---
title: "Argus PV simulator post-processing"
slug: "argus-simulation-post-processing-overview"
updated: 2026-06-11T12:01:55Z
published: 2026-06-11T12:01:55Z
canonical: "kb.solargis.com/argus-simulation-post-processing-overview"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.solargis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Argus PV simulator post-processing

**In this document**

This document describes the post-processing stage of the Argus PV simulation engine in Solargis Evaluate. It explains how system-level losses — not captured in the electrical simulation — are applied to produce the final energy yield estimate.

### Overview

Post-processing is the **final stage** of the Argus PV simulation chain, applied after the electrical simulation has produced the AC power output at the grid connection. While the electrical simulation accounts for all physical losses within the power plant components, post-processing addresses system-level factors that affect long-term energy delivery: unplanned and planned outages, weather-related events such as snow coverage, and the gradual degradation of PV module performance over the operational lifetime of the plant.

This stage is important because it bridges the gap between idealized component performance and the practical, long-term energy yield that investors and asset owners rely on for financial planning and performance assessment. The losses quantified here are reported in the [Solargis Evaluate](/v1/docs/evaluate-overview) [Analysis section](/v1/docs/data-analysis) and reports. They are not included in the exported Time Series data, but are applied to produce the final PVOUT and Performance Ratio (PR) figures used in yield analyses and long-term projections.

Solargis Evaluate models long-term degradation up to 25 years forward, using simulated historical averages as the baseline.

#### Processes included in this stage

The following processes are applied during post-processing:

- System unavailability losses (internal and external technical events)
- Snow losses (Solargis snow loss model)
- Long-term degradation (first-year and annual degradation rates)

## Post processing

### Unavailability and snow losses

[System unavailability losses](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/system-unavailability-losses-long-term-degradation#system-unavailability-losses) quantify the electricity losses incurred due to the shutdown or power output limitation of the energy system or its components. These losses can be categorized into two main types:

- **Technical events**: Incurred due to **internal reasons** (equipment failures or scheduled maintenance work) and **external reasons** (Grid connection issues, curtailment).
- **Weather-incurred events**: Caused by the [snow](/v1/docs/snow-losses) coverage of PV modules.

**Default values used in Solargis Evaluate:**

| Parameter | Default value |
| --- | --- |
| Internal unavailability losses | 0.5% |
| External unavailability losses | 0% |
| Snow losses | 0% |

**Setting unavailability losses in Solargis Evaluate**

Default unavailability losses can be adjusted in the [Losses](/v1/docs/cabling-and-system-losses) section of the Energy system designer. Snow losses are simulated using the [Solargis snow loss model](/v1/docs/snow-losses).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-SC9MBN6Q.png)

### Long-term degradation

The performance of PV modules and other components **decreases over time**, and [long-term degradation](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/system-unavailability-losses-long-term-degradation#long-term-degradation) serves as a measure of this performance reduction. Typically, PV components experience more rapid degradation in the initial years of their lifespan.

Solargis Evaluate models long-term degradation looking 25 years forward into the PV power plant operation. We use the long-term average yearly power production (PVOUT specific and total) and Performance Ratio (PR) from the simulated historical data, and apply the specified degradation rates to these figures to estimate the expected future PVOUT and PR.

#### Degradation rates

Based on existing in-field experiences from commercial projects, the long-term annual performance degradation for well-manufactured PV modules may be approximately:

- **0.8% for the first year**
- **0.5% for subsequent years**

> [!TIP]
> **Note**: This assumption includes initial degradation of the modules.

**Setting long-term degradation losses in Solargis Evaluate**

Default long-term degradation losses can be adjusted in the [Losses](/v1/docs/cabling-and-system-losses) section of the Energy system designer. You can set:

- Degradation losses for the first year
- Annual degradation losses for the following years

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-E29C98A6.png)