pvlib.pvsystem.retrieve_sam#

pvlib.pvsystem.retrieve_sam(name=None, path=None)[source]#

Retrieve latest module and inverter info from a file bundled with pvlib, a path or an URL (like SAM’s website).

This function will retrieve either:

CEC module database
Sandia Module database
CEC Inverter database
Anton Driesse Inverter database

and return it as a pandas DataFrame.

Note

Only provide one of name or path.

Parameters:

name (string, optional) –
Use one of the following strings to retrieve a database bundled with pvlib:
- 'CECMod' - returns the CEC module database
- 'CECInverter' - returns the CEC Inverter database
- 'SandiaInverter' - returns the CEC Inverter database (CEC is only current inverter db available; tag kept for backwards compatibility)
- 'SandiaMod' - returns the Sandia Module database
- 'ADRInverter' - returns the ADR Inverter database
path (string, optional) – Path to a CSV file or a URL.

Returns:

DataFrame – A DataFrame containing all the elements of the desired database. Each column represents a module or inverter, and a specific dataset can be retrieved by the command

Raises:

ValueError – If no name or path is provided.
ValueError – If both name and path are provided.
KeyError – If the provided name is not a valid database name.

Notes

Files available at: NREL/SAM

Examples

Using a database bundled with pvlib:

>>> from pvlib import pvsystem
>>> invdb = pvsystem.retrieve_sam(name='CECInverter')
>>> inverter = invdb.AE_Solar_Energy__AE6_0__277V_
>>> inverter
Vac                          277
Pso                    36.197575
Paco                      6000.0
Pdco                 6158.746094
Vdco                       360.0
C0                     -0.000002
C1                     -0.000026
C2                     -0.001253
C3                       0.00021
Pnt                          1.8
Vdcmax                     450.0
Idcmax                 17.107628
Mppt_low                   100.0
Mppt_high                  450.0
CEC_Date                     NaN
CEC_Type     Utility Interactive
Name: AE_Solar_Energy__AE6_0__277V_, dtype: object

Using a remote database, via URL:

>>> url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NREL/SAM/refs/heads/develop/deploy/libraries/CEC%20Inverters.csv"
>>> inv_db = pvsystem.retrieve_sam(path=url)
>>> inv_db.keys()
Index(['ABB__PVI_3_0_OUTD_S_US_A__208V_', 'ABB__PVI_3_0_OUTD_S_US_A__240V_', ...],
      dtype='object', length=...)