
Understanding the movement of the sun over a solar PV installation site is key to optimising the performance and power generation of a PV system, the PVGIS is a great tool to use for this. Using this utility will give you the basic information needed to work out (1) the optimum pitch of a solar PV array based on it's location and height above sea level, (2) the amount of solar radiation available to a given location and (3) an estimated power output figure for your proposed solar PV system.

If you have an understanding of this relationship as well as the access to the historical solar radiation data for your location that the PVGIS provides, you can prepare power output estimates (kWhrs), optimise system designs and have a very good idea of how a solar PV system will perform at a given location before a solar PV system is commissioned. PVGIS Estimation Utility The PVGIS Estimation Utility is a great way to understand a proposed solar PV system's relationship with the sun based on it's location.
