PVCollada

PVCollada uses the COLLADA standard to describe photovoltaic (PV) power systems.

PVCollada 2.0

PVCollada 2.0 is based on COLLADA 1.5. A PVCollada 2.0 document must be a valid COLLADA 1.5 document.

PVCollada 2.0 files must be identified with the file extension ".pvc2". A zipped PVCollada 2.0 file must have the extension ".pvz2". Compliance with these extensions allows all applications to recognize PVCollada 2.0 files and to distinguish PVCollada 2.0 from PVCollada 1.4.1.

PVCollada 2.0 uses COLLADA's elements to provide PV-specific elements that describe the physical components and the electrical and mechanical relationships among these components. PVCollada elements are located in <technique="pvcollada_20"> structures. PVCollada 2.0 documents can include custom elements in other structures.

PVCollada 1.4.1

The older PVCollada format, which we term PVCollada 1.4.1, is identified by the file extension ".pvc".

PVCollada 1.4.1 is a modification of the COLLADA 1.4.1 schema. A PVCollada 1.4.1 document is not a valid COLLADA document. Modifications from COLLADA 1.4.1 are:

1. The following are optional in PVCollada 1.4.1, but required in COLLADA 1.4.1.

    <COLLADA><asset><created> (type: xs:dateTime)
    <COLLADA><asset><modified> (type: xs:dateTime)

2. The following are string type in PVCollada 1.4.1 but are required to be type xs:ID and xs:NCName, respectively, in COLLADA 1.4.1.

    <COLLADA><library_visual_scenes><visual_scene><id>
    <COLLADA><library_visual_scenes><visual_scene><name>

3. PVCollada 1.4.1 adds the following elements:

    <COLLADA><library_geometries><geometry><mesh><frame_parameters>
        <xs:element name="frame_parameters" minOccurs="0">
            <xs:complexType>
                <xs:sequence>
                    <xs:element name="module_width" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_height" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_x_spacing" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_y_spacing" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_manufacturer" type="string" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_name" type="string" minOccurs="1"/>
                </xs:sequence>
            </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
    <COLLADA><library_geometries><geometry><mesh><tracker_parameters>
        <xs:element name="tracker_parameters" minOccurs="0">
            <xs:complexType>
                <xs:sequence>
                    <xs:element name="module_width" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_height" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_x_spacing" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_y_spacing" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_manufacturer" type="string" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="module_name" type="string" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="tracker_type" type="string" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="axis_vertices" minOccurs="1">
                        <xs:complexType>
                            <xs:sequence>
                                <xs:element ref="float_array" minOccurs="2" maxOccurs="2">
                                    <xs:annotation>
                                        <xs:documentation>
                                        The source element shall contain two float_arrays.
                                        </xs:documentation>
                                    </xs:annotation>
                                </xs:element>
                            </xs:sequence>
                        </xs:complexType>
                    </xs:element>
                    <xs:element name="min_phi" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="max_phi" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="min_theta" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                    <xs:element name="max_theta" type="float" minOccurs="1"/>
                </xs:sequence>
            </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>