Losses
Losses in a photovoltaic (PV) power plant refer to the reduction in energy output compared to the theoretical maximum output under ideal conditions. Various factors contribute to losses in a PV system, and understanding these losses is crucial for accurately estimating the actual energy production and optimizing the performance of the power plant. Glint Solar includes losses in a user-friendly format to ensure yield estimates are accurate and fast.
Soiling losses
Soiling loss refers to the reduction in energy production due to the accumulation of dirt, dust, or other contaminants on the surface of solar panels, diminishing their ability to capture sunlight effectively in PV power plants.
Snow losses
Snow loss refers to the reduction in energy production during snowy conditions as solar panels become covered by snow, preventing sunlight from reaching the photovoltaic cells.
Light-induced degradation
LID is the phenomenon where solar panels experience an initial reduction in efficiency upon exposure to sunlight, typically occurring in the first few hours or days of operation, after which the degradation stabilizes.
Nameplate rating losses
Nameplate rating loss occurs when the actual performance of solar panels falls below their rated capacity. Said another way, nameplate rating losses are when modules perform differently compared to their corresponding theoretical datasheet values.
Mismatch losses
Mismatch loss refers to the decrease in overall energy output caused by variations in the electrical characteristics of individual solar panels within a PV array. Not all modules are exactly the same.
Connection losses
Connection losses occur because of the mismatch between strings, normally related to the voltage differences.
Wiring losses
Wiring loss refers to energy losses that occur in the electrical wiring and connections within a PV system, impacting the efficiency of power transmission from solar panels to the interconnection point (where energy is evacuated to the grid).
Shading losses
Shading loss occurs when sunlight is blocked from reaching PV panels. Shading can be divided broadly into "near shading" and "far shading". Near shading is caused by objects in close proximity to the PV site. Far shading is caused by larger objects in the surrounding and distant terrain, e.g. mountains on the horizon.
Availability losses
Availability losses represent the expected losses due to stopping the injection of energy to the grid, as it is sometimes useful to foresee system failures or maintenance stops in the production expectations.
Annual degradation
Annual degradation represents the expected reduction in the efficiency of solar panels over time, indicating the gradual decline in their performance as they age and experience wear and tear.
Additional resources
For more information on configuring your PV settings in Glint Solar, see <Adjusting the PV settings>
Learn more about the technical concepts described above in the Solar Site Planning Guide:
For information on losses recorded in Glint Solar and how those losses are recorded in PVsyst, see Losses in Glint vs. losses in PVsyst.