Thanks to built-in databases on climate data, electrical parameters of photovoltaic modules and inverters, the PV*SOL program allows you to simulate the efficiency of the designed photovoltaic installation. The program enables simulation of module shading throughout the year, whose exemplary result is shown in Fig. 1. The simulation results allow the designer to select the optimal arrangement of photovoltaic modules.

Figure 1: Working screen shot of PV*SOL program with visualization of annual shading for each photovoltaic panel. Own elaboration on the basis of the PV*SOL premium 2021 software from Valentin Software GmbH.

Once the design is completed, it is possible to produce a report for the designed installation. The design generated in the PV*SOL program also includes:

• visualization of the photovoltaic installation,
• type of devices selected with their connection diagrams (an example is shown in Fig. 2 ).
• amount of reduced \( CO_{2} \) emissions,
• technical data of the modules, inverters, structures and cabling used,
• time and financial analysis of the energy produced,
• data about the average intensity of solar radiation on the surface of the module and its temperature.

Figure 2: The scheme of an example photovoltaic installation plotted in PV*SOL software. Own elaboration on the basis of the PV*SOL premium 2021 software from Valentin Software GmbH.

The program makes it possible to present data in graphs on the generated energy in particular months. An example of the obtained results is presented below Fig. 3.

Figure 3: Energy yield forecast graph plotted for an example PV installation in the PV*SOL program. Own elaboration on the basis of the PV*SOL premium 2021 software from Valentin Software GmbH.

The report includes the expected payback time of the planned investment and its economic viability analysis, an example of which is shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 4: The graph of cumulative cashflow by year plotted in the PV*SOL program. Own elaboration on the basis of the PV*SOL premium 2021 software from Valentin Software GmbH.

Thanks to the climatic data entered into the program, it is possible to obtain the dependence of the insolation intensity on the surface of the module in particular months of the year ( Fig. 5 ).

Figure 5: The graph of average solar irradiance per panel surface and per horizontal surface by month of the year plotted in PV*SOL software. Own elaboration on the basis of the PV*SOL premium 2021 software from Valentin Software GmbH.

It is also possible, among other things, to determine the average temperature during each month for module surfaces and horizontal surfaces Fig. 6.

Figure 6: Example system supplying heating, swimming pool and a two-storey detached house. Energy is generated using eight high-quality photovoltaic-thermal panels. Own elaboration on the basis of the Polysun software by Vela Solaris.