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Importing SoDa-Helioclim data

When you buy Helioclim hourly data, you can ask for the PVsyst standard format (CSV file). In this way you can directly import them into PVsyst using the option "Import Weather Data" and choosing the option "PVsyst standard format".

To get data from the Helioclim web site:

Please open www.soda-pro.com

  • select Visitors: "complete list"
  • select "Solar data for free" (or Solar data for pay if you are entitled, identical procedures).
  • select Solar radiation data: "for free" or "for registered users"
  • select in the horizontal plane (0nly 2005 for free):
    • Either Monthly values: Month, HC3
    • Or Hourly values: Hour, HC3

NB:

  • Several versions of HC3 are available, read this page to get more details
  • Monthly averages from 1985 (HC1) are no more available. They are replaced by daily values, in conjunction with Nasa-SSE data. Reading of these data will be updated in a next version of PVsyst.
  • define the site by search, map or coodinates
  • if available, enter the site altitude
  • select beginning and end date (if several years are selected only the first year is taken into account by PVsyst).
  • when available, let "Tilt angle = 0", "Azimuth angle = 0", "Albedo = 0.2" (PVsyst only imports "Meteo" data on horizontal plane).
  • if available, select the time step (hour, month is not very useful)
  • if available, select the time reference = UT (Universal Time).
  • output in Text File or screen: select Textfile (CSV-like)
  • select output format: SoDaCSV
  • press Execute the SoDa service
  • Click (with left button) and you will obtain CSV-like data directly on your screen.
  • select all the data (if (hourly values: up to 31/12)
  • copy the selected data into the clipboard (Ctrl+C)
  • return to PVsyst and click Import (for "Pasting" these data), and then follow the instructions (the city name and country are not part of the results and should be filled manually).
  • you will be prompted for defining monthly temperatures, that you may take from a nearby location (in the database or other sources).
  • with hourly values, please carefully check the consistency of the data with the "Clear sky" model on the hourly plots.