Adding segments, restricted areas, and other objects

The interactive 3D map

Operate the map by:

• left mouse button (click & hold) to move the map around,

• right mouse button (click & hold) to rotate and change the viewing angle,

• mouse wheel to zoom in/out.

The energy system UI's core is an interactive 3D map. This map visualizes any changes in the configuration in real-time and lets you perform tasks such as creating segments or adding buildings and restricted areas.

It also allows you to move around transformers and grid connections, view the sun’s path in different seasons, and see the surrounding environment's related shading impact.

The map offers the following:

1. Left toolbar to create segments, restricted areas, and line objects or buildings.

2. Right toolbar to change map layers (satellite by default), adjust zoom, parallel projection toggle switch and top view switch.

3. The date/time sliders allow you to view shadows cast by the tables and surrounding environment at different times and dates.

4. The system validation tool lets you quickly validate the energy system and help you identify potential design issues.

5. The File menu with import/export features and a View menu with options to display terrain wireframe, hide time/date sliders, show sun path’s plot, or hide sun ray pointing to the reference point. Additionally, you can turn on the orbit preview mode here, too.

The drawing tools

When drawing a segment, the area where you can place a vertical is restricted to a 2000-meter radius from the reference point.

The top half of the left toolbar provides buttons to draw objects such as segments, buildings, or restricted areas.

1. Ground segments create designated shape and size areas for the PV array installation, and building segments help you place shading objects, such as buildings, on the map.

2. The line object, restricted line, and restricted area provide tools to insert regions that should be avoided, such as swamps, fences, trees, or rock formations. The line object can also represent an object casting a shadow over the area that needs to be considered.

You can find drawn segments under the Segments section of the navigation menu, and restricted areas, lines, and line objects are located under the Constraints section.

Using the drawing tools

Here are general tips on how to use the drawing tools.

Press the Esc button to cancel at any time during the process. For Windows users, hold Shift to draw perpendicular lines and Ctrl key to draw lines in cardinal directions.

Segments

Once you draw your segments, you can configure several parameters of your segment in the segment properties:

• Segment type, ground albedo, and horizon shading.

• Inner safe zone for the segment (where no installation will be placed).

• Terrain approximation method.

Segment options menu

You can use the segment’s quick options menu to manage the following:

• Segment name - rename the segment.

• Show/hide the segment.

• Set all to default - resets all changed parameters to default.

• Edit vertices - change the segment's shape by editing its vertices.

• Remove array - clears the segment of its array (if present).

• Delete - delete the segment.

You can also access the segment options using the three-dot menu in the segment properties or right-clicking on the segment on the 3D map.

Horizon data used for segment

You can select the horizon data used for simulation on a per-segment basis by selecting each segment's horizon in the segment’s general settings.

• Segments specific: Refers to the specific segment you have created and is calculated based on the centroid position of the segment from the SRTM90 elevation model.

• From energy system: Refers to the exact project location coordinates regardless of the placement of the segment.

Restricted areas, restricted lines, and line objects

If you want to include maintenance routes inside your installation, create areas unsuitable for PV table installation, or add shading objects, you can use restricted area, restricted line, and line object tools.

Restricted area

The restricted areas are used to create zones where PV tables cannot be installed, e.g., swamps or groups of trees or rock formations.

Restricted line

The restricted line can represent a maintenance route or any other straight line that must be avoided. Once you place the restricted line into the map, you can edit its safe zone in the properties panel to the right.

Line objects

The Line objects can represent forest borders, fences, or building walls near the installation, which may cast unwanted shadows and cause losses. You can add them to the map to visualize their impact and help you make better decisions about the PV table's placement.

The example below shows that the fence near the road would cover one third of the tables to its side in the early evening.

Transformer and grid connection move tool

The map lets you move around transformers and grid connections to better reflect reality. Select the grid connection or transformer in the main menu and proceed as follows:

1. Click the move tool on the 3D map.

2. Drag and drop the device to the desired location and press enter.

Your selected device will be placed at the selected location, and all related data will be recalculated.

Time and date tools.

If you do not want to see the time and date tools, you can hide it using the View menu at the top of the imterative map.

You can use the date/time tools to visualize the shading of the surrounding environment and the tables. This is very useful when you need to verify the surrounding environment, or that objects do not cast a significant shadow on the adjacent modules.

1. Move around the sliders.

2. Examine the shading at the selected time and date.

Playing around with shading can help you identify areas where too much shading can cause unwanted loss, and avoiding such regions would be more beneficial.