PVsyst Releases Software Update To Include Ampt String Optimizers

PVsyst SA and Ampt LLC recently announced that PVsyst’s latest software update includes Ampt’s DC String Optimizers. The new version, PVsyst 6.43, allows users to model the performance benefits of Ampt String Optimizers in large-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems.PVsyst’s software is made for PV system designers to predict the performance of different system configurations, evaluate the results and identify the best approach for energy production. The production reports are also used by project owners and financiers to estimate project revenues from energy generation. The inclusion of Ampt String Optimizers in PVsyst’s software update makes it easier for users to simulate the performance advantage of using Ampt in their solar power plants.

Ampt String Optimizers are DC/DC converters that manage power at the string level. Ampt optimizers perform MPP tracking on every 3-6 kilowatts (kW) of PV, which is 50 to 300 times more granular than typical central inverter designs. This helps recover system losses from electrical mismatch over the life of a power plant. In addition, systems with Ampt double the number of modules per string, which reduces the number of combiners, cabling and associated labor by up to 50 percent to save on electrical balance-of-system (BOS) costs.

The new release of PVsyst is also able to model systems that take advantage of inverters with Ampt Mode®. Inverters with Ampt Mode operate in a narrow input voltage range that is closer to the maximum system voltage, which allows for a 40 to 70 percent increase in the inverter’s rated output power. This increase in rated output power lowers the inverter’s cost per watt. PVsyst users can import the “OND” files for inverters with Ampt Mode® directly into the software.

“We are committed to actively developing PVsyst to meet the evolving needs of the industry,” said André Mermoud, founder of PVsyst. “We’re pleased to bring Ampt String Optimizers to our latest software update to meet those needs.””The ability to model PV system production is an essential part of developing a successful project,” said Levent Gun, CEO of Ampt. “With Ampt’s String Optimizer in PVsyst, our solution can be easily modeled through a globally recognized leader in PV system software. While our customers typically choose Ampt to lower cost, it’s also important to understand Ampt’s performance advantage and demonstrate that value to project owners and financiers.”