[Plugin] Skelion (solar, shadows)

sam24sk

Hi All,

Currently trialling Skelion however I'm having some trouble working out the shading losses calculation within the 'basic report' of Skelion. The report shows 'general total' shading losses of 0.7% which appear to be calculated from the average of the shading losses from each module from the array, which seems to make sense. However, the basic report also shows a list of monthly average shading losses ranging from 0.13%-5.49% which would then work out to annual average of 1.6%, which clearly doesn't correspond to the 'general total' figure.

I am struggling to understand the relationship between the two data, and therefore unable to justify the results in the analysis for my client. Is there a way to find out how these figures are calculated in the software? Are the 'general total' calculation losses taken using total annual daylight or using daylight from a single day of the year? I am also wondering whether the 'general total' losses calculation takes account of varying daylight hours as the year progresses, but perhaps the monthly calculation does not? I'm probably barking up the wrong tree and there is a simpler answer to be found here. Can anybody please explain the difference?

Any help much appreciated. Thanks

Sam,
UK
Shading losses.png

silvi_nmss

Hi...
Can I enter meteorological data manually in skelion?? I use the data from NASA for my location (Indonesia)
Thanks.

Juantxo

You can enter any file with NREL TMY3 format.
In future versions we will add a tool to create synthetic hourly values from monthly values.
Meteo data is only used to calculate shading losses (radiation that arrives to the panel taking into account shadows).
Yield is calculated with PVWATTS and PVGIS and meteo data used to calculate shading losses in skelion is not related.

tald311

Greetings,

I am having issues getting the Relief terrain to import. I have tried it on both SU 2016 and 2017. I use the location tool to geo-locate and then Relief but the window hangs and just continues to process without importing any data.

I have tried this both at home (no firewall) and work (we have a firewall - but we checked it to make sure it was not being blocked).

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Daniel

phunter10

Hi Juantxo,

We are also having the same problem as tald311 in regards to the relief feature. Is this no longer supported in the latest sketch version of 2016 onwards?

best,

PH

phunter10

hi Juantxo,

Is relief feature not supported in the latest version of sketch up 2016-2017? We are trying to capture part of the terrain over cave creek Arizona.

Regards,

PH

Juantxo

Just update to skelion 521. Some address changed and relief tool stop working. It is fixed in 521.

Smexystef

Hi,

When I place panels their borders (edges) look white in a certain perspective. We've gotten clients who've asked why the panels had a white border while we offered them full black panels. How can we avoid this?

Also, is Skelion still being worked on? Last update seems to be almost a year ago.

girish0105

Whenever i try to set the meteoroogical data in skelion i get this error "Waiting for Web Service Response"

Error Screen Shot when i try to set Meteorological data

Juantxo

Update to last version ( 523 October 2018).
You need Internet Explorer 11 (You must update if you not have)
Set Internet Explorer 11- Internet Options - Security to the minimum possible.

Best

danniejackson

I should have found this plugin earlier. I just started using it this week on passive and active solar design models for green built homes. I have made some models for solar space heating panels and used them in my SketchUp designs, and looked at solar radiation on windows and solar gain using a little math to devise Representative solar gain figures for windows.

What I want to say the most about this plugin is that it is way easier to use than some of those plugins for use with coupling DOE and NREL software with SketchUp. You can get started right away and get that data you really want for designing solar homes.

I am writing about my experience with this plugin in my models and some of the devices I have design with it such as solar space heating panels. https://solarparadigmdesign.wordpress.com

Kawasakippp

（I'm using google translate so I'm sorry if there is a mistake in English）

I'm having trouble getting results like training videos on the surface report.
Is the procedure missing?

Software used
・ Sketchup2020Pro
・ Skelionpro

Steps I'm taking
① Acquisition of terrain data by geolocation (Digital Globe)
② Component creation (skelion component, mark collecting surface setting)
③ Component placement in geolocation terrain data
④ Add construction point to the component
⑤ Select an edge and surface report

Surface repport does not work with construction point

If there is no construction point
Only Edge Azimuth and Edge Tilt can be obtained

Am I missing something?

fenomenergy

Hi,
I have sent an email to support@skelion.com could you please reply?
Paypal is not allowed here in Turkiye.
Any solution?

fenomenergy

Dear Juan,
I got a message "You are using a browser that is not supported by the Google Maps JavaScript API. Please try changing your browser." when I open RELIEF.
What will I do?
Thanks

pmolsen

Not sure if this has already been asked. Is there any way of calculating real-world shading losses via the Report option for string-connected panels please?

At present if I have a string of 8 panels and one gets shaded, it seems to only calculate the losses in that one panel. In reality all 8 panels will lose power unless optimizers or microinverters are in use.

It would also be good if it recognised split-cell panels, and allowed for the fact that they can still produce power from the top half if the bottom half is shaded (portrait mode).