PVWatts V6
GET {{nrel_developer_url}}/pvwatts/v6.json?lat=40&lon=-105&system_capacity=4&azimuth=180&tilt=40&array_type=1&module_type=1&losses=10
PVWatts V6 (GET /api/pvwatts/v6)
PVWatts Version 6 is is the current version of the PVWatts API. Updates from Version 5 include access to the Physical Solar Model (PSM) TMY and SUNY South Asia solar resource data from the NREL National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) by default, with optional access to the legacy solar resource data: NSRDB MTS2 1991-2005 Update (TMY3), NSRDB MTS1 1961-1990 (TMY2), and NREL international station data. PVWatts Version 6 also sets the default DC-to-AC ratio to 1.2 instead of 1.1, but you can specify a different DC to AC ratio for your simulation. For a complete description of PVWatts V6, see the description on the PVWatts website
The algorithms used to calculate energy output are the same as in Version 5. For a technical description of the model, see Dobos, A. P. PVWatts Version 5 Manual. NREL/TP-6A20-62641, 2014.
Response Fields The response is composed of service-related informational fields and the results of the data query.
| Field | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| inputs | Type: collection | The input parameters received in the request. |
| errors | Type: array of strings | Any error messages resulting from the request. |
| warnings | Type: array of strings | Any warning messages resulting from the request. |
| version | Type: string | The current version of the web service. |
| ssc_info | Type: collection | Information about the SSC library. |
| station_info | Type: collection | Information about the climate data used in the simulation. (see station info fields for more detail) |
| outputs | Type: collection | The data outputs from the simulation. (see output fields for more detail) |
| lat | Type: decimal | Latitude of the climate station. |
| lon | Type: decimal | Longitude of the climate station. |
| elev | Type: decimal | Elevation of the climate station. (meters) |
| tz | Type: decimal | Timezone offset from GMT. |
| location | Type: string | ID of the climate station. |
| city | Type: string | City where climate station is located. |
| state | Type: string | State where climate station is located. |
| solarresourcefile | Type: string | Solar resource filename. |
| distance | Type: integer | Distance between the input location and the climate station. (meters) |
| poa_monthly | Type: array of decimal | Monthly plane of array irradiance values. (kWh/m2) The array of values represents the value for each month, with the first element being for January and the last element being for December. |
| dc_monthly | Type: array of decimal | Monthly DC array output. (kWhdc) The array of values represents the value for each month, with the first element being for January and the last element being for December. |
| ac_monthly | Type: array of decimal | |
| ac_annual | Type: decimal | Annual AC system output. (kWhac) |
| solrad_monthly | Type: array of decimal | Monthly solar radiation values. (kWh/m2/day) The array of values represents the value for each month, with the first element being for January and the last element being for December. |
| solrad_annual | Type: decimal | Annual solar radiation values. (kWh/m2/day) |
| capacity_factor | Type: decimal | The ratio of the system's predicted electrical output in the first year of operation to the nameplate output, which is equivalent to the quantity of energy the system would generate if it operated at its nameplate capacity for every hour of the year. (AC-to-DC) |
| ac | Type: array of decimal | Hourly AC system output (only when timeframe=hourly). (Wac) |
| poa | Type: array of decimal | Hourly plane of array irradiance (only when timeframe=hourly). (W/m2) |
| dn | Type: array of decimal | Hourly beam normal irradiance (only when timeframe=hourly). (W/m2) |
| dc | Type: array of decimal | Hourly DC array output (only when timeframe=hourly). (Wdc) |
| df | Type: array of decimal | Hourly diffuse irradiance (only when timeframe=hourly). (W/m2) |
| tamb | Type: array of decimal | Hourly ambient temperature (only when timeframe=hourly). (C) |
| tcell | Type: array of decimal | Hourly module temperature (only when timeframe=hourly) (C) |
| wspd | Type: array of decimal | Hourly windspeed (only when timeframe=hourly). (m/s) |
Request Params
| Key | Datatype | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
lat | number | ||
lon | number | ||
system_capacity | number | ||
azimuth | number | Type: decimal | |
| Default: None | |||
| Min: 0 | |||
| Max: < 360 | |||
tilt | number | Type: decimal | |
| Default: None | |||
| Range: 0 to 90 | |||
| Tilt angle (degrees). | |||
array_type | number | ||
module_type | number | ||
losses | number | ||
address | null | Type: string | |
| Default: None | |||
| The address to use. Required if lat/lon or file_id not specified. | |||
dataset | null | Type: string | |
| Default: nsrdb | |||
| Options: nsrdb, tmy2, tmy3, intl | |||
| The climate dataset to use. Should not be passed in if using file_id to specify the climate data file. |
Option Description nsrdb NREL Physical Solar Model (PSM) TMY from the NREL National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) (see nsrdb.nrel.gov/about)
tmy2 TMY2 station data (see Typical Meteorological Year, version 2)
tmy3 TMY3 station data (see Typical Meteorological Year version 3)
intl
International station data |
| radius | number | | Type: integer
Default: 100
The search radius to use when searching for the closest climate data station (miles). Pass in radius=0 to use the closest station regardless of the distance. |
| timeframe | string | | Type: string
Default: monthly
Options: monthly, hourly
Granularity of the output response. |
| dc_ac_ratio | string | | Type: decimal
Default: 1.2
Range: must be positive
DC to AC ratio. |
| gcr | string | | Type: decimal
Default: 0.4
Range: 0 - 3
Ground coverage ratio. |
| inv_eff | number | | Type: decimal
Default: 96
Range: 90 - 99.5
Inverter efficiency at rated power. |
| callback | null | | Type: string
Default: None
Return the data using JSONP and the given callback function (only applicable when using the json format). |
RESPONSES
status: OK
{"inputs":{"lat":"40","lon":"-105","system_capacity":"4","azimuth":"180","tilt":"40","array_type":"1","module_type":"1","losses":"10"},"errors":[],"warnings":[],"version":"1.0.2","ssc_info":{"version":45,"build":"Linux 64 bit GNU/C++ Jul 7 2015 14:24:09"},"station_info":{"lat":40.0099983215332,"lon":-105.0199966430664,"elev":1581.839965820312,"tz":-7,"location":"None","city":"","state":"Colorado","solar_resource_file":"W10502N4001.csv","distance":2029},"outputs":{"ac_monthly":[474.4326171875,484.3903503417969,595.7704467773438,592.0599365234375,591.2662353515625,589.3538208007812,583.2352905273438,586.4593505859375,584.8131713867188,561.72314453125,486.1260375976562,445.6881713867188],"poa_monthly":[141.4809417724609,145.5711975097656,184.7876434326172,181.5513763427734,186.4280853271484,190.5132904052734,188.7499694824219,190.5398101806641,188.2213134765625,175.4444122314453,146.3170471191406,131.1568298339844],"solrad_monthly":[4.563901424407959,5.198971271514893,5.960891723632812,6.051712512969971,6.013809204101562,6.350442886352539,6.088708877563477,6.146445274353027,6.274043560028076,5.659497261047363,4.877234935760498,4.230865478515625],"dc_monthly":[497.9421081542969,511.1524963378906,634.3223266601562,623.7313842773438,617.8812866210938,615.4278564453125,609.3965454101562,612.7506713867188,610.5584106445312,588.6157836914062,508.0747680664062,465.4272155761719],"ac_annual":6575.31884765625,"solrad_annual":5.618043899536133,"capacity_factor":18.76517868041992}}