Solar Panel

Represents a Solar Panel unit operation that calculates electrical power output from solar irradiation, panel area, efficiency, and the number of panels.

DWSIM.UnitOperations.UnitOperations.SolarPanel
Assembly DWSIM.UnitOperations.dll · Object ← BaseClass ← UnitOpBaseClass ← CleanEnergyUnitOpBase ← SolarPanel

At a glance

Port	Index	Connected in the example
Outlet, energy	0	PV-1 power

Example

This code runs on every build of this site, and the output below is what it printed.

Python

fs = (Flowsheet.Create("SolarPanelExample")
      .WithCompound("Water")
      .WithPropertyPackage(PropertyPackages.SteamTables))

power = fs.AddEnergyStream("PV-1 power")

pv = (fs.AddSolarPanel("PV-1")
      .WithPanelAreaM2(1.95)                 # area of one panel
      .WithPanelCount(20)
      .WithPanelEfficiencyPercent(21.0)
      .WithSolarIrradiationKWPerM2(0.85))
pv.Object.CreateConnectors()                 # the canvas creates the ports on first draw
pv.ConnectEnergyProduct(power, 0)            # electric power leaves through port 0

# Use the irradiation set above instead of the flowsheet's global weather conditions
pv.Object.UseUserDefinedWeather = True

fs.AutoLayout()
fs.Solve()

print(f"Total area         = {1.95 * 20:.1f} m2")
print(f"Irradiation used   = {pv.ActualSolarIrradiationKWPerM2:.3f} kW/m2")
print(f"Generated power    = {pv.GeneratedPowerKW:.3f} kW")
print(f"Energy stream      = {power.Object.EnergyFlow:.3f} kW")

Output

Total area         = 39.0 m2
Irradiation used   = 0.850 kW/m2
Generated power    = 6.962 kW
Energy stream      = 6.962 kW

DWSIM 10.2.11.0, generated 2026-10-08.

Properties

IDs accepted by GetPropertyValue, SetPropertyValue, the sensitivity analysis, the optimizer, the Adjust block and dynamic events. Units are SI; pass another unit system to GetPropertyValue to get them converted.

ID	Name	Unit (SI)	Input
Efficiency		%	yes
User-Defined Solar Irradiation		kW/m2	yes
Actual Solar Irradiation		kW/m2	result
Panel Area		m2	yes
Number of Panels			yes
Generated Power		kW	result

Learn more

• User guide

  ---

  • Solar Panel

• FluentAPI

  ---

  • CleanEnergy.SolarPanelBuilder

API members

Public members declared by this class. Inherited members are documented on the base classes.

Constructors

SolarPanel(): Initializes a new default instance of the SolarPanel class.

Initializes a new default instance of the SolarPanel class.

C#VB.NET

public SolarPanel()

Public Sub New()

Properties

ActualSolarIrradiation_kW_m2: Gets or sets the actual (weather-adjusted) solar irradiation used in the calculation (kW/m²).

Gets or sets the actual (weather-adjusted) solar irradiation used in the calculation (kW/m²).

C#VB.NET

public double ActualSolarIrradiation_kW_m2 { get; set; }

Public Property ActualSolarIrradiation_kW_m2 As Double

EquipmentTypes: Gets the list of equipment sub-types (Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, Thin Film).

Gets the list of equipment sub-types (Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline, Thin Film).

C#VB.NET

public override List<string> EquipmentTypes { get; }

Public Overrides ReadOnly Property EquipmentTypes As List(Of String)

GeneratedPower: Gets or sets the calculated generated electrical power (kW).

Gets or sets the calculated generated electrical power (kW).

C#VB.NET

public double GeneratedPower { get; set; }

Public Property GeneratedPower As Double

NumberOfPanels: Gets or sets the number of panels in the array.

Gets or sets the number of panels in the array.

C#VB.NET

public int NumberOfPanels { get; set; }

Public Property NumberOfPanels As Integer

PanelArea: Gets or sets the area of a single panel (m²).

Gets or sets the area of a single panel (m²).

C#VB.NET

public double PanelArea { get; set; }

Public Property PanelArea As Double

PanelEfficiency: Gets or sets the panel conversion efficiency (%).

Gets or sets the panel conversion efficiency (%).

C#VB.NET

public double PanelEfficiency { get; set; }

Public Property PanelEfficiency As Double

Prefix: Gets or sets the default name prefix for this unit operation.

Gets or sets the default name prefix for this unit operation.

C#VB.NET

public override string Prefix { get; set; }

Public Overrides Property Prefix As String

SolarIrradiation_kW_m2: Gets or sets the user-specified solar irradiation (kW/m²).

Gets or sets the user-specified solar irradiation (kW/m²).

C#VB.NET

public double SolarIrradiation_kW_m2 { get; set; }

Public Property SolarIrradiation_kW_m2 As Double

Methods

Calculate(object): Calculates the generated power from solar irradiation, panel area, efficiency, and count.

Calculates the generated power from solar irradiation, panel area, efficiency, and count.

Parameter	Type	Description
args	Object

C#VB.NET

public override void Calculate(object args = null)

Public Overrides Sub Calculate(args As Object = Nothing)

CloneXML(): Creates a deep copy via XML serialization.

Creates a deep copy via XML serialization.

C#VB.NET

public override object CloneXML()

Public Overrides Function CloneXML() As Object

CloseEditForm(): Closes and disposes the editing form.

Closes and disposes the editing form.

C#VB.NET

public override void CloseEditForm()

Public Overrides Sub CloseEditForm()

CreateConnectors(): Creates the graphic connector definitions (energy outlet) on the flowsheet.

Creates the graphic connector definitions (energy outlet) on the flowsheet.

C#VB.NET

public override void CreateConnectors()

Public Overrides Sub CreateConnectors()

CreateDimensionsList(): Creates the dimensions list (Area, Efficiency) for this solar panel.

Creates the dimensions list (Area, Efficiency) for this solar panel.

C#VB.NET

public override void CreateDimensionsList()

Public Overrides Sub CreateDimensionsList()

DisplayEditForm(): Opens or activates the editing form.

Opens or activates the editing form.

C#VB.NET

public override void DisplayEditForm()

Public Overrides Sub DisplayEditForm()

Draw(object): Draws the solar panel icon on the given SkiaSharp canvas.

Draws the solar panel icon on the given SkiaSharp canvas.

Parameter	Type	Description
g	Object

C#VB.NET

public override void Draw(object g)

Public Overrides Sub Draw(g As Object)

GetDisplayDescription(): Returns the display description for this unit operation.

Returns the display description for this unit operation.

C#VB.NET

public override string GetDisplayDescription()

Public Overrides Function GetDisplayDescription() As String

GetDisplayName(): Returns the display name for this unit operation.

Returns the display name for this unit operation.

C#VB.NET

public override string GetDisplayName()

Public Overrides Function GetDisplayName() As String

GetIconBitmapBytes(): Returns the icon bitmap as a byte array.

Returns the icon bitmap as a byte array.

C#VB.NET

public override byte[] GetIconBitmapBytes()

Public Overrides Function GetIconBitmapBytes() As Byte()

GetProperties(PropertyType): Returns an array of property identifiers for the specified property type.

Returns an array of property identifiers for the specified property type.

Parameter	Type	Description
proptype	PropertyType

C#VB.NET

public override string[] GetProperties(PropertyType proptype)

Public Overrides Function GetProperties(proptype As PropertyType) As String()

GetPropertyUnit(string, IUnitsOfMeasure): Returns the unit string for the specified property.

Returns the unit string for the specified property.

Parameter	Type	Description
prop	String
su	IUnitsOfMeasure

C#VB.NET

public override string GetPropertyUnit(string prop, IUnitsOfMeasure su = null)

Public Overrides Function GetPropertyUnit(prop As String, su As IUnitsOfMeasure = Nothing) As String

GetPropertyValue(string, IUnitsOfMeasure): Returns the value of the specified property.

Returns the value of the specified property.

Parameter	Type	Description
prop	String
su	IUnitsOfMeasure

C#VB.NET

public override object GetPropertyValue(string prop, IUnitsOfMeasure su = null)

Public Overrides Function GetPropertyValue(prop As String, su As IUnitsOfMeasure = Nothing) As Object

GetReport(IUnitsOfMeasure, CultureInfo, string): Generates a plain-text report of the solar panel results.

Generates a plain-text report of the solar panel results.

Parameter	Type	Description
su	IUnitsOfMeasure
ci	CultureInfo
nf	String

C#VB.NET

public override string GetReport(IUnitsOfMeasure su, CultureInfo ci, string nf)

Public Overrides Function GetReport(su As IUnitsOfMeasure, ci As CultureInfo, nf As String) As String

LoadData(List<XElement>): Restores the solar panel state from XML.

Restores the solar panel state from XML.

Parameter	Type	Description
data	List<XElement>

C#VB.NET

public override bool LoadData(List<XElement> data)

Public Overrides Function LoadData(data As List(Of XElement)) As Boolean

PopulateEditorPanel(object): Populates the cross-platform editor panel with controls for this solar panel.

Populates the cross-platform editor panel with controls for this solar panel.

Parameter	Type	Description
ctner	Object

C#VB.NET

public override void PopulateEditorPanel(object ctner)

Public Overrides Sub PopulateEditorPanel(ctner As Object)

ReturnInstance(string): Creates and returns a new instance for deserialization.

Creates and returns a new instance for deserialization.

Parameter	Type	Description
typename	String

C#VB.NET

public override object ReturnInstance(string typename)

Public Overrides Function ReturnInstance(typename As String) As Object

SaveData(): Serializes the solar panel state to XML.

Serializes the solar panel state to XML.

C#VB.NET

public override List<XElement> SaveData()

Public Overrides Function SaveData() As List(Of XElement)

SetPropertyValue(string, object, IUnitsOfMeasure): Sets the value of the specified property.

Sets the value of the specified property.

Parameter	Type	Description
prop	String
propval	Object
su	IUnitsOfMeasure

C#VB.NET

public override bool SetPropertyValue(string prop, object propval, IUnitsOfMeasure su = null)

Public Overrides Function SetPropertyValue(prop As String, propval As Object, su As IUnitsOfMeasure = Nothing) As Boolean

UpdateDimensionsList(): Updates the dimension values from the current panel properties.

Updates the dimension values from the current panel properties.

C#VB.NET

public override void UpdateDimensionsList()

Public Overrides Sub UpdateDimensionsList()

UpdateEditForm(): Refreshes the editing form with updated data.

Refreshes the editing form with updated data.

C#VB.NET

public override void UpdateEditForm()

Public Overrides Sub UpdateEditForm()

Fields

f: The classic (WinForms) editor window open for this unit operation, if any.

The classic (WinForms) editor window open for this unit operation, if any. Not saved with the flowsheet.

C#VB.NET

public object f

Public f As Object