v0.8.0.rst

v0.8.0 (September 8, 2020)

Breaking changes

• The ivtools.py module has been reorganized into a subpackage and functions in ivtools.py have been renamed (:pull:`708`):

  • Functions for fitting diode models are now in :py:mod:`pvlib.ivtools.sdm`
  • :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.fit_sdm_cec_sam` is now :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.sdm.fit_cec_sam`
  • :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.fit_sdm_desoto` is now :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.sdm.fit_desoto`
  • Functions for fitting the single diode equation are now in :py:mod:`pvlib.ivtools.sde`
  • :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.fit_sde_sandia` is now :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.sde.fit_sandia_simple`

• Removed run_parallel_calculations and n_workers_for_parallel_calcs from :py:func:`pvlib.bifacial.pvfactors_timeseries` inputs (:issue:`902`) (:pull:`934`)

• :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_tmy3` can now only read local data files because the NREL RREDC server hosting the TMY3 dataset has been retired. For fetching TMY data from NREL servers, :py:func:`!pvlib.iotools.get_psm3` is now recommended to retrieve newer PSM3 data over the older TMY3 data. (:issue:`996`) (:pull:`1004`)

• The tkinter-based file selection dialog has been removed from :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_tmy2` and :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_tmy3`; the filepath is now a required parameter. (:pull:`1004`)

• Removed systemdef function from pvsystem.py. This function was not used in pvlib and its output was not directly compatible with any pvlib function. See :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_tmy2`, :py:func:`pvlib.iotools.read_tmy3`, :py:meth:`pvlib.location.Location.from_tmy`, and :py:class:`pvlib.pvsystem.LocalizedPVSystem` for alternatives. (:issue:`965`) (:pull:`1008`)

• The following functions, methods, and arguments were deprecated in a previous release and have now been removed (:issue:`966`, :pull:`1033`):

  • pvsystem.PVSystem.ashraeiam. Use :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem.get_iam`.
  • pvsystem.PVSystem.physicaliam. Use :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem.get_iam`.
  • pvsystem.PVSystem.sapm_aoi_loss. Use :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem.get_iam`.
  • pvsystem.ashraeiam. Use :py:func:`pvlib.iam.ashrae`.
  • pvsystem.physicaliam. Use :py:func:`pvlib.iam.physical`.
  • pvsystem.sapm_aoi_loss. Use :py:func:`pvlib.iam.sapm`.
  • pvsystem.sapm_celltemp. Use :py:func:`pvlib.temperature.sapm_cell`.
  • pvsystem.pvsyst_celltemp. Use :py:func:`pvlib.temperature.pvsyst_cell`.
  • times keyword argument of :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.run_model`, :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.complete_irradiance`, and :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.prepare_inputs`. The index of the input DataFrame is used instead.
  • temp_model keyword argument of :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain`. Use temperature_model instead.

Deprecations

• Moved functions related to inverters from pvsystem.py to inverter.py. Functions are renamed to follow a more consistent pattern, as follows (:pull:`886`):

  • pvlib.pvsystem.snlinverter is now :py:func:`pvlib.inverter.sandia`
  • pvlib.pvsystem.pvwatts_ac is now :py:func:`pvlib.inverter.pvwatts`
  • pvlib.pvsystem.adrinverter is now :py:func:`pvlib.inverter.adr`

• Argument ac_model for :py:class:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain` now accepts 'sandia', 'pvwatts' and 'adr' for the inverter models. (:pull:`886`)

• :py:class:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem` module_type and racking_model now default to None. This continues a deprecation of assuming SAPM values for cell temperature modeling. In this v0.8 release series, calling :py:meth:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem.sapm_celltemp` without setting PVSystem.temperature_model_parameters, or a valid combination of PVsystem.module_type and PVsystem.racking_model, will cause PVSystem.temperature_model_parameters to be set to SAPM values for a glass/glass module in open racking and emit a warning. In v0.9, users must provide temperature_model_parameters or a valid combination of module_type and racking_model. (:issue:`1030`, :pull:`1033`)

• Deprecated arbitrary keyword arguments for :py:class:`pvlib.location.Location`, :py:class:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem`, :py:class:`pvlib.tracking.SingleAxisTracker`, and :py:class:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain`. Supplying arbitrary keyword to these objects will result in TypeErrors in v0.9. (:issue:`1029`, :pull:`1053`)

• pvlib.pvsystem.LocalizedPVSystem and pvlib.pvsystem.LocalizedSingleAxisTracker are deprecated and will be removed in 0.9. Use :py:class:`pvlib.location.Location`, :py:class:`pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem`, :py:class:`pvlib.tracking.SingleAxisTracker`, and :py:class:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain` instead. (:issue:`1029`, :pull:`1034`, :pull:`1053`)

Enhancements

• Update :func:`~pvlib.bifacial.pvfactors_timeseries` to run with pvfactors v1.4.1 (:issue:`902`)(:pull:`934`)
• Add :py:func:`pvlib.iam.marion_diffuse` and :py:func:`pvlib.iam.marion_integrate` to calculate IAM values for diffuse irradiance. (:pull:`984`)
• Add :py:func:`pvlib.shading.sky_diffuse_passias`, :py:func:`pvlib.shading.masking_angle_passias`, and :py:func:`pvlib.shading.masking_angle` to model diffuse shading loss. (:pull:`1017`)
• Add :py:func:`pvlib.inverter.fit_sandia` that fits the Sandia inverter model to a set of inverter efficiency curves. (:pull:`1011`)
• Add :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.sdm.fit_pvsyst_sandia` and :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.sdm.fit_desoto_sandia` for fitting the Pvsyst and De Soto models to IV curve data (:issue:`227`)(:pull:`708`)
• Add factory methods :py:meth:`~pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.with_pvwatts` :py:meth:`~pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.with_sapm` to create ModelChain objects configured for the respective modeling paradigms. The configurations are defined in modelchain.PVWATTS_CONFIG, and modelchain.SAPM_CONFIG. (:issue:`1013`, :pull:`1022`)
• Added racking_model, module_type, and temperature_model_parameters to :py:class:`~pvlib.pvsystem.PVSystem` and :py:class:`~pvlib.tracking.SingleAxisTracker` repr methods. (:issue:`1027`)
• Added :py:func:`!pvlib.tracking.calc_axis_tilt` to calculate the tracker axes tilt and :py:func:`!pvlib.tracking.calc_cross_axis_tilt` to calculate the cross-axis tilt, which is the angle, relative to horizontal, of the line formed by the intersection between the slope containing the tracker axes and a plane perpendicular to the tracker axes. (:pull:`823`)
• Added cross_axis_tilt argument to :py:func:`~pvlib.tracking.singleaxis` and :py:func:`~pvlib.tracking.SingleAxisTracker` which defaults to zero. Use :py:func:`!pvlib.tracking.calc_cross_axis_tilt` to calculate the cross-axis tilt angle if necessary. (:pull:`823`)
• Added ability for :py:func:`pvlib.soiling.hsu` to accept arbitrary time intervals. (:pull:`980`)
• Added :py:func:`pvlib.temperature.fuentes` for cell temperature modeling. (:pull:`1037`)
• Add :py:func:`pvlib.pvsystem.combine_loss_factors` as general purpose function to combine loss factors with a common index. Partialy addresses :issue:`988`. Contributed by Brock Taute :ghuser:`btaute`
• Add capability to run a ModelChain starting with plane-of-array or effective irradiance, or with back-of-module or cell temperature data. New methods are :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.run_model_from_poa`, :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.run_model_from_effective_irradiance`, and :py:meth:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain.prepare_inputs_from_poa` (:issue:`536`, :pull:`943`)

Bug fixes

• Fixed unit and default value errors in :py:func:`pvlib.soiling.hsu`. (:pull:`977`, :pull:`980`)
• Handle NUL characters and fix version column dtype in :py:func:`~pvlib.iotools.read_crn`. (:issue:`1025`)
• Fix low sun angle tracker rotation calculation. (:issue:`824`)
• Fix issue with big-endian and little-endian data in forecast.py. (:issue:`921`)

Testing

• Decorator :py:func:`pvlib.conftest.fail_on_pvlib_version` can now be applied to functions that require args or kwargs. (:pull:`973`)
• Test added for :py:class:`pvlib.modelchain.ModelChain` to confirm ValueError when ac_model is an invalid string. (:pull:`886`)
• Add minimum requirements configuration to Azure Pipelines build. (:pull:`1006`)
• Update the data/test_psm3_tmy-2017.csv datafile to match the updated NSRDB data. (:issue:`1005`, :pull:`1007`)
• Add wrappers around the pandas assert_X_equal functions to accommodate the changed API and default precision thresholds in pandas 1.1.0 (:issue:`1018`, :pull:`1021`)
• Add github action for publishing tags to pypi.org. (:issue:`950`, :pull:`1038`, :pull:`1039`)
• Remove Travis CI configuration. (:issue:`950`)

Documentation

• Improved formatting and content of docstrings in :py:mod:`pvlib.atmosphere`. (:pull:`969`)
• Fix LaTeX rendering in :py:func:`pvlib.singlediode.bishop88`. (:pull:`967`)
• Clarify units for heat loss factors in :py:func:`pvlib.temperature.pvsyst_cell` and :py:func:`pvlib.temperature.faiman`. (:pull:`960`)
• Added hsu soiling model example to the gallery. (:pull:`990`)
• Add make.bat so that docs can be built on Windows without make installed. (:issue:`978`, :pull:`981`)
• Add instructions to build the documentation. (:pull:`982`)
• Corrected key names for :py:func:`pvlib.inverter.sandia`. (:issue:`976`, :pull:`886`)
• Add a transposition gain example to the gallery. (:pull:`979`)
• Add a gallery example of calculating diffuse IAM using :py:func:`pvlib.iam.marion_diffuse`. (:pull:`984`)
• Add a gallery example of modeling diffuse shading loss. (:pull:`1017`)
• Add minigalleries to API reference pages. (:pull:`991`)

Requirements

• Python 3.6 or greater. (:pull:`1035`)
• Minimum pandas version increased to v0.22.0, released Dec 31, 2017. (:pull:`1003`)
• Scipy >= v1.2.0, released Dec 17, 2018, is now a required dependency rather an optional dependency. (:issue:`972`, :pull:`1035`)

Contributors

• Cliff Hansen (:ghuser:`cwhanse`)
• Kevin Anderson (:ghuser:`kanderso-nrel`)
• Mark Mikofski (:ghuser:`mikofski`)
• Joshua S. Stein (:ghuser:`jsstein`)
• Marc A. Anoma (:ghuser:`anomam`)
• Will Holmgren (:ghuser:`wholmgren`)
• Brock Taute (:ghuser:`btaute`)
• Cameron Stark (:ghuser:`CameronTStark`)
• :ghuser:`kahemker`
• Miguel Sánchez de León Peque (:ghuser:`Peque`)
• Stephen Lightfoote (:ghuser:`srlightfoote`)