Towards sustainable energy access: evaluating free online photovoltaic design tools in support of the SDGs

Hendra Setiawan

Abstract


The transition to clean and affordable energy is a critical step toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This paper presents a comparative analysis of several free online photovoltaic (PV) power design applications, focusing on their usability, technical accuracy, and functionality to support sustainable PV system development. As the demand for solar energy grows globally, especially in underserved regions, accessible and reliable design tools are essential for promoting inclusive energy planning. This study evaluates four widely used tools PVWatts, PVGIS, OpenSolar, and Global Solar Atlas based on their simulation capabilities, technical features, financial modeling, and reporting outputs. Using simulation scenarios across diverse geographic locations with different solar irradiance levels, each tool’s effectiveness in estimating energy production and project viability is analyzed. To inspect the results, the simulation outputs of the free tools were benchmarked against PVsyst as an industry-standard reference. The results show that while PVWatts tends to produce higher energy estimates suitable for on-grid applications, OpenSolar stands out for its comprehensive feature set and financial assessment based on native tool capabilities. The study highlights the role of open-access design tools in advancing sustainable energy access and contributing to global decarbonization efforts.

 

Received: 29 October 2025

Accepted: 25 January 2026

Published: 31 March 2026


Keywords


photovoltaic; solar design tools; energy access; sustainable development

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References


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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21622/resd.2026.12.1.1757

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Copyright (c) 2026 Hendra Setiawan

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development

E-ISSN: 2356-8569

P-ISSN: 2356-8518

 

Published by:

Academy Publishing Center (APC)

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Alexandria, Egypt

resd@aast.edu