Comparative Study on the Predicted Energy Generated from GCPV System Between PVsyst Simulation and Mathematical Models

PVsyst is a simulation software that is widely used by researchers and industry professionals for PV system design, performance simulation, technical analysis, and economic assessment. However, a study to verify the accuracy and reliability of PVsyst is necessary to ensure the simulation results align with industry standard with minor inconsistencies in the prediction of energy production. This paper presents a comparison of the design, simulation, and performance analysis of a grid-connected solar system in Johor Bahru. Three methods were applied in this study, which are two Mathematical Models (MM)s and PVsyst commercial software. A comparison of PVsyst simulation with existing mathematical models was conducted to identify discrepancies in the prediction of energy production between the methods. The comparison involved assessing the annual and monthly energy generation predicted by MMs and PVsyst. Results shows that the percentage difference between PVsyst and MM 1, as well as PVsyst and MM 2, are respectively 14.63% and 5.803%. This study also highlighted several technical understandings of designing PV systems by using the three methods which can help in understanding the differences in the predicted energy generation.