PVFarm launches online tool for early stage PV project planning

U.S.-based PVFarm has launched a web-based PV plant design application for professionals involved in the early stages of the design cycle of utility-scale and commercial and industrial (C&I) projects.

The subscription-based tool offers rapid feedback on the implications of design decisions about layouts, equipment, grading, and electrical systems at the start of the project workflow. “It is a critical phase of the project with a lasting impact. Decisions have a thirty-year tail,” PVFarm head of technology, Maksim Markevich told pv magazine. “Currently we offer a paid product license after a co-piloted trial where we work with potential users to evaluate a real project with PVFarm.”

Users can mix equipment and electrical designs, or run different grading strategies across an entire site or field-by-field, according to the company. Layouts can be edited multiple times. Advanced algorithms help to quickly identify the most efficient options.

“The application was three years in the making. Our team has eight years of experience developing design automation software for other industries,” said Markevich.

Suitable for fixed ground mounted or single-axis tracking plants, the application reportedly supports financial, energy performance, electrical, civil, mechanical, and procurement aspects.  It has a building information model (BIM) functionality for modeling and provides information about objects to team members for analysis, exploration, or comparisons.

Multiple file formats are supported and there is compatibility with other tools, such as Autodesk and PvSyst. “By bringing all these aspects together in one platform, PVFarm enables users to evaluate opportunities and trade-offs holistically, ensuring informed decision-making,” said Markevich.

“The application was three years in the making. Our team has eight years of experience developing design automation software for other industries,” said Markevich.