Training grounded in real photovoltaic projects, focusing on modelling assumptions, data limitations, uncertainty, and their implications for engineering and project decisions.
Through Training and Courses, LuciSun provides professional, practice-oriented training for organisations and individuals active in the photovoltaic sector who want to strengthen their technical understanding of PV systems, modelling approaches, and performance analysis. These courses build on practical experience gained from technical advisory work, research projects, and tool development, and focus on helping technical teams better understand modelling assumptions, data limitations, uncertainty, and the implications of methodological choices in real projects.
Training activities are grounded in concrete use cases and reflect the challenges encountered in practice, supporting organisations that seek to build robust internal expertise and harmonise technical practices.
LuciSun offers a set of professional training programmes designed for photovoltaic engineers, technical advisers, developers and researchers. These courses provide a clear and practical understanding of how photovoltaic systems are analysed, designed, simulated and evaluated. The training offer covers solar resource assessment, photovoltaic energy yield modelling, PVsyst, photovoltaic technologies, system design, performance assessment and the preparation of funding proposals. Each module is presented in a dedicated section below.
These training programmes are delivered by the expert team of LuciSun, which has extensive experience in photovoltaic engineering, technical advisory work and the analysis of monitored data from operating plants. The team has participated in numerous research projects at European, international and national levels and has contributed to the development and use of advanced simulation tools. This background provides a solid foundation for teaching the methods used in energy yield assessment, performance evaluation and system optimisation. When relevant, LuciSun also collaborates with external experts who complement the team on specialised topics.
Beyond general PV engineering topics, LuciSun has developed specific expertise in areas such as bifacial photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, building integrated photovoltaics, floating PV and complex three dimensional shading environments. These applications require advanced modelling approaches, careful uncertainty evaluation and a detailed understanding of system behaviour. Insights gained from consulting work, research collaborations and the development of in house tools are naturally integrated into the training content, helping participants understand both established practices and the challenges encountered in more complex projects.
The training programmes are shaped by LuciSun’s passion for solar energy and by the company’s position between scientific research and industrial practice, which gives these courses a unique combination of rigour, clarity and real world relevance. They make use of real case studies and examples from field experience and can be adapted to the needs of the participants. Sessions can be delivered online or on site, in English, French or Spanish. They are suitable for organisations that want to strengthen technical capabilities, harmonise internal practices or deepen their understanding of photovoltaic systems.
The training on solar resource assessment introduces the methods used to characterise solar irradiance and related meteorological variables for photovoltaic applications. It is intended for engineers, technical advisers and project developers who need a clear understanding of how irradiance data are obtained, how datasets differ and how these differences influence energy yield assessments and project design.
Participants learn about the main sources of irradiance data used in the photovoltaic sector. The training explains the characteristics of datasets such as those from Solargis, CAMS, CM SAF, Solcast and Meteonorm, as well as ground based measurements collected through pyranometers and monitoring stations. The course describes the principles behind satellite derived, reanalysis based and ground based datasets and introduces the strengths and limitations associated with each approach.
A central objective is to show how dataset choice influences the results of photovoltaic studies. Participants learn how dataset resolution, uncertainty levels, long term variability and site specific factors affect energy yield estimates and project bankability. Examples are used to illustrate the typical differences between datasets and the implications for sensitivity studies and uncertainty analysis.
The training also introduces the main meteorological variables that influence photovoltaic performance. These include temperature, wind speed and relative humidity, as well as derived quantities used in photovoltaic modelling. The course explains how these variables are measured, how they are combined with irradiance data and how measurement quality affects simulation outputs and performance evaluations.
Depending on the needs of the participants, the training may include topics such as quality control procedures for irradiance and meteorological data, the interpretation of measurement uncertainties and the integration of short term monitoring campaigns into long term resource assessments. Examples can also be provided on how to evaluate the representativeness of datasets for specific sites and how to use multiple sources of information to improve the robustness of resource studies.
Throughout the course, practical examples are used to illustrate the influence of dataset selection on photovoltaic analyses and the importance of understanding how irradiance and meteorological data are produced. The training provides participants with a clear foundation for selecting, interpreting and using solar resource datasets in a consistent and rigorous manner. It can be adapted to different levels of experience and is suitable for professionals working in development, engineering, technical advisory and research.
The Solar Resource Assessment training provides a structured and practical introduction to the methods used to characterise solar irradiance and key meteorological variables for photovoltaic applications. It focuses on understanding how irradiance datasets are produced, how they differ, and how dataset choice, data quality, and uncertainty influence energy yield assessments, project design, and bankability. The training equips participants with the technical foundations needed to select, interpret, and use solar resource data in a consistent and rigorous manner for real-world photovoltaic projects.
The training on photovoltaic energy yield assessment introduces the principles, methods and assumptions used to estimate the expected energy production of photovoltaic systems. It is intended for engineers, technical advisers and developers who want to understand how simulation models work, how energy losses are represented and how to evaluate the reliability and uncertainty of the results.
Participants learn about the full chain of photovoltaic energy modelling. The training explains how irradiance and meteorological data are combined with module and system characteristics to produce energy yield estimates. It introduces the typical energy loss factors considered in simulations, such as optical losses, temperature effects, shading, mismatch, inverter behaviour and availability. The course explains how these losses are quantified in common modelling practices and how they influence the final energy yield.
A central objective is to provide a clear understanding of the assumptions used in the market. Many energy loss values are applied routinely in the photovoltaic sector, even though their validity can depend strongly on climate, system design, technology choice and local conditions. The training explains where experts generally converge, where assumptions differ and how wide the justified range can be for specific losses. Participants learn how to interpret these variations and how to select appropriate values based on the system type and the sensitivity of each loss component.
An important part of the course concerns the evaluation of uncertainty in energy yield estimations. This may include the propagation of uncertainties from input datasets, the influence of modelling assumptions and the effect of long-term irradiance variability. The training can present the current practices used in the sector for uncertainty estimation, the methods used to derive P50 and P90 values and the typical assumptions adopted in the market. Insights from research and advisory work are used to provide guidelines that help make uncertainty evaluations more rigorous and more bankable.
LuciSun places a strong emphasis on tool agnosticism. The team uses commercial tools such as PVsyst and SAM, open source libraries such as pvlib and in house tools such as LuSim, which has been developed for advanced modelling cases involving complex shading, bifacial systems, agrivoltaics and three dimensional layouts. The training explains the differences between these tools, the modelling approaches they implement and the situations in which one tool may be more suitable than another. The objective is to give participants a clear understanding of the modelling principles rather than focusing on a single software environment.
Depending on the needs of the participants, the training may include examples on sensitivity analysis, comparison of modelling configurations, evaluation of shading inputs, treatment of bifacial gains and illustration of how design choices affect the results. These examples show how methodological decisions influence the robustness of energy yield assessments and how to interpret model outputs in a consistent and informed manner.
The PV Energy Yield Assessment training provides a structured and practical overview of the principles, assumptions, and methods used to estimate the expected energy production of photovoltaic systems. It focuses on understanding how simulation models represent system behaviour, how energy losses are modelled, and how uncertainty is quantified and interpreted in energy yield studies. The training equips participants with the technical foundations needed to critically assess modelling assumptions, compare tools and approaches, and produce more reliable and bankable energy yield evaluations for real-world projects.
The PV simulation with PVsyst training provides a clear and practical introduction to the most widely used software for photovoltaic energy yield simulations. It is intended for participants who want to use the tool effectively and interpret its results in a rigorous and consistent way. The course combines hands on guidance with an understanding of the modelling principles that underpin the software.
At LuciSun, we use a range of photovoltaic simulation tools depending on the requirements of the project. This includes the development of our own simulation software, such as LuSim, which is used for demanding applications involving complex shading, agrivoltaic layouts, bifacial modules, building integrated photovoltaics and cases that require large batches of simulations for design optimisation. Despite this broad experience with different tools, PVsyst remains central to our daily work. It is widely adopted in the sector and is valued for its robustness, practicality, accessibility and suitability for bankability studies. For many standard simulation cases, PVsyst is the most appropriate option or one of the most appropriate choices, and we work with it extensively.
The training provides an introduction to the main features of PVsyst, including project configuration, meteorological data import, system design, shading analysis, simulation settings and the interpretation of the outputs. Participants learn how PVsyst represents the different stages of the PV modelling chain and how the choices made in the software influence the final energy yield. Examples from consulting work are used to show how module characteristics, inverter operating ranges, array sizing and shading configurations affect the simulation results.
Depending on the objectives of the participants, the training may include topics such as the selection and adaptation of meteorological datasets, the configuration of shading scenes, the use of horizon profiles, the treatment of bifacial modules and the interpretation of soiling and mismatch losses. The course can also introduce the use of batch simulations for design optimisation and the influence of different transposition or temperature models on the simulation outputs.
An important part of the training concerns the interpretation of PVsyst results in the context of uncertainty evaluation. Participants can learn how the assumptions made in PVsyst relate to the broader uncertainty ranges used in energy yield assessments and how to integrate PVsyst simulations into P50 and P90 analyses. The training builds on insights from technical advisory missions and research activities to provide guidelines that help ensure consistency and robustness in modelling practices.
For participants working on complex or non-standard applications, the course can include examples that illustrate the limitations of classical shading tools and the cases where complementary three dimensional methods may be required. Examples from bifacial systems, agrivoltaic projects, building integrated photovoltaics and floating PV installations can be included when relevant to show how PVsyst can be used together with other approaches.
The training can be adapted to participants with different levels of experience. It is suitable for PV developers, engineers, technical advisers and researchers who want to use PVsyst as part of a rigorous and well-structured approach to photovoltaic energy yield simulations.
The PV simulation with PVsyst training provides a practical and method-oriented introduction to the use of PVsyst for photovoltaic energy yield simulations. It focuses on understanding how the software represents the different stages of the PV modelling chain, how modelling choices influence simulation results, and how outputs should be interpreted in a consistent and technically sound way. The training equips participants to use PVsyst effectively within a broader energy yield assessment framework, with particular attention to modelling assumptions, limitations, and uncertainty.
The training on PV technologies provides a clear and practical overview of the technologies used in modern photovoltaic systems. It is intended for engineers, technical advisers and project developers who want to understand how cell and module technologies influence system design, energy yield, losses, reliability and bankability. The course focuses on concepts that many professionals encounter in daily work but rarely have the opportunity to study in depth.
Many PV engineers work with photovoltaic systems for years without ever receiving a simple and rigorous explanation of the physical principles behind a solar cell. The training introduces the fundamentals of semiconductors and the photovoltaic effect, explaining how photons generate electricity in a p-n junction, why temperature influences performance and how different technologies achieve higher efficiencies. These explanations provide participants with an intuitive understanding of the behaviour of PV modules in real operating conditions.
The course then presents an overview of the main photovoltaic cell and module technologies used on the market. Participants learn the essential differences between PERC, TOPCon and heterojunction cells, the characteristics of bifacial modules, the implications of half-cut and multi-busbar designs and the distinctions between glass-glass and glass-backsheet constructions. Topics such as light-induced degradation, potential induced degradation, encapsulation materials, module binning and thermal behaviour are also introduced.
A central objective of the training is to show how technology choices affect engineering decisions. The course explains how different technologies behave in various environments, how these behaviours influence energy-yield modelling and how datasheet parameters relate to practical design choices. The rapid evolution of PV technologies often makes it difficult for engineering teams to stay up to date, and the course provides the background needed to follow these developments with clarity and confidence.
The training also introduces the basics of PV module quality control. Participants can learn the typical steps involved in module inspection, including visual checks for common defects, the interpretation of electroluminescence and infrared images and the differences between factory quality assurance and field quality control practices. These aspects help participants understand how manufacturing quality, transport conditions and installation practices influence reliability and long-term performance in photovoltaic systems.
Depending on the needs of the participants, the training may include examples that show how technology choices affect energy yield, degradation expectations and system reliability. Examples from bifacial systems, agrivoltaic layouts, building-integrated photovoltaics and floating PV installations can be included when relevant. These cases illustrate how specific technologies behave under different operating conditions and which design considerations are required to ensure robust and predictable performance.
The course may also address bankability considerations. Participants can learn how technology trends influence the expectations of investors and lenders, how to interpret warranty terms and reliability assessments and how technology choices affect development and due-diligence studies. Real examples and practical explanations are used throughout the training to connect technological concepts with their impact on engineering practice.
The PV Technology training provides a structured and practical overview of the photovoltaic technologies used in modern PV systems and their implications for system design, energy yield, reliability, and bankability. It focuses on understanding how cell and module technologies behave under real operating conditions and how technology choices influence engineering decisions, modelling assumptions, and long-term performance expectations. The training equips participants with the technical foundations needed to interpret technology trends, datasheets, and quality aspects with clarity and confidence in the context of real photovoltaic projects.
The training on PV system design provides a clear and practical introduction to the principles used to design reliable and efficient photovoltaic systems. It is intended for engineers, technical advisers and project developers who want to understand how design choices influence system performance, energy yield, reliability, safety and bankability. The course focuses on the aspects of PV design that matter most in development, due diligence and engineering work.
Participants are introduced to the main steps involved in designing utility-scale and commercial photovoltaic systems. The training explains how to define the system layout, select module and inverter configurations, assess shading constraints, determine electrical operating ranges and estimate losses linked to design choices. The influence of module technologies on design decisions is discussed, along with topics such as array sizing, inverter loading ratio, cable selection and DC to AC conversion strategies.
The course also addresses questions and uncertainties commonly encountered in the sector. Many professionals use PV design tools for years without fully understanding why certain practices are applied, which design parameters have the strongest impact or how engineering choices affect long-term behaviour. The training provides the background needed to interpret key design parameters, understand the constraints imposed by standards and manufacturer requirements and make design decisions that are technically consistent and aligned with bankability expectations.
Depending on the needs of the participants, the training may include topics such as system voltage selection, cable losses, grounding approaches, DC and AC protection, overcurrent calculations, lightning protection and thermal considerations in PV installations. Case studies from real projects show how design choices influence energy yield, reliability and maintenance requirements.
The training can also address specific design challenges encountered in advanced applications. These may include the design of bifacial systems, agrivoltaic installations, building-integrated photovoltaics and floating PV. In the case of single-axis tracking systems, the training can introduce the principles of tracking and backtracking strategies and explain how these strategies influence shading, irradiance collection and energy yield. These examples show how site conditions, structural constraints and system architecture influence design decisions and which modelling approaches are needed to represent such systems accurately.
Throughout the course, participants learn how to connect design principles with the energy-yield modelling chain. The training explains how design assumptions influence electrical behaviour, system losses and simulation outputs, and how design choices are related to uncertainty in energy-yield assessments. Practical examples and field experience are used to present consistent engineering practices that help improve the quality and reliability of PV system designs.
The PV System Design training provides a structured and practice-oriented introduction to the principles used to design reliable, efficient, and bankable photovoltaic systems. It focuses on understanding how design choices influence system performance, energy yield, reliability, safety, and long-term behaviour, and how these choices are reflected in engineering studies and due-diligence work. The training equips participants with the technical foundations needed to interpret design parameters, assess trade-offs, and make consistent design decisions for real photovoltaic projects, including more advanced and non-standard system configurations.
The training on PV performance assessment provides a clear and practical introduction to the methods used to analyse the behaviour of photovoltaic systems during operation. It is intended for engineers, technical advisers and project developers who want to understand how to interpret monitored data, identify performance issues and evaluate the long-term behaviour of photovoltaic plants. The course focuses on the aspects of performance analysis that are most relevant for operational monitoring, due-diligence activities and root-cause investigations.
Participants are introduced to the main steps involved in analysing the performance of operating PV systems. The training explains how to work with monitored data, how to derive key performance indicators and how to evaluate the consistency and reliability of the available measurements. Examples from real projects are used to illustrate the influence of irradiance, temperature and operating conditions on system behaviour and on the indicators derived from monitoring data.
A central part of the course concerns the performance indicators commonly used in the sector. The training explains how to compute and interpret indicators such as the performance ratio (PR), the performance index (PI) and the performance to peers (P2P) comparisons. Participants learn what each indicator represents, how they respond to different operating conditions, what their strengths and weaknesses are and how they can be used in fault detection, diagnosis and long-term performance evaluation. This helps participants understand why different indicators can lead to different conclusions and how to select the most appropriate approach depending on the purpose of the analysis.
The training also addresses challenges commonly encountered when interpreting operational data. Many professionals rely on PR, PI or P2P without fully understanding the influence of sensor quality, the impact of missing or inconsistent data or the assumptions embedded in monitoring platforms. The course explains how to identify inconsistencies in monitored data, how to detect measurement errors and how to distinguish between sensor issues, modelling assumptions and genuine system underperformance. It provides a clear framework for interpreting operational results in a consistent and rigorous way.
Depending on the needs of the participants, the training may introduce methods used to detect performance deviations, such as normalised performance comparisons, change-point analysis or the identification of soiling or shading losses from monitored data. The course can also present approaches used to evaluate degradation rates, the treatment of seasonal variability and the methods used in the industry to separate short-term fluctuations from long-term trends.
The training can include examples drawn from different types of systems, such as bifacial plants, agrivoltaic installations, building-integrated PV applications and floating PV. These examples demonstrate how system architecture, site conditions and environmental effects influence performance behaviour and how these aspects need to be considered when analysing monitored data or deriving long-term conclusions.
The PV Performance Assessment training provides a structured and practice-oriented introduction to the analysis of monitored data from operating photovoltaic systems. It focuses on understanding how performance indicators are derived and interpreted, how data quality and measurement assumptions influence results, and how performance deviations can be identified and analysed under real operating conditions. The training equips participants with the technical foundations needed to assess operational performance rigorously, support due-diligence and acceptance processes, and investigate the root causes of underperformance in photovoltaic plants.
The training on grant writing and funding project proposal writing provides a structured introduction to the preparation of research and innovation proposals for national and international funding programmes. It is intended for organisations and professionals who want to strengthen the clarity, coherence and technical quality of their submissions.
LuciSun and its core team have participated in numerous research projects supported by major funding programmes. At the European level, this includes Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, COST Actions and programmes of the European Space Agency. At the international level, the team has contributed to IEA PVPS activities. At the national level, LuciSun has participated in projects funded by BELSPO in Belgium, Win4Doc in Wallonia and Plan Nacional de Investigación in Spain. The team has been involved in the writing of many of these proposals, often as lead authors, and has held roles such as work package leaders in several projects.
This experience is complemented by the role of Jonathan Leloux, co-founder of LuciSun, who has worked for nearly ten years as an expert evaluator of research proposals. He has evaluated proposals for the European Commission within Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, as well as for the Innovation Fund. At the national level, he has evaluated proposals for the Fonds de la Recherche en Hautes Écoles in Belgium, the PNR AgriPV programme in France and the Research and Innovation Foundation in Cyprus. This background provides a detailed view of how proposals are assessed and what typically differentiates successful submissions from unsuccessful ones.
The training introduces the essential components of a competitive project proposal. Participants learn how to formulate clear objectives, build a coherent work plan and present the scientific and technical narrative in a way that highlights relevance, feasibility and innovation potential. Practical examples from past proposals illustrate how to present methodologies, expected results, risks, mitigation strategies and measurable outcomes in a structured and credible way.
The course explains the evaluation criteria commonly used in funding programmes, such as excellence, impact and implementation. Participants learn how to address these criteria explicitly, how to avoid frequent weaknesses and how to ensure that the narrative remains consistent with the priorities of the funding call. The training also covers practical aspects related to proposal organisation, including work package structure, budgeting, task definition and consortium roles.
Throughout the course, concrete recommendations and real examples are used to illustrate the writing process and the expectations of evaluators. The training also shares practical insights, common patterns in successful proposals and the unwritten rules that often influence evaluations. The aim is to provide participants with a clear and operational methodology for preparing research and innovation proposals and the confidence to present their project ideas in a structured and persuasive way.
The Grant Writing and Funding Project Proposal Writing training provides a structured and practice-oriented introduction to the preparation of research and innovation proposals for national and international funding programmes. It focuses on how to build clear, coherent, and technically credible project narratives that address evaluation criteria such as excellence, impact, and implementation. The training equips participants with the methodological foundations and practical insight needed to structure objectives, work plans, and technical content in a way that improves the clarity, feasibility, and credibility of research and innovation proposals.
LuciSun can provide customised training programmes tailored to the specific needs of each organisation. As a small and flexible company with extensive experience in photovoltaic engineering and research, LuciSun can adapt the content, depth and format of the training to the topics that are most relevant for the client.
Custom programmes can combine elements from different training modules or focus on specific technical areas. Possible combinations include solar resource assessment, energy yield modelling, PVsyst, photovoltaic technologies, system design, performance analysis or uncertainty evaluation. When appropriate, the training can also address specialised applications such as bifacial photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, building integrated photovoltaics or the analysis of monitored data.
The structure and content of each custom training programme are defined together with the client to ensure that the sessions address the technical questions and operational challenges encountered in their projects. These ad hoc programmes can be delivered online or on site and are suitable for engineering teams, project developers, technical advisers, researchers and public organisations that wish to strengthen internal capabilities or harmonise methodological approaches.
Custom and Ad-hoc Training Programmes at LuciSun provide tailored training solutions designed to address the specific technical needs and challenges of individual organisations. These programmes allow training content, depth, and format to be adapted to particular topics, project contexts, or internal methodologies, drawing on LuciSun’s experience across photovoltaic engineering, modelling, and performance analysis. They support organisations seeking targeted skill development, harmonisation of internal practices, or focused technical clarification aligned with their real operational and project needs.
English English 
French
Spanish
Portuguese
