Feb 16 2010
Solmetric Corporation today announced the introduction of the Solmetric SunEye™ 210, an advanced handheld electronic instrument for solar site evaluation. Building on the features of the popular SunEye 110, the SunEye 210 (patent pending) provides analysis of shade and solar access for site evaluation and energy production estimates using a calibrated fisheye lens and digital image processing.
The SunEye 210 comes in a new rugged enclosure, enabling one-handed operation and improved user control. It includes the convenience of an integrated electronic inclinometer, compass and optional GPS. The SunEye 210 features a full-screen live preview mode in which the sun paths adapt to the orientation of the instrument, giving instant feedback on solar access. The SunEye 210 has a high resolution screen, extended battery life, stylus holder, and dedicated quick-launch buttons, and comes standard with a rugged hard carrying case.
"With solar deployment continuing to expand world-wide, the professional installer is always looking for ways to improve the speed and accuracy of the site assessment," said Willard MacDonald, President and CEO of Solmetric. "We built the SunEye 210 from the ground up, combining customer feedback with the latest technologies to take site assessment to the next level."
Background: Since its introduction in 2006, the SunEye 110 has become the standard for solar site evaluation. Its integrated fish-eye lens and digital camera captures an image of the sky and horizon, and its on-board processor plots solar exposure at that location. Users can edit images, simulating the removal or addition of obstructions such as trees or structures. The SunEye automatically generates reports for sales quotes and rebate applications. Solar access shading percentages, including hourly, daily, monthly, and annual data can be determined in the field or uploaded to a personal computer via USB. Desktop applications such as the Solmetric PV Designer can then incorporate the shade measurements into system-level simulations.