Solar Panel Optimizer

 

Contractor or Corporate check

Use this page to check

Solar panel optimizer allows you to model solar panels anywhere in the world: by modeling the position of the sun throughout the year you can simulate your solar project and calculate the power and payback of your solar project before you install the panels. You set the site latitude and electric rates for your local area. When you are finished, a complete report is emailed to you. Membership is required, but you can sign up for free.

Time of use

(feature available November 2016)

This website was started in 2008, before the widespread use of "smart" meters by the utilities. With older meters, a person came once a month to determine usage (the "meter reader"). By 2018 this is going to change for almost all utilities in the world. This means that for a given day, the rate you are charged for electricity can change many times. The most common plan is for the rate to change five (!) times. The peak rate corresponds with the time when the utility claims wholesale rates are the most expensive and residential usage is the highest.

Example rates, per kWh:

June though September Weekdays.

Midnight - 9 am: 10 cents

9 am-4 pm: 14 cents

4 pm- 7 pm: 32 cents

7 pm - 9 pm: 14 cents

9 pm - midnight, 10 cents

Traditional panels point South, but with "Time of Use" you want panels that produce power during the highest rate period, in this case 4-7 pm in the months June through September.

Solar is no longer about generating power, it is about SAVING MONEY

Advanced Features

SolarPanelOptimizer is the only site that can change your expected loads thoughout the year. Heating, cooling and lighting loads will vary according to the calendar and according to the hour of the day. Your solar system should be sized according to your needs. Here you can build a model by describing your loads.

 

Additional features

  • Net metering: when your meter runs backwards, you can sell power back to the utility, but at what rate? Retail, Wholesale, or AT THE RATE that you NET METERED? Our optimizer accounts for this as well.

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