RatedPower, a leading provider of software for PV plant and BESS design and engineering, has organized a webinar to present its solutions that make it faster and easier for developers and contractors to design and build PV and battery storage facilities, helping increase their efficiency and profitability. The online event included a step-by-step demonstration of how RatedPower’s cloud-based software tool creates simulations of PV plants, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and hybrid facilities to assess costs, performance, and profitability under various scenarios. The hosts also answered questions such as whether the software can be used for rooftop solar, how it accounts for terrain, what financial aspects it considers, and how user-friendly it is for non-technical staff. A recording of the webinar is available at this link.

The webinar opened with an overview of the main challenges that solar and BESS projects face in the Balkans, but also elsewhere in the world. These include a lack of collaboration between teams, difficulty finding investors for projects in the ready-to-build stage, insufficient documentation needed for permitting, lengthy manual calculations, and poor decision-making in feasibility studies.

Addressing common challenges in the Balkans

RatedPower was created precisely to address these problems, and today it provides services for a wide range of companies in the solar and BESS market, including well-known international players, it was explained at the webinar, hosted by Emil Trepin, Account Executive at RatedPower.

The company decided to expand to the Balkans because it is one of the fastest-growing regions in Europe when it comes to renewable energy projects. This, it was explained, is thanks to energy transition efforts, grid modernization, investment momentum, and state support for renewables across the region.

Much more than an engineering tool

RatedPower, part of Enverus, a global software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for the energy sector, offers a cloud-based tool for designing ground-mounted PV plants of 1 MW and above, and up to 3-4 GW, as well as hybrid systems (PV plus BESS) and standalone battery storage projects.

The platform creates the fastest simulations in the industry, reducing design and engineering time by up to 90%, while helping increase project profitability by about 20%. It generates over 400 pages of ready-to-use documents, including bills of quantities, single-line diagrams, business plans, and much more.

The tool reduces design and engineering time by up to 90%

RatedPower’s software is much more than an engineering tool – it is a decision-making platform that combines the simulation of technical design, energy yield, and financial analysis, according to the hosts.

A step-by-step demonstration of how the platform works

During the demonstration, Matteo Menazzi, Technical Advisor at RatedPower, explained how the platform is used in practice. Since it is cloud-based, it can be accessed from any web browser and used simultaneously by several people working on the same project or on multiple projects.

The first step is to select a location on the map, taking into account various restrictions, such as roads, forests, and archaeological sites, and then add PV arrays, BESS, and other equipment.

Equipment, such as PV modules or battery containers, is selected from a pre-filled database or uploaded manually. The software then creates a full simulation in a matter of seconds, allowing users to test different modules or equipment and compare results.

Solar modules, batteries, and other equipment can be selected from a pre-filled database

In the layout phase, users can set the distance between rows, adapt the configuration to the terrain slope, and estimate the scope and cost of necessary earthworks.

The software also allows the customization of grid connection parameters, including voltage levels and line types (underground or overhead). It then automatically estimates substation size and electrical losses, and calculates the necessary cable lengths.

It calculates the amount of electricity that can be produced and injected into the grid, as well as financial performance. In addition, a large number of documents is automatically generated – from hourly energy yield and battery performance results to lists of necessary cables, bills of quantities, and 2D and 3D drawings.

Designs can be edited and saved as templates for future projects

It is important to note that any design created with the RatedPower software can be edited by moving, adding, or removing elements. Also, all inputs can be saved as a template, which can be used for another project, saving considerable time.

Designing battery storage systems with RatedPower

When it comes to batteries, users can choose a power conversion system and battery containers from the database, define the number of BESS blocks and their layout, and adjust the distances between containers to comply with fire safety regulations. They can also customize charging and discharging efficiency and use the optimization algorithm to adjust operations for maximum profitability.

It is also possible to choose between a fixed and a variable price. For variable prices, the software will upload the day-ahead price for the relevant market or allow users to upload their own price. The tool will also recommend the most profitable time to sell electricity.

Users can also choose whether to charge the batteries only from the PV plant or from the grid as well.

The software provides project cost estimates based on standard values or the user’s input

In the financial segment, RatedPower’s software will estimate the total cost of building a PV plant or battery system, based on standard values provided by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

However, input values can also be fully customized by the user, based on the price of solar modules, BESS units, or cables.

If you want to know more about RatedPower’s software, request a demo today.