Start a Project

When you start Solar Advisor, it displays a Welcome window with three options for starting a project. A Solar Advisor project is a .zsam file that contains all of the inputs and results for one or more cases:

•Start from a sample template creates a project file by copying data from a template. When you open a template, Solar Advisor creates a project file that contains a complete set of inputs and results from the template. Each template demonstrates either a feature of the software or one of the technologies.
•Start a new project displays the technology and market window where you choose options for a new project file. When you start a new project in this way, all of the variables on the input pages are populated with default values, but no results are displayed on the Results page until you configure and run simulations.
•Open a recent file allows you to choose from a list of project files. The list contains project files that were saved during previous Solar Advisor sessions.

Note. When you install Solar Advisor, it creates the SAM Projects folder in your default documents folder and uses this as the default location for storing project files. You can change the default project file location by clicking Preferences in the File Menu.

Photovoltaic systems: Choose Sample PV Systems

Parabolic trough systems: Choose

You can choose from one of the

You can also start a project by choosing a command from the File menu:

SS_Menu-FileOpen

New Project

Start a new project using default input values. Solar Advisor creates a zsam file with a single case and no results.

Open

Open an existing zsam file.

Open Sample Template

Start a new project based on a sample template that contains a complete set of inputs and results. The Submenu lists the available sample templates. Solar Advisor creates a zsam file with inputs and results for one or more cases.

Open SCIF File

Open a SCIF file created in Version 3.0 or 2.5 of the model. See Switching from Earlier Versions for details.

Import Case

Import one or more cases from another project file. You must open a file to make the Import Case command active.