Industrial Solar Energy Calculator
Size an industrial on-grid solar plant from your target array size and location: daily yield, panel count, panel count, inverter capacity, protection, cables and the roof area required.
Features of Industrial On-Grid Solar System Designer
Our solar system designer software provides professional-grade sizing and multi-stage engineering analysis for industrial power solutions.
Global Location Data
Built-in database with over 150 countries for accurate Peak Sun Hours (PSH) and tilt angle calculations.
Inverter & Panel Sizing
Precision sizing accounting for grid profile factors to perfectly balance string configuration.
Cable Sizing Analysis
Automatic cross-section calculations for both DC string cables and AC mains to prevent unacceptable voltage drop.
Multi-Stage Workflow
Guided engineering process from initial capacity to protection sizing and physical area requirements.
How to Use Industrial On-Grid Solar System Designer
Enter Demand & Location
Select your country and city to fetch solar irradiance data, then enter the target array size in kWdc (Monthly kWh ÷ (30 × PSH × PR) is a good starting point).
Select Equipment
Input your specific PV panel wattage and inverter sizing ratio. The tool calculates exact string configuration and inverter capacity needed.
Protection & Cables
Provide system AC voltages and DC run lengths to receive automated recommendations for string fuses, MCCB breakers, and cable sizes.
Analyze Area Output
View the roof area in m² (module area plus 20% for access) and the CAPEX, annual savings and simple payback to ensure physical fit on-site.
Industrial On-Grid Solar System Calculation Breakdown
Our sizing engine follows rigorous engineering standards to ensure precision and safety. Below is the step-by-step breakdown of the logic used to determine your final results.
Worked Example: Sizing a Solar Plant for a Factory Using 100,000 kWh per Month
The figures below follow the same formulas the designer uses, for a site with 5.0 peak sun hours, 80% overall system efficiency, 550 W modules, a 1.2 DC/AC ratio and a 400 V three-phase grid connection.
- System size: 100,000 ÷ (30 × 5.0 × 0.80) = 833 kWp of DC capacity.
- Module count: 833,333 W ÷ 550 W = 1,515.2, rounded up to 1,516 modules (833.8 kWp).
- Inverter capacity: 833.8 kWp ÷ 1.2 = 695 kW AC, for example seven 100 kW string inverters.
- AC current and breakers: at the 0.99 power factor the designer assumes, each 100 kW inverter delivers 100,000 ÷ (√3 × 400 × 0.99) = 145.8 A; × 1.25 = 182 A, so a 200 A MCCB per inverter. For the full 694.8 kW the designer shows 1,013 A; × 1.25 = 1,267 A, so the next standard incoming breaker is 1,600 A.
- String fuses: for a module short-circuit current of 14 A, 14 × 1.56 = 21.8 A, so 25 A gPV fuses where fusing is required.
- Area: 1,516 modules of about 2.58 m² cover roughly 3,911 m². The designer adds 20% for access, giving about 4,694 m², which suits closely packed roof layouts. For tilted rows with inter-row spacing, plan for about 1.5 to 2 times the module area, around 5,900 to 7,800 m² of roof or land.
Real production also depends on shading, soiling, module temperature and grid availability, so treat these results as a feasibility estimate before a detailed yield simulation and site survey.
Design Rules for Industrial On-Grid Solar Systems
- Match production to daytime load. Industrial sites save most when solar output is used on site. Compare the hourly load profile with expected generation before choosing a size, especially where export is limited or paid at a low rate.
- Keep the DC/AC ratio between 1.1 and 1.3. A modest oversize keeps inverters near full output for more hours; above about 1.3, clipping losses start to grow.
- Check string voltage at the coldest temperature. Module voltage rises in cold weather, so the open-circuit voltage of a full string at minimum site temperature must stay below the inverter and module maximum (often 1,000 V or 1,500 V DC).
- Limit voltage drop. Aim for about 1–2% on DC string cables and 1–3% on the AC side so that losses do not eat into yield, and confirm current-carrying capacity after derating for temperature and grouping.
- Protect every circuit. Use gPV-rated string fuses where three or more strings are paralleled, DC isolators at the inverter, AC breakers sized at 1.25 times continuous current, and surge protection on both DC and AC sides.
- Confirm the structure and the grid. Check roof load capacity for modules and mounting (typically 12–20 kg/m² on pitched or metal roofs), and get the utility's approval for export capacity, protection settings and metering before construction.
For smaller systems or individual checks, use the Solar String Calculator, DC Solar Cable Size Calculator and Solar Panel Inverter Size Calculator.
Industrial On-Grid Solar System Design FAQs
PSH represents the equivalent number of hours per day when solar irradiance averages 1,000 W/m². A higher PSH means you need a smaller kW system to generate the same amount of daily energy from your photovoltaic array, greatly impacting your ROI.
This is known as the DC-to-AC ratio or inverter oversizing. Panels rarely operate at peak test conditions due to heat and losses. Oversizing the DC array (typically 1.1 to 1.3 ratio) ensures the inverter operates closer to its maximum efficiency more often.
The AC cable is the smallest copper size whose tabulated current rating (PVC insulated, three-phase, BS 7671 / IEC 60364-5-52 reference method B) is at least the AC breaker rating. The DC string cable starts at 4 mm² and steps up to 6 mm² or 10 mm² for higher string currents or runs longer than 50 m or 80 m. Treat both as minimum sizes and check derating for temperature and grouping, and voltage drop, for the actual installation.
The optimal fixed tilt angle is generally equal to your location's latitude. The calculator automatically suggests the best tilt angle when you select your country and city.
