System Advisor Model, SAM 2011.12.2: General Description

This document describes the capabilities of the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory's System Advisor Model (SAM), Version 2011.12.2, released on December 2, 2011. SAM is software that models the cost and performance of renewable energy systems. Project developers, policy makers, equipment manufacturers, and researchers use graphs and tables of SAM results in the process of evaluating financial, technology, and incentive options for renewable energy projects. SAM simulates the performance of solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and conventional power systems. The financial model can represent financing structures for projects that either buy and sell electricity at retail rates (residential and commercial) or sell electricity at a price determined in a power purchase agreement (utility). Advanced analysis options facilitate parametric, sensitivity, and statistical analyses, and allow for interfacing SAM with Microsoft Excel or with other computer programs. SAM is available as a free download at http://sam.nrel.gov. Technical support and more information about the software are available on the website

Financial Analysis of a Grid-connected Photovoltaic System in South Florida

In this paper the performance and financial analysis of a grid-connected photovoltaic system installed at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) is evaluated. The power plant has the capacity of 14.8 kW and has been under operation since August 2014. This solar PV system is composed of two 7.4 kW sub-arrays, one fixed and one with single axis tracking. First, an overview of the system followed by local weather characteristics in Boca Raton, Florida is presented. In addition, monthly averaged daily solar radiation in Boca Raton as well as system AC are calculated utilizing the PVwatts simulation calculator. Inputs such as module and inverter specifications are applied to the System Advisor Model (SAM) to design and optimize the system. Finally, the estimated local load demand as well as simulation results are extracted and analyzed.Comment: 6 Pages, IEEE PVSC 2017 Conference, Washington D.

Technical and economic analysis of parabolic trough concentrating solar thermal power plant

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.This thesis reports on the technical and economic analysis of wet and dry cooling technologies of parabolic trough CSTP plant. This was done through modelling and simulation of a standalone and grid connected parabolic trough using the System Advisor Model (SAM)

HPS2 - Demonstration of Molten-Salt in Parabolic Trough Plants -Simulation Results from System Advisor Model

High-Performance-Solar-2 (HPS2) is a parabolic trough demo project that is being built by a European consortium of research institutions (German Aerospace Center DLR, University of Évora) and companies (TSK-Flagsol, Rioglass, innogy SE, Steinmüller Engineering, Yara, eltherm) on the Evora Molten Salt Platform (EMSP). The purpose of this plant is to demonstrate the viability of using molten salts as heat transfer fluid in parabolic trough power plants, while performing research and development on such technology. Commissioning of the power plant is foreseen for the end of 2020. Meanwhile, a theoretical study consisting of an annual simulation with NREL’s System Advisor Model (SAM) has been performed to support consolidate the test plan of the platform with possible operation strategies to avoid freezing of the salts

Technology Analysis of Concentrated Solar Thermal Power

The current society much more taking interest in green energy and their energy system which are liable to being modified to achieve more efficiency and to sharply decrease CO2 emissions (5%below 1990 level ). INDIA is a fast growing country for utilizing solar energy. Form this paper we got to know about basic CSP technologies and their implementation preferable in India by using of SAM( System Advisor Model ) . It includes some basic facts and assessment  methodology and market challenging on basis of rebellion in energy sector ,prospect to be an alternative huge power generation an assessment of old conventional power plant .Here also specify about theoretically electrical output which help to choose the technology . There small uses in thermal power plant which is also taken a lot of importance  as increases in efficiency and cost reduction in term of generation and GHG’s emission with reducing of mass of coal. Keyword: CSP technology and their types, system advisor model (SAM), appropriate CSP technology for India, Application in thermal power plant

Development of a Simple Methodology Using Meteorological Data to Evaluate Concentrating Solar Power Production Capacity

Evaluation of the Concentrating Solar Power capacity factor is critical to support decision making on possible regional energy investments. For such evaluations, the System Advisor Model is used to perform capacity factor assessments. Among the required data, information concerning direct normal irradiance is fundamental. In this context, the Engerer model is used to estimate direct normal irradiance hourly values out of global horizontal irradiance ground measurements and other observed meteorological variables. Model parameters were calibrated for direct normal irradiance measurements in Évora (Southern Portugal), being then applied to a network of 90 stations, part of the Portuguese Meteorological Service. From the modelled direct normal irradiance, and for stations that comprise 20 years of data, typical meteorological years were determined. Finally, to identify locations of interest for possible installations of Concentrating Solar Power systems, annual direct normal irradiance availabilities and the respective capacity factor, for a predefined power plant using the System Advisor Model, were produced. Results show annual direct normal irradiance availabilities and capacity factors of up to ~2310 kWh/m2 and ~36.2% in Castro Marim and in Faro, respectively. Moreover, this study supports energy policies that would promote Concentrating Solar Power investments in Southern Portugal (Alentejo and Algarve regions) and eastern centre Portugal (Beira Interior region), which have capacity factors above 30%

System Advisor Model: Flat Plate Photovoltaic Performance Modeling Validation Report

The System Advisor Model (SAM) is a free software tool that performs detailed analysis of both system performance and system financing for a variety of renewable energy technologies. This report provides detailed validation of the SAM flat plate photovoltaic performance model by comparing SAM-modeled PV system generation data to actual measured production data for nine PV systems ranging from 75 kW to greater than 25 MW in size. The results show strong agreement between SAM predictions and field data, with annualized prediction error below 3% for all fixed tilt cases and below 8% for all one axis tracked cases. The analysis concludes that snow cover and system outages are the primary sources of disagreement, and other deviations resulting from seasonal biases in the irradiation models and one axis tracking issues are discussed in detail

Solar Farm Utilizing a Battery Energy Storage System

According to the US Energy and Information Administration, between 2022-2023 60% of planned new electricity generation consists of solar farms with a battery energy storage system [1]. The demand for these paired systems has increased since batteries can be charged during the day with the energy captured from the solar farm then released to the customer in the evening during peak energy demand. This achieves peak load shaving which reduces the cost of electricity for the customer and is ecologically friendly. This thesis aims to create an efficient solar farm with a battery energy storage system for a farmer in California that achieves peak load shaving. Full cell modules and half-cell modules were explored to determine the type that best suits this project. The half-cell modules were best suited because of the increased efficiency. Six different solar farm designs were created, four fixed tilt designs and two single axis tracking designs. Two types of software, System Advisor Model (SAM) and REopt, were compared to determine which would be most useful in simulating these designs. It was concluded that System Advisor Model (SAM) would be the most accurate to simulate the six designs and produce metrics such as the annual energy production, capacity factor, DC to AC ratio, and levelized cost of energy. The final design, design 6, a 2-string single axis tracking design produced the best metrics that met the project requirements and a battery energy storage system was sized for the design

Comparison between SAM and Thermoflow for Linear Fresnel Solar Power Plants design

System Advisor Model is a software tool develped by National Renewable Laboratory (NREL), Department Of Energy, USA to design Solar Power Plants