SAM Beta 2012.3.26 Available for Testing!

If you would like to help us test the Beta version and provide feedback, please download and install it, and reply to this post to make suggestions and comments. Your feedback will help us make improvements to include in this spring's version of SAM.

For a detailed description of SAM Beta 2012.3.26, please see the SAM Beta 2012.3.26 Description (PDF 94 KB) .

To download and install the Beta version:


1. If you are not already logged on to this website, log on. Or, if you do not have an account, click Register, and complete the short registration form. (You will receive a confirmation email with your password after registering).
2. On Downloads page , click the link under Beta Version: 2012.3.36 for the version (Windows or Mac OS) that you would like to download.
3. After downloading the installation file, install SAM Beta. If another version of SAM is already installed on your computer (the current version is SAM 2012.12.2), we recommend installing the Beta version in a different folder so that you can run both versions.
4. To run the Beta version, start the software and then open a project file. (The Beta version will not run when you double-click on a .zsam file.)

When you finish reviewing the Beta version, you can uninstall it without affecting other versions installed on your computer. The Beta version will expire and stop working after May 23, 2012.

Beta Version Highlights



• We've converted the code for the PV models to a new simulation engine (written in C++ instead of FORTRAN) that makes simulations run faster, and makes it easier for us to maintain the code.
• New high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) model.
• Reports: New report templates available for PV, troughs, towers, and wind. Improved report template editor allows for equations, number formatting, and some simple evaluation statements.
• New PVWatts option allows using POA irradiance data as input on the PVWatts Array page and uses wind speed and ambient temperature data from weather file specified on Climate page.
• "Component-based Models" name changed to "Flat Plate and Low-X PV." 
• A new solar water heating system model* that uses 1) a mixed tank model during solar collection hours and 2) a two variable-volume node tank model during non-collection hours to model stratification during hot water draws.




Best regards,
Paul.

Thank you for the feedback. I have posted instructions for working with typical-year data from files in formats other than the TMY2, TMY3, and EPW formats that SAM can read here . We plan to make improvements to SAM's handling of weather data, but those will not make it into this spring's (May 2012) release.

Best regards,
Paul.

SAM includes a solar water heating model for residential and commercial applications. The Beta version also includes a new solar water heating model that we are testing, and would be grateful for any feedback.

SAM is mostly a model for electricity generation technologies. SAM's solar water heating models are for systems that displace electricity demand. We do not have plans (at least for now) to add space heating to SAM.

Thank you for the suggestion to add schematic diagrams of the existing solar water heating models -- we will try to include those in the Help system for this spring's version (May 2012).

Best regards,
Paul.