How do I simulate an LCOE estimate?

Open this page and use the live Solar PV System tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive an LCOE estimate from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Solar PV System

Solar PV System for an LCOE estimate

Simulate an LCOE estimate live in your browser. This runs the real Solar PV System solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

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Solar Panel

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Solar PV SystemLive

panels to kilowatt-hours

Controls

Presets

Panel area (m²)

Panel efficiency (%)

Peak sun hours/day

Tilt angle (°)

A solar array's output is its rated power (area × efficiency at 1000 W/m²) multiplied by the peak sun hours your location receives — the equivalent full-intensity hours per day. Tilt matters too: aiming the panels near your latitude maximizes annual yield. Real systems lose a bit more to heat, wiring, and inverters.

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Data Inspector

System rating4.0 kW

Daily energy19.2 kWh

Annual energy6996 kWh

Homes powered0.7

Governing equation

P = η A G = 0.20 \times 20 \times 1000 = 4000 W

Reading this result: A 4.0 kW array in 5-sun-hour sun yields about 19.2 kWh/day — roughly 0.7 average homes.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Battery Storage

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Battery Energy StorageLive

capacity, efficiency & backup

Controls

Presets

Capacity (kWh)

Round-trip efficiency (%)

Depth of discharge (%)

Daily load from battery (kWh)

A battery's rated capacity is not all usable: depth-of-discharge limits protect its life, and round-trip efficiency means some energy is lost charging and discharging. What actually reaches your home is capacity × depth-of-discharge × round-trip efficiency. Together with cycle life, these set backup duration and the cost per stored kilowatt-hour.

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Data Inspector

Usable capacity12.2 kWh

Delivered / cycle10.9 kWh

Backup time26.2 hr

Lifetime throughput66 MWh

Governing equation

E_{del} = C \cdot DoD \cdot η_{r t} = 13.5 \times 0.90 \times 0.90 = 10.9 kWh

Reading this result: Usable energy is capacity × depth-of-discharge × round-trip efficiency, so only 10.9 of 13.5 kWh (81%) reaches your home each cycle — the discharge limit removes more here than efficiency does.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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LCOE

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Levelized Cost of EnergyLive

the true price per MWh

Controls

Presets

Capital cost ($/kW)

Capacity factor (%)

Discount rate (%)

Lifetime (years)

Fixed O&M ($/kW/yr)

LCOE spreads a power project's lifetime cost over every megawatt-hour it produces, letting wildly different technologies be compared fairly. It rewards high capacity factors and cheap capital, and punishes idle plants. The capital-recovery factor discounts future costs to today. It is the number that has made solar and wind the cheapest new power in most of the world.

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Data Inspector

LCOE$52/MWh

Per kWh5.2¢

Capacity factor25%

Governing equation

LCOE = \frac{C \cdot CRF + O}{C F \cdot 8760} \times 1000 = \frac{1200 \cdot 0.078 + 20}{2190} \times 1000 = 52 $/ MWh

Reading this result: At a 25% capacity factor the plant sits idle most of the time, so its capital is spread over few MWh — that thin denominator is what pushes LCOE up to $52/MWh.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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About this simulation

The full Solar PV System tool models an LCOE estimate with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate an LCOE estimate?: Open this page and use the live Solar PV System tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive an LCOE estimate from your own measurements.