Sunny Design

Release Notes Sunny Design 6.0

New features

• Teams of multiple system planners can now collaborate in Sunny Design to jointly access and work on projects. This update includes an administration area for creating teams and inviting members, roles and permissions, dedicated team workspaces, and project access management.
• One of the project images can now be selected to appear on the cover page of the project documentation. This feature enhances the ability to customize documentation for both customers and the company.
• The results now also display the delivered reactive work.

Roof planning

• Image overlays in visual roof planning allow you to use your own high-resolution 2D drone images, aerial photographs, or site plans as the basis for planning. Imported images can be freely measured, scaled, and rotated.
• Objects such as chimneys, skylights, and more can now be freely rotated on flat roofs.

Sunny Design PRO

• Imported 3D models can now be tilted and rotated as needed.
• For dynamic rates, time series with 366 days can now be imported.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.90

New functions

• For SMA Chargers PV optimized charging can be simulated. When possible, the electric vehicle is charged exclusively with surplus PV energy. If this is not sufficient, the simulation automatically switches to “Charging with target” to ensure that the vehicle is sufficiently charged.
• Import of incomplete consumption profiles is now possible as a 2-column csv file (auto detection). This must contain a date column and a value column.
• The price list has been extended for the device types communication products and charging stations.
• The Project documentation page has been optimized to ensure a quick and easy access to all downloads.

Visual roof planning

• Google Solar API data can now be used in 3D roof planning (Solar potential, Altitude profiles).
• Buildings and Objects can be combined and be rotated, shifted etc. as one unit.
• Different color schemes can now be selected for strings to improve distinctiveness.

Sunny Design PRO

• Time Series for PV production can be uploaded and used for calculation (instead of PV system setup and simulation).
• In Energy System projects, a tariff module type “Dynamic tariff (time series)” is available. It enables the import of time series for energy demand prices. These can be used to simulate energy costs.
• Imported 3D models may contain objects that are removed before PV installation (as antennas or vents). By selecting the checkbox "Disable collision detection", these can be ignored when assigning modules.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.80

New functions

• Load profiles import from the Sunny Portal powered by ennexOS has been implemented.
• In the profitability section individual product information can be set for offers.
• The import dialog has been optimized for use with Drag-n-Drop.
• In off-grid projects pre-selection of the power grid isn’t required anymore.
• New grids for SHP100-JP-21 added.
• The yield calculation for STP-60 and STP-70 inverters has been optimized.
• The design suggestions have been improved.

Visual roof planning

• Buildings and objects may now penetrate eachother, which increases the design possibilities especially for complex buildings.
• Roof overhangs can be defined for a more realistic buildings.
• PV arrays on facades are now shown in the roof plan.
• More realistic light sources are used for the sun position indicator.

Sunny Design PRO

• Heat pumps con now be configured for heating and cooling applications (HVAC).
• A detailed project exposé to demonstrate the benefits of the system and alternatives can be set up and exported as a Powerpoint document.
• The project documentation of energy systems has been extended by an energy balance diagram.
• When using the demo version, a watermark is shown in the project documentation of energy system projects.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.70

New functions

• A schematic circuit diagram for the planned PV system can now be downloaded, which includes all essential system components from the PV modules to the grid connection.
• Multiple different Sunny Boy Smart Energy hybrid inverters are now available in one design.
• Hybrid inverters with batteries, but without PV modules, are now also supported in systems.
• There is a new tab "More Project Files" in the output. There, the available documents and files can be conveniently downloaded. Among other things, the device list is now also available there as a CSV file.
• In the area of heat pumps, it is now also possible to specify half floors for the building.
• In the settings, you can choose between different azimuth definitions.
• The link to the Sunny Design product page is now language-dependent.
• Improved alert when the session has expired and you are in the roof planning.
• A video on the tools for parameterization according to VDE AR-N 4110 has been integrated.
• The system validation according to RGIE, Art. 48 (750 V DC) in Belgium has been revised.

Visual roof planning

• Calculation of the annual shading of the surfaces and the PV modules can be done manually on the server or, if possible, simultaneously with a new method in the browser (automatic mode). For simple scenes, this is much faster.
• Individual modules or module groups can now be rotated in a module field.
• Flat roofs can be drawn with any floor plan.
• In the case of trailing dormers and trapezoidal dormers, the angle of inclination of the main surface can be changed.
• In the case of the building, various roof coverings and wall materials for the facade can now be visualized.
• Various objects can now be placed on facades (doors, windows, ventilation grilles and balconies).
• When changing modules, the design is retained if the modules have the same width and length.
• The map size can be adjusted manually using a slider.
• Roof plans can now be saved more easily.
• The hiding of shaded PV modules has been improved.
• A warning appears when the maximum number of subsystems is exceeded.
• The sun position indicator is now enabled by default and can be turned off via the menu at the bottom left.

Sunny Design PRO

• The import of 3D models has been improved. The model files can be imported via drag and drop, with up to 10 files per model supported.
• In the case of energy system projects, the function "Open overview of electricity purchase costs" is now available on the Results/Profitability page, which can be used to view a detailed analysis of the electricity purchase costs.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.61

New Functions

• On the personal start page, the peak power and a roof planning symbol are displayed for the projects.
• It is now possible to choose between a uniform charging tariff for all charging stations or different charging tariffs for each type of charging station.
• The simulation of energy system projects with only PV and batteries is now carried out with the same calculation components as for the PV projects and is therefore significantly faster.
• Deleting of own locations has been improved.
• The project documentation page displays a note about the SMA certification service (for Germany only).

Roof Planning

• In roof planning, the scene can be exported as a 3D model (Sunny Design Pro only)
• Modules can be placed across two adjacent and equally inclined surfaces.
• The string design now has the option to automatically determine the optimal string alignment and starting point.
• When roof objects are moved, existing PV modules are automatically removed or added.
• If the length of a hipped roof changes, the inclination of the hip roof is maintained. The inclination of the hip can be adjusted by means of an angle input.
• Collision detection for large module fields has been optimized.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.60

New Features (General)

• New project type for large-scale systems incl. DC Combiner design
• Tools for system parameterization according to VDE AR-N 4110 (Sunny Design Pro)
• Alternative map data from Bing
• Bifacial gain factor for bifacial PV modules
• Warning if the maximum grid connection load is exceeded
• Extension of location settings for Australia to overdimensioning of DC inputs (AS/NZS 5033)
• Extended database of low-voltage batteries for Sunny Island
• Numerous new electric vehicles and manufacturers

Visual roof planning

• Support of façade systems
• Roof areas with the same orientation and inclination can be grouped
• A preferred string length can be set in the string settings
• Improved selection of the position of the sun
• In step 3, all roof areas can now be deselected
• In the event of changes to the building, the PV modules will be retained if possible

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.50

New Features (General)

• The Multi-Use operating mode of the STPS X has been integrated.
• A device list of the planned SMA system components can now be downloaded.
• The optimal row spacing of elevated PV modules can now be calculated.
• On saddle, monopitch and hipped roofs, elevated PV modules are now possible.
• Dimensions are now displayed on dormers and other objects.
• The maximum system voltage of the PV modules is now taken into account per MPP tracker.
• Additional hints in roof planning if user inputs cannot be used.
• The filters in the "Add communication product" dialog have been optimized.

Sunny Design PRO

• Imported 3D models can now also be scaled by measuring.
• The display of the category of key figures has been optimized in the user interface as well as in the project documentation.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.40

New Features (General)

• New, improved project documentation
• Electromobility also possible in quick planning mode
• For charging stations and electric vehicles, differentiation between AC and DC charging
• Battery systems now as separate items in the detailed project costs
• Subsequent editing of own cost items possible
• Management of a price list for battery systems
• Roof plan as vector graphic in project documentation
• Simplified deletion of load profiles and projects
• PV arrays are not deleted when the visual roof plan is removed
• Function for optimising PV module design in case of shading
• Display of the ground coverage ratio (GCR)
• Optimized dialogs for the selection of buildings & objects
• Optimization of the naming of inverter inputs
• Automatic polystring design for inverter selection
• New result value for active power limitation
• Start of roof planning in 2D possible
• Progress indicator for visual string design
• Configurable joint for east-west rack systems
• Alignment of objects with dialog
• Adjustable visibility and transparency of PV modules

Sunny Design PRO

• Import of 3D models

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.30

New Features (General)

• The visual roof planning was extended by the electrical design including string planning.
• String assembly plans can be created.
• Battery systems can now be configured for combined operation of peak load shaving and self-consumption optimization (Multi-Use).
• A demand charge can be used in PV projects.
• Sunny Design now also supports the energy cost calculation according to the capacity tariff for Belgium.
• The energy management design has been optimized for inverters with integrated system manager.
• In visual roof planning, the modules with east/west-oriented mounting can no longer be arranged only in pairs, but independently of each other.
• Existing buildings can be copied.
• Modules and roof objects are preserved when the building height is changed.
• The loss of yield due to shading is now calculated at the string level, taking ShadeFix into account.
• Swedish and Hungarian are available as new languages in the user interface.
• Numerous other improvements.

Sunny Design PRO

• In energy system projects, the hybrid inverters can now be simulated with battery system.
• The export of the load profiles of heating rods is now possible.
• The previous energy consumption of mobility can now be specified by a mileage.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.22

New features (general)

• In PV projects with self-consumption, up to 3 charging stations and electric vehicles can now be configured.
• In the electromobility section of the detailed planning mode, a warning is now displayed if the energy consumption of the electric vehicles is not covered.
• The calculation to prove compliance with the THD currents can now also be carried out for medium voltage in accordance with VDE-AR-N 4110.
• For flat roofs, an attic can be added.
• The display and information about our charging solutions have been optimized.
• In the project data, the possibility was created to make specifications for the desired nominal power ratio or DC/AC ratio, respectively.
• In the area of profitability, up to 10 special tariffs can now be defined.
• The influence of shading is now also taken into account in the energy yield calculation.
• When moving modules in the roof planning, they are aligned to a grid (snap-to-grid function).
• Additional dimensions are now displayed in the roof planning.

Sunny Design PRO

• In energy system projects, heating rods can now be taken into account to increase self-consumption.
• The heat pumps now have the "SG-Ready" option for PV-optimized operation.

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.20

New features (general)

• Shading analysis: Calculation of the annual shading of roofs
• Display of the percentage of module shading
• Display of the shadow course for a selected point in time
• Any number of buildings possible in one roof plan
• Extension of the roof planning to include external objects (trees, walls, chimneys)
• Up to 6 PV generators in a sub-project
• Improved design suggestions
• Compatibility list of battery inverters and batteries
• Key figures on self-consumption and self-sufficiency in a comparison of alternatives
• Easier creation of own PV modules
• Optimized net metering for PV projects
• Extended calculation of maximum PV system voltage and circuit currents according to NEC 2017
• Prepared for SMA JOIN

Sunny Design PRO

• New key figure for self-consumption levy
• Display of additional information on tariffs
• CO₂ credit also for direct marketing

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.10

New features (general)

• PV module placement on dormers
• Definition of maintenance walks/thermal separations in module arrays
• Project documentation extended by a Roof plan
• Creation of detailed offers
• Use of Heat Pump tariffs
• Assignment of a project status and life cycle
• Optimized system design for inverters with many MPPT
• Display of Sunny Design News
• Extended customer management
• Net-Metering for standard PV projects
• Consideration of self-consumption deduction in projects with direct selling

Sunny Design PRO

• Suggestion of Peak Load Shaving threshold
• CO₂ credits for PV energy export
• Extended time series export
• Selectable visibility of charging stations
• Optimized usage of alternatives

Release Notes Sunny Design 5.0

More options for system planners: In the new version Sunny Design 5.0, the SMA planning software is now more application-oriented. Installers benefit from professional system planning that requires very little time and effort. All innovations at a glance:

Visual 2D/3D Roof Planning

• Map based creation of building models
• Numerous predefined building types and roof shapes
• Simple insertion of obstacles (dormers, windows, chimneys, …)
• Multiple PV arrays per building
• Snapshot function
• Undo/Redo
• Easy to use

Optimized Workflows

• Quick planning mode with system design in just a few steps
• Just the most important inputs and results
• Simple switchover between quick mode and detailed planning

Extended project data

• Free text address entry and automated selection of the nearest meteorological data set
• Map view (Google Maps)
• Upload of multiple object photos
• Customer management tool

Interfaces to SMA 360° App

• Creation of Sunny Design Projects by the app
• Management of PDF documents accessible within the app

Other Enhancements

• New fact sheet for residential energy systems
• Detailed calculation of project costs
• Integrated P-Q analysis tool of Sunny Central Storage systems
• Support of Sunny Boy Storage with multiple batteries
• Export of load and generation time series (Sunny Design Pro)
• Russian User interface