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Polysun

BY VELA SOLARIS

ENERGY SYSTEM SIMULATIONS WITH PRECISION

Polysun is a software that enables users to effectively simulate solar-thermal, photovoltaic and geothermal systems.

With the Polysun software from Vela Solaris you can rely on a multi-practice simulation of your energy system with reliable results in terms of functionality, energy efficiency and profitability – from single-family homes to districts, worldwide and for all market-standard technologies.

 

Polysun is the only commercial simulation software for renewable energy systems which allows you to combine different technologies with each other (solar thermal, PVT, photovoltaics, heat pumps, ground-source loops, cogeneration units etc.) and the only software which allows you to edit the system templates and to create your own ones. This is the most important selling point. Compared to other academic software, thanks to its clear depiction of the systems and its modularity it is much easier to use and therefore particularly suitable for teaching. Students can learn quickly how to use it and get a good overview of the market thanks to the rich databases.

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POLYSUN DESIGNER

Polysun Designer depicts your energy system at an early planning stage. Systems can be built up quickly and potential for optimization revealed. This gives you planning security and convinces your customers with sophisticated and economical energy concepts. Polysun Designer intelligently combines applications to meet heating, cooling, electricity, and electromobility requirements. 

 

Using simple drag-and-drop you can choose from 150,000 system components that are always up-to-date and simulate the interaction of the energy system in dynamic time steps up to a resolution of steps in seconds. You can define intelligent control logic in a completely flexible manner, thereby additionally increasing the energy and cost efficiency of your solution.

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  • Free and easy programming of control logics
  • More than 150,000 deposited energy system components
  • 1,000 practice-tested templates for energy system concepts
  • Simulation of every market-standard technology – worldwide
  • Energetic monthly and annual balance sheets
  • Technical result reports and profitability calculation
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1000’s of Readymade Templates for Solar Photovoltaics and Thermal

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Compare Scenario Results

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Sun and Shading data from Maps or Database

FEATURES

  • Validated calculation models for solar thermal collectors, thermal tanks (water, ice and ground tanks), ground-source loops, conventional heat generators, biomass boilers, air-to-water, brine-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps, adsorption and absorption chillers, hybrid collectors (PVT), photovoltaic modules, inverters, batteries, cogeneration units, fuel cells and many more

  • Hydraulic interconnections can be arranged at will

  • Controlling strategies for the hydraulic systems can be freely defined

  • Comprehensive product data bases of heat pumps, photovoltaic modules, inverters, batteries, solar collectors, cogeneration units and many more components

  • Catalogs stored in the Cloud, no need to update your data bases

  • Includes a selection of more than 1,000 pre-configured hydraulic templates (including company templates)

  • Hydraulic templates for large-scale thermal systems, local, district heating and energy networks

  • Import of thermal loads for process heat applications on an hourly or 15-minute-basis

  • Integrated building model to calculate heating and cooling loads

  • Interfaces to import the heating energy demand according to the German EnEV, the Swiss SIA etc.

  • Automatic variation of parameters

  • Reports that are accepted for diverse applications for subsidies

  • Easy comparison of simulation results of several system diagrams

  • Detailed evaluation of simulation results per time step, 15 min., hourly or monthly values

  • Real time visualization using simulation analysis and graphic display of results

  • Updated Meteonorm weather data delivered through a web service (worldwide)

  • Comprehensive economic calculations including system comparison

  • Coupling of thermal and electrical systems (Power to Heat)

  • Calculation of own consumption based on entries of electric consumption profiles that are accurate down to one-minute-/five-minute-/fifteen-minute-time steps or hourly values

  • Variable prices for energy from the grid and for feed-in-tariffs can be imported

  • Off-grid systems and simulation of uninterrupted power supply systems

  • Electromobility

  • Easy to use, simple to handle

USER INTERFACE AND FEATURES IN BRIEF

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Wizards with Intelligent Filters

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Horizon, Location, Obstruction Shading from Map or Database

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Battery Definition

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Grid Detailing

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Detailed definition of Photovoltaics

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Heat Pump detailing

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Detailed definition of Collectors

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Water Tanks

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Buildings Data    

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Exhaustive Manufacturers Database

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Exhaustive Manufacturers Catalogs

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Thermal and Electrical Results

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Results Overview

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Component Results

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Graphical Evaluations

System Comparison Results

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Graphical Evaluations

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Energy Flow Diagrams

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Quick and detailed Financial Analysis

Structural Obstruction and Shading data

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Profitability Calculations and Comparisons

Step Simulation

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Professional PDF Reports

FOR UNIVERSITIES

  • As a teacher, you want to equip students for practical work and enable them to develop digitally energy systems with a future. As a recognized and globally widely used simulation tool, Polysun is ideally suited for this purpose. A comprehensive database of market-standard components and tested energy system templates make it easy for students to get started – from the first simple exercises to challenging research questions. The effective design and sizing of energy systems for buildings and districts is tested and researched with Polysun. Knowledge is acquired and internalized in a playful way. 

  • Practical teaching of content for digital energy system simulation

  • Vela Solaris was founded as a spin-off of the renowned University of Applied Sciences in Rapperswil (Switzerland) and still has strong roots in science and research today.

  • Universities value our high level of expertise and the uncomplicated support we provide to lecturers and students in the use of Polysun and in the craft of energy system simulation.

  • By collaborating on real university research projects, Polysun always keeps its finger on the pulse of the latest innovations from the research departments. At the same time, Vela Solaris, as a partner, bridges the gap between research and the market: the latest energy components are always available to researchers in the Polysun library, enabling them to investigate innovative energy concepts.

  • Students are already learning how to use simulation software used by renowned companies in their target market. In this way they are optimally prepared for later career entry.

 

  Make lively, hands-on lessons easier

  • Easily create exercises for students

  • Practice sessions can be easily created in Polysun and results can be exchanged between teachers and students. We provide teachers with a wide range of practice examples, which we create using our many years of practical experience. With the purchase of our software this service is free of charge.

 

  Training modules from our experts for students

  • The craft of digital energy system simulation – we at Vela Solaris have been experts in this field for decades. We are happy to impart this knowledge based on our Polysun software, from the introductory course to in-depth module. Vela Solaris accompanies students closely, uncomplicatedly, and flexibly in the form of webinars or on-site training. With Vela Solaris as a partner, the transfer of practical experience is effortless.

 

FOR BUILDING & DISTRICT PLANNERS

  • The most important thing when planning an energy system is that it works in practice and meets the requirements cost-effectively. This is a challenge, especially in view of the increasing regulatory requirements and sudden leaps in technology. This is where Polysun’s great strength lies: the powerful computing core of our software maps your energy system realistically at an early planning stage, giving you planning security that wins over your customers – worldwide, for all market – standard technologies and across the sector boundaries between heating, cooling and electricity.

  • With Polysun, you can effortlessly run through your various planning ideas: based on characteristic curves from real test series, you simulate more than 150,000 components, the interaction of which you can test, compare and significantly optimize their interaction with just a few clicks on their energy efficiency and profitability over any length of time. 

  • In short: Polysun offers you maximum flexibility in the representation of innovative energy systems. From ice storage to heating networks. 

 

FOR MANUFACTURERS & DISTRIBUTORS

  • A great deal of expertise is required for successful consulting and the sale of energy components and systems. You want to convince customers with clear decision-making bases: What energy and economic added value does a particular component provide when integrated into an overall system? What overall solution can you recommend to customers?

  • With our Polysun software you can demonstrate the advantages of your solution using tried-and-tested simulation results. We support you with templates of working complete systems to meet the electricity, heating, and cooling requirements – exactly for your applications. With just a few clicks, you can tailor the templates to your respective project and integrate your own components. As an innovative solution provider, you convince your customers with clear decision-making bases and meaningful results reports for your offers.

  • Building and district planners worldwide use Polysun as a design tool. With your components in the Polysun database, you will be visible to your customers – for an even greater sales success. Find out more. Do you want to digitalize your sales activities and generate more leads for your products and systems at a reasonable price? Integrate Polysun into your website application and run your power system simulations in the cloud.

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FOR ENERGY SERVICE PROVIDERS

  • As an energy service provider, you position yourself as a competent partner for energy systems with a future for smart and integral energy solutions.

  • Especially in the early planning phase, it is important to highlight ground-breaking energy solutions and all-round carefree solutions such as energy contracting. In the case of energy systems already installed, the question arises as to how energy costs can be reduced. In all these tasks, energy service providers supply valuable consulting and other services. We support you in identifying the best possible solution with precise and field-tested energy system simulations – from planning to operation. In the simulations calculated by Polysun the heating, cooling and electricity sectors grow together efficiently and intelligently, opening up new opportunities for your business. 

BY VELA SOLARIS

ABOUT VELA SOLARIS
Vela Solaris accelerates the development of efficient energy concepts. With our Polysun software and services we enable digital simulation of energy systems, thus enabling targeted optimization of projects.
The Polysun software was developed in 1992 by the renowned Institute for Solar Technology (SPF) at the University of Applied Sciences in Rapperswil (Switzerland). Vela Solaris was founded as a spin-off in 2006. Since then we have continuously refined the simulation of energy systems and expanded it to include new energy production technologies.
We take care of our customers’ concerns with passion and great expertise. Today, more than 1,000 recognized engineering companies, manufacturers and distributors of energy system components, energy service providers and universities rely on our software solutions and services worldwide.
Our daily work is characterized by the pursuit of a better solution, close communication with our customers and the commitment to accelerate the development of efficient, holistic energy systems.

POLYSUN BIM (Add - on to Designer)

The goal of BIM projects is to significantly reduce investment and operating costs and to detect a performance gap, i.e. a deviation between planned and actual values, as early as possible. This is the only way to take cost-effective measures to prevent planning errors. Especially when planning and designing energy systems, it is important to react to changed requirements in frequent iterations and to exploit optimization potential.

In BIM projects, therefore, the focus is on collaborative work in teams and simple data exchange. The Polysun BIM add-on enables the seamless use of Polysun software in BIM projects. Data exchange via Excel, Revit and IFC is supported automatically.

 

Meteodata, heating load data and simulation results are thus always available to the project team at the desired location. In addition, plan specifications from the BIM project for the energy system can be conveniently stored in Polysun and their achievement evaluated at the push of a button. As a result, time is only required for planning if deviations from the plan occur – the planning time of energy systems is significantly reduced. At the same time, the risk of incorrect design of the energy system is minimized.

All simulation results remain transparently documented with Polysun-BIM and deliver added value right up to the operating phase – for easy quality assurance.

  • Minimize performance gaps and reduce investment and operating costs

  • Minimisation of planning errors through continuous digital data exchange across application boundaries

  • High planning reliability within clearly defined planning specifications

  • Significant time savings for planning reviews through automated work steps

  • Access to projects according to BIM standard

POLYSUN SPT (Online  Standalone Photovoltaics Software)

Planning PV installations more economically and energy-efficiently

With Polysun SPT, you have a flexible tool for designing PV systems. You can easily select the roofs via Google Maps or upload your own roof plans and aerial photographs in various file formats. The simulation provides you with precise results based on a wide range of data, e.g. current Meteonorm data, roof orientation, roof shape, interference surfaces (e.g. skylights), partial shading elements due to nearby objects as well as power supply and feed-in tariffs.

Create snow and wind load calculations for different roofs in the same project and export detailed CAD roof plans and string plans for module assembly.

Convince your customers with automatic 3D visualizations of the buildings including terrain modelling, detailed graphical evaluations of the simulations in real time and comprehensive profitability assessment of the systems. 

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  • Roof selection from Google Maps and Bing
  • Planning and simulation of several roofs in one project
  • Automatic 3D visualisation of the buildings including terrain modelling
  • Convenient self-consumption profile editor
  • Cloud catalogues for update-free database maintenance
  • No local installation required

FEATURES

  • Roof selection from Google Maps and Bing

  • Upload of roof plans and aerial photos as jpg-, png-, gif- and bmp-files

  • Design of the substructure on 7 different roof shapes

  • East/west alignment or south alignment for flat roofs

  • Planning and simulation of several roofs in one project

  • Automatic 3D visualization of buildings, including terrain modeling

  • Editing the horizon line manually

  • Definition of interference areas (e.g. roof windows) and close shading elements (e.g. chimneys)

  • Detailed analysis and visualization of close-up shading

  • Snow load and wind load calculation

  • Detailed CAD roof plans of the fastening points of the modules

  • Automatic and manual inverter design

  • Automatic and manual creation of string plans

  • Validated calculation models for photovoltaic modules, inverters, batteries and self-consumption profiles

  • Self-consumption profile editor

  • Extensive product databases of photovoltaic modules, inverters and batteries

  • Cloud catalogs for update free database maintenance

  • Detailed evaluations on a monthly basis

  • Real-time visualization using simulation analysis and graphical evaluation

  • Meteonorm weather data

  • Comprehensive economic analysis of the systems

  • Input of power supply and feed-in tariffs

  • Simple handling and clear user guidance

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