ASSESSING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF A SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT USING THE “HELIOSCOPE” SOFTWARE PACKAGE
Keywords:
renewable energy sources, solar power plant, inverter, photovoltaic module (panel).Abstract
This study investigates the applicability of the HelioScope software package in the design of photovoltaic systems and the evaluation of their energy efficiency. In the field of renewable energy, HelioScope is regarded as a modern and engineering-accurate tool that enables rapid and efficient modeling of solar power plants, including module layout, inverter selection, shading assessment, and performance calculations based on local meteorological data.
Within the scope of this work, a 150 kW installed-capacity solar power plant was designed on the roof of the second academic building of National Polytechnic University of Armenia. For modeling, average irradiation values, temperature data, and geographic coordinates were used. The modules were installed at a 30° tilt with a south-facing orientation, employing 210 panels of 715 W each and a 150 kW inverter.
According to HelioScope simulation results, the annual energy yield of the plant is approximately 1307,4 kWh per kW of installed capacity, which corresponds to the solar irradiation potential of Yerevan. The study also presents an assessment of losses, monthly performance distribution, and a comparison of “HelioScope” with other software packages. The results indicate that HelioScope is a convenient and effective tool for preliminary design phases, and its application can significantly contribute to the efficient development of solar energy systems in Republic of Armenia.
