PVsyst

PVsyst is design and simulation software for photovoltaic systems, and it occupies a particular niche within solar software: where much of the category is oriented toward sales proposals and speed, PVsyst is built around simulation depth. Its team describes the mission as empowering sustainable futures by providing advanced simulation tools for photovoltaic system design.

The range is now three distinct products rather than one. PVsyst 8 is the core application for design, simulation and detailed analysis, and its headline capability is advanced hourly and sub-hourly simulation, which is what allows a system to be optimised against realistic time-resolved conditions instead of monthly averages. That granularity is the reason PVsyst results are widely treated as a reference point in engineering and financing conversations.

PVsystCLI is a command-line interface for automating PVsyst simulations, aimed at scripting and batch processing. It automates the simulation of projects created in PVsyst 8, and buyers should note that a PVsyst 8 license is not included with it. This is the tool for teams running many project variants rather than working interactively through a single design. PVsystBasic is the third product, dedicated to solar pumping at off-grid sites, with a simple guided approach to sizing a photovoltaic installation for direct solar pumping.

Support is deliberately broad for a technical tool of this kind, spanning email, forums, FAQs, PDF tutorials, documentation and video tutorials, all available in both English and French. Personalised team training is offered for organisations that need to bring several engineers up to speed. Users can also request data insertion into the PVsyst database, which matters when modelling equipment that is not yet covered. Licensing runs on a subscription contract; rates are not published on the site.