k t )

The monthly-average hourly array output, E, is then given by

5.2 Monthly-Average Excess Energy

5.3 Effect of Load Variability

5.4 Battery Storage Systems

where N is the number of days in the month.

Z = 1.315 0.1059 f0 Lm / (pc Bc N) 0.187 / K t

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