optiPV is a tool for anyone using plug-in solar panels, the kind you can set up without a professional installation and plugs straight into the wall or through a battery. optiPV looks at your location's weather forecast, works out how much power your panel could generate over the next two days, and helps you adjust your panel for the best possible output.
optiPV is built for people who can't (or don't want to) fit a permanent, wired-in solar array. That includes:
Just a plug-in solar panel and your phone. You don't need a fixed installation, planning permission, or an electrician.
optiPV is panel agnostic. Of course, if your panel cannot be adjusted, it will give a lower yield than one that is fully adjustable.
optiPV works out the sun's path for your location and the coming two days, then calculates the panel angle and orientation that would capture the most sunlight over that period, balancing pitch and azimuth together rather than optimising each separately.
Getting both right makes a real difference to how much sunlight your panel captures over the day.
The "Expected likely generation" (blue) takes real-world conditions like temperature-induced panel inefficiencies into account, while "Expected potential generation" (orange) represents the theoretical maximum. When you see only the blue line, it means conditions are optimal and your setup is performing right at its maximum potential. If they diverge, you'll see both clearly, showing the exact impact of losses.
Weather forecasts get less reliable the further out they go. optiPV focuses on the two-day window because that's where the forecast data is accurate enough to give you a generation estimate you can actually trust and act on.
Partnering with Open-Meteo, the weather service provides a 2km grid resolution. While that won't account for micro-climates, it should provide reasonable accuracy.
optiPV's estimates are based on the latest forecast available at the time you check. Like any weather-based tool, actual generation may vary if conditions change. Check back for updated recommendations if the weather shifts.
optiPV does warn you if high winds are expected, which can cause issues for non-fixed panels, so you can check the fitting and re-secure them if necessary.
Not necessarily. optiPV will show you the ideal setup for the current forecast; if you're happy leaving your panel in place, that's fine. If you want to squeeze out extra generation, you can re-tune it as the forecast updates. If you don't have the time to tune everyday, set the panel up for 'solar noon' in the targetting system, which should give reasonable results, though not quite as good as adjusting every hour.
optiPV calculates pitch and azimuth recommendations for both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, so it adapts to wherever you're located.
No. optiPV gives you the numbers (pitch and azimuth) and you (or your mounting setup) to adjust the panel manually. It doesn't currently automate the physical positioning.
Absolutely not. The app does not talk to any back end servers and the second you shut down the application, the location data used is lost.
optiPV does not want anyone left behind, so we've made the decision that the audio cues are available by default to all users. Prefer silent mode? To prevent accidentally muting essential audio cues when you actually need them, the app doesn't include an in-app mute switch. If you prefer working in silence, simply toggle your Android media volume off in system settings while using the app, and turn it back on when you're finished.
To make the most of the audio clues, please refer to the help pages.
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