solpy 0.2.1

Solar Performance and Design library

solpy
-------
Solpy is a python library to model solar system power performance similar to PVWatts or NREL's System Advisor Model(SAM). I initially started writing this while working in Bangladesh as fairly crude calculator to go from a fisheye panorama to a csv of vectors for shading calculations, however there were several pieces that were added to make it a bit more useful for both analyis and design.
Daniel Thomas did work adding the Tang evacuated glass tube model. Pyephem was added for solar positioning. There is also a simple module for reading TMY3 data. This tool is rudimentary, but functional.

This is primarily a research and analysis tool and there is no guarantee on the calculations.

Features
--------
-Liu & Jordan diffuse irradiance model
-Perez et al. diffuse irradiance model
-Sandia Inverter model
-NEC voltage drop caculations

Files
-----
-enphase.py - Enphase API wrapper
-epw.py - EPW weather data
-expedite.py - calculate information needed for the expedited permit process
-fisheye.py - fisheye image to shading vectors
-forecast.py - forecast.io API wrapper
-noaa.py - NOAA weather data API wrapper
-pv.py - system performance prediction
-pvcli - cli interface to pv modeling--
-tmy3.py - read tmy3 data
-vd.py - voltage drop

Usage
-----
PV systems are descibed with json. For example:

{"system_name":"System Name",
"zipcode":"17601",
"tilt":34,
"azimuth":180,
"phase":1,
"voltage":240,
"array":[
{"inverter":"SMA America: SB6000US 240V",
"panel":"Mage Solar : Powertec Plus 250-6 MNCS",
"series":14,
"parallel":2}
]
}

If that json was in a file called template.json, the command to model it would be;

pvcli -f template.json

Ipython
-------
This is the sort of project that lends itself nicely to ipython. Since discovering that project I've tried to make things flow naturally in that enviroment. I really like the inline graphics of the qtconsole.

$ipython qtconsole --colors=Linux --pylab=inline