ForgeSolar 2021A Update
Guidance and information about the recent site update
Changes to Projects & Site Configurations
Project tiering and improvements
New Project tiers have been developed to address complex site designs and prior tool limitations.
Basic Projects are suitable for PV systems up to 1 MW (~8 acres, 32,300 m2) and for analyses of vertical reflective surfaces. They include 20 glare analyses and can accommodate 10 of each component (and 20 OPs) in each analysis. Basic projects also include 5 GlaReduce optimizations for analyzing a range of PV array tilts and orientations.
Advanced Projects are suitable for PV systems of any size and make full use of the new "V2" analysis methodologies described below. Advanced Projects include 30 glare analyses which can each contain 20 of each component type (and 40 OPs). 5 GlaReduce optimizations are also included in each project.
V1 / Inactive Projects include all projects created before the release of the 2021A update. Due to the large number of changes and enhancements included in the update, all existing projects were converted to inactive and do not allow new analyses and site configurations. Projects with recent activity will be set to inactive after a grace period.
Projects now have additional fields for describing a client and system size range. These fields add additional useful information to the analysis summary reports.
For more detail on project tiering, see the Help page.
Glare Analysis Methodology Update
2021A enhancements and improvements
Enhanced "Version 2" Point and Path analysis methods have been developed which improve upon the reliability, consistency, and speed of prior methods. V2 methods alleviate many pain-points and limitations of previous methods, and include the following:
Maximum consistency across analyses - variance in results across repeated analyses, particularly for Observation Point receptors, has been drastically reduced. Most analyses will no longer exhibit any variance in predicted minutes of glare.
Reduce need for partitioning of large PV arrays - path analyses now utilize a more accurate determination of the glare spot location. Partitioning of larger PV arrays is no longer necessary as a workaround for improving the glare spot location computation.
New path glare heatmap - V2 path analyses now include a visualization of the sections of a path receptor for which glare is predicted (see Figure 1).
Temporal glare data - Glare analyses now include a tabulation of distinct glare data predicted per hour and per month. This data filters unique minutes of glare to describe affected time periods in a more convenient fashion.
Speed enhancements - In most cases, V2 analyses are at least 2x faster than V1 analyses of the same site.
Account Changes
Subscription Updates & New Add-ons
Subscription plans now provide data access and determine the type of project provided each monthly period. Subscriptions no longer set the number of analyses and optimizations available each month. These limits are now set per-project and do not expire at the end of the monthly period. Additionally, project credits are provided each monthly period based on the subscription tier. Project credits no longer expire at the end of the period.
The following subscription tiers are available as part of the 2021A update:
Data Access Subscription Tier
The Data Access plan provides "view" access to previous projects, site configurations, and analysis results. This access includes downloads of PDF aviation reports and XLS data exports. This tier is ideal for users who do not have active projects but who wish to maintain access to prior data.
Professional Subscription Tier
The Professional plan provides access to GlareGauge and GlaReduce analysis tools. Users on the Professional plan receive one Basic Project credit each month. Professional subscribers can also purchase Add-ons as needed.
Enterprise Subscription Tier
The Enterprise plan provides access to GlareGauge and GlaReduce analysis tools. Enterprise users receive one Advanced Project credit each month. Enterprise subscribers can also purchase Add-ons as needed.
Conversion of active subscriptions
Existing active subscriptions were converted to the new project and account benefits according to the following:
- Professional subscriptions received 1 Basic Project credit upon conversion and will receive 1 Basic Project credit/month.
- Enterprise subscriptions received 1 Advanced Project credit upon conversion and will receive 1 Advanced Project credit/month.
Subscriptions can be upgraded or modified at any time.
Add-ons
Separate products and features are available to supplement active subscriptions. Add-ons can be purchased by Professional and Enterprise users and are distinct from subscription benefits.
| Add-on | Description | Cost per ($ USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Project | 1 additional Basic Project credit | $125 |
| Advanced Project | 1 additional Advanced Project credit | $195 |
| Analysis Package | 10 additional analysis credits for selected project | $50 |
| Optimization Package | 5 additional optimization credits for selected project | $70 |
| Project Upgrade | Convert existing Basic Project to Advanced | $70 |
Pricing Changes
| Data Access | Professional | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price / month | $50 | $145 | $215 |
| Price / month (if billed annually) | $40 | $116 | $172 |
| Projects / month | 0 | 1 Basic | 1 Advanced |
| View past projects & results | |||
| FAA-compliant aviation reports | |||
| Access to analysis tools | |||
| Add-ons available for purchase |
*All prices in $ USD
About Us
ForgeSolar includes GlareGauge, the leading solar glare analysis tool used globally every day. ForgeSolar is based on the Solar Glare Hazard Analysis Tool ("SGHAT") licensed from Sandia National Laboratories. Our tools meet the FAA standards for glare analysis.
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Contact Info
6077 Far Hills Ave. #101,
Centerville, Ohio 45459