Project annual and lifetime solar generation including degradation.
Specific yield normalises output by system size so different installations can be compared. Lifetime generation is a geometric series because each year produces slightly less than the last. Specific yield ranges from about 900 kWh/kW in northern Europe to over 1,800 in desert regions, which dominates project economics far more than equipment choice.
Solar Energy Production
First year kWh = kW × sun hours × 365 × derate; lifetime sums a geometric degradation series
First year kWh = kW × sun hours × 365 × derate; lifetime sums a geometric degradation series Specific yield normalises output by system size so different installations can be compared. Lifetime generation is a geometric series because each year produces slightly less than the last.
Specific yield ranges from about 900 kWh/kW in northern Europe to over 1,800 in desert regions, which dominates project economics far more than equipment choice.
This calculator takes 5 inputs: System size, Peak sun hours per day, System losses, Annual degradation, System lifetime. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.