Numerical simulation, an essential tool for estimating the renewable energy produced.

To accurately estimate the energy produced from a power plant, information on the site’s meteorological resource is needed, in addition to the layout and technical specifications of the plant components. Sophisticated software is often used to model the complex interaction of these different parameters. Although a number of software packages can predict the energy performance of an RE plant at a baseline level, funders generally require an energy performance forecast by an appropriate technical expert.

Typically, the procedure for predicting energy performance using time step simulation software (hourly or sub-hourly) will involve the following three key steps :

1. Obtaining environmental data modeled or measured by ground weather stations or satellites (or a combination of both).

2. Power plant performance modeling to calculate the energy yield forecast in each time step.

3. Integration of losses using in-depth knowledge of equipment characteristics.