Release Information 2024

    Release 7.51.0

    • Integration Financing provider Bullfinch: Available exclusively to German customers, from 18 December 2024 at 12:00 noon, you can apply for project financing through our partner Bullfinch, which offers a simple, flexible and reliable solution. More information is available in How does the financing process work with Bullfinch? To use this feature:
      • Navigate to Settings > Partner System > Bullfinch and complete the registration.
      • Once registered, you can access Bullfinch financing offers directly from the ‘Financing’ menu in your projects.
    • KOPA 3D Models Support: Expert now supports photorealistic 3D models from Swiss-based company KOPA (kopa.ch). Learn more in our knowledge base.
    • Inverter Design & String Visualization: Introducing the new and improved inverter design experience, featuring an intuitive interface, enhanced filtering options and string design visualization for designs that were generated with automated inverter design functionality. Easily select inverters, optimize your designs and export detailed string plans to .dxf file format.
    • Various bug fixes and improvements have been released.
      • Improving the visibility and standardizing the display of info texts.
      • Correction of various incorrect translations in English and Italian.

    Release 7.48.0

    • BKG (orthophotos) Map Layer:
      • The 3D panel layout in Germany now includes the BKG map layer with orthophotos, providing minimal distortion for enhanced accuracy in planning and visualization.
      • The new map material is also available for your Solarcalculator. Please reach out to our Support for more information and implementation.
    • PV Project Simulation: The project simulation has been revised. The simulation time has been considerably reduced. The loading bar in the simulation pop-up window in Solar Expert has been replaced by a loading spinner.
    • PV Profitability Settings in Projects: You can now define negative values in the section “Electricity Price Development” under Profitability > PV.
    • Van der Valk (ValkPVplanner): The logic for the "Color" field in the VDV installation process was updated to ensure only valid options ("Aluminium" and "Black") are displayed based on roof material and system placement, preventing errors during document generation.
    • Automated Inverter Design (Beta): Various bug fixes and improvements have been released.
      • Automated Inverter Design for Battery Only Projects: Battery only projects are now also supported in automated inverter design, automating the inverter selection process to streamline design and ensure compatibility with the battery.
      • Updated Target Ratio Range: The target ratio range for automated inverter designs has been adjusted to -20% and +40%, increasing the likelihood of finding suitable inverter options.
      • Improved Inverter Suggestions: Inverter suggestions in automated inverter design are now ordered by the fewest pairings and closest match to the target ratio, simplifying the selection process.
      • Inverter Status Updates in Automated Inverter Design:
        • Inverters incompatible with the selected optimizer display an "incompatible" status with an explanatory message.
        • A "retired" status is displayed for inverters, indicating they are no longer in the Eturnity component library. The component may still be active in your company specific component library.
      • Behavioral Adjustments in Automated Inverter Design:
        • Selecting a main component template or changing the inverter order no longer affects the automated inverter design status.
        • When a 3-phase system is selected, both 3-phase and 1-phase inverters remain selectable, while when selecting 1-phase system 3-phase inverters are no longer available
        • If no recommended inverters are available, clicking "Reload recommended" triggers a notification indicating that no compatible options were found and that inverters must be selected manually.
    • Various bug fixes and improvements have been released.
      • 3D Panel Layout: Displaying correct module inclination in 3D preview.
      • Component Library - Groups, Templates and Systems: Saving works with empty price lines.
      • Editable Text in PDF Preview: Support of line breaks has been improved.
      • Custom PDF in Document Configuration: Preview and PDF generation improved.

    Release 7.45.0

    • 3D Panel Layout
      • Shadow Motion Path: In the 3D view, it is now possible to visualize the movement of shadows over different times of the day and days of the year, giving a clearer understanding of potential shading issues. Simulate how shadows will behave on a specific day by adjusting the time, or across different days by setting a fixed hour.
      • Corrected Edge Visualization: While drawing roofs in the 3D panel layout, edges will now be accurately visualized according to their true 3D length. This means the edges will follow the roof's inclination, providing a more precise representation.
      • Roof Area and Panel Field Size: In the 3D panel layout, key metrics are now displayed when selecting a roof or a panel field, making it easier to assess the size and capacity of your solar design. For selected roofs, the total area is displayed. For panel fields, the number of panels and the peak power of the array are displayed.
    • Library
      • Setting a description when creating a group, project template and solar calculator system is now optional

    Release 7.42.0

    • 3D Panel Layout
      • Import External Editable 3D Model (SwissTopo): Available exclusively to Swiss customers, it is now possible to import an editable 3D model based on the project address. Users can then quickly jumpstart their 3D panel layout with a pre-configured base building, requiring only necessary adjustments to the structure.
      • Box Selection: The selection process is now simplified with this new feature. By right-clicking and dragging (or using a two-finger touch on Mac and long touch on tablets), you can now create a box to quickly select multiple roofs, obstacles, and panel fields (depending on active tool) at once.

    Release 7.39.0

    • ESDEC: It is now possible to create a mounting system design for an ESDEC system in your current project without leaving Expert. To do this, open the new ESDEC Calculator page within your project that uses ESDEC mounting systems and fill in all mandatory fields. By clicking on Generate Mounting System, project-specific mounting system(s) are generated based on the project data and the new input fields. The relevant components are then added to the Bill of materials. In addition, the ESDEC mounting system documentation will be automatically added to the file manager. More information is available in How does the process work with the ESDEC integration?
    • Library > Components
      • Price update can now be disabled for multiple components at once.
    • It is now possible to set a supplier for multiple main components at once, as long as a valid article number exists for each main component with the selected supplier.

    Release 7.37.0

    • 3D Panel Layout
      • Enhanced Selection with Keyboard Shortcuts: Easily select relevant elements using keyboard shortcut Ctrl+A (or Command+A on Mac) based on the active tool: 
        • Roof tool: Select all roofs.
        • Roof height tool: Select all nodes.
        • Obstacle tool: Select all obstacles.
        • Panel field Tool: Select all panel fields (if at least one panel is selected, it will select all panels within that panel field).
      • Copy and Paste Functionality: Duplicate roofs, obstacles, and panel fields using the Duplicate button or with keyboard shortcuts. Select the elements, press Ctrl+C (or Command+C on Mac) to copy, and Ctrl+V (or Command+V on Mac) to paste.
      • Manual Override of Panel Spacing, Row: Manually adjust the Panel spacing, row value in the panel field sidebar, except for East-West mounting systems.
      • Node Snap-back Feature: When moving nodes of roofs or panel fields, they automatically snap back to their original position when moved close to it.

    Release 7.35.0

    • Textured 3D Models Integration: It is now possible to incorporate textured 3D models from Airteam or other sources directly into your Expert project, streamlining your PV planning process without compromising accuracy. To do this, navigate to the 3D Panel layout within your project and click the File Upload button.

      • Using Airteam Textured 3D Models: Simply upload the model via the  3D Panel layout  > File Upload section and add panels to the model—it's that easy!
      • Using Textured 3D Models from Other Sources: First, draw the roof in Expert. Next, use the projection tool in the Roof Height Tool section to snap the drawn roof to your 3D model, defining its height. Finally, add panels to complete your design.

      More information is available in How to Upload Files to 3D Panel Layout (Overview)

    Release 7.33.0

    • Van der Valk (ValkPVplanner): It is now possible to create a mounting system design for a Van der Valk system in your current project without leaving Expert. To do this, open the new ValkPVplanner page within your project that uses Van der Valk substructures and fill in all mandatory fields. By clicking on Generate Mounting System, a project-specific mounting system is generated based on the project data and the components required for this are added to the Bill of materials. More information is available in How does the process work with the Van der Valk integration?

    Release 7.30.0

    • Library > Components:  The information on Inverter type and Inverter grid connection are now displayed for inverter components.
    • Automated Inverter Design (Beta): For a project variant with PV as an active technology, it is now possible to select the electrically correct inverter design with the minimum cost structure. To try the beta version of the feature, enable it in Settings > Inverter Design. In Projects > Inverter, click the Start auto design button to initiate the automated inverter design process.

    Release 7.24.0

    • 3D Panel Layout
      • Roof tool: 45 and 135 degree angle snap lines are visible to assist in drawing more symmetrical roofs
      • Roof tool and Roof height tool:  It is now possible to separate vertically independent sections of the roof, such as dormers and attached roofs. Apply Split Selected Edges  on selected edges of a building with varying heights. 
      • New behavior for height change: Modifying the height of selected nodes, edges or geometry adjusts all the elements in the entire connected roof structure.  More information is available in https://support.eturnity.com/help/en-us/91-height-tool.
      • Saving a work in progress can now be done by clicking Save  or CTRL+S.
    • New load profiles for Commercial and Industrial buildings are now available in Projects > Photovoltaics > Electricity Usage page.
    • Custom electricity tariffs for consumption and export can now be created in Settings > Electricity Tariffs, allowing calculations to be adapted to the customer's individual local situation. On Projects > Photovoltaics > Tariff library a custom company tariff can be selected. The export tariff is automatically selected based on the PV system's kWp size, choosing the most suitable tariff if there is no exact match. There is also an option to create a project-specific tariff for your current project using the Add project specific tariff button. More information is available in Eturnity AG Support - What can I do when no standard electricity tariff matches my requirements?
    • In Settings > Integrations > ERP/CRM, Eturnity Expert can be connected to ERP/CRM systems and automate the transfer of project data. For customers in Switzerland, connection to Bexio is now available. On Projects > ERP/CRM, a sales order can be created in Bexio based on a project variant's Bill of Materials.  More information is available in https://support.eturnity.com/help/en-us/90-bexio.
    • Solar Calculator: It is now possible to input information on cooling needs, and electricity bill information on a monthly, quarterly or yearly period.

    Release 7.22.0

    • 3D Panel Layout > Roof Height Tool
      • Nodes that are at a different height from the surrounding roof can now be snapped to it by clicking on the the Snap Height icon  in the toolbar. To equalize all heights, you may click on the Equalize all heights  icon.
      • It is now possible to hide or show the length and height labels using the Display Measurements icon.
    • 3D Panel Layout: A Projected Length Calculator  is now available. It allows you to easily convert 3D measurements of pitched roof edges into accurate 2D measurements for drawing roof outlines.
    • New load profiles for heavy AC Cooling are now available in Projects > Photovoltaics > Electricity Usage page.
    • Library > Subsidies for Battery storage technology can now be spread out over several years. Choose the recurring payout frequency and specify the duration over which the subsidy payout is distributed in equal installments.

    • Library > Components: It is now possible to filter through inverter components by their technology affiliation.

    • Projects > Inverter
      • Inverter is now available as a standalone menu. It is no longer exclusively linked to Photovoltaics technology and also accessible when only Battery storage technology is active for the project variant. 
      • The Inverter page has a new card for Battery system configuration and also displays the type of inverter. 
      • On the Bill of materials, the cost line of inverters are displayed on the section corresponding to their technology affiliation.
    • Partner Network: Collection providers now have the ability to view and manage subscriptions for collections which require their approval on a self-service capability through the Partners > Subscriptions page. It is now possible to approve subscription requests, with the option to pause and delete these subscriptions when needed. 

    Release 7.20.0

    • No major release this week

    Release 7.18.0

    • No major release this week

    Release 7.16.0

    • Library > Subsidies for PV technology can now be spread out over several years. Choose the recurring payout frequency and specify the duration over which the subsidy payout is distributed in equal installments.
    • 3D Panel Layout: Bing maps is now available as a map layer for all countries. 
    • Projects: Descriptions can now be added to collective positions in the Bill of Materials, which are then displayed on the PDF page 05 Detailed Costs. 

    Release 7.15.0

    • No major release this week

    Release 7.14.0

    • No major release this week

    Release 7.12.0

    • Projects: A project reference is now visible when creating a new project for an existing customer.
    • Bill of Materials: Discounts will be applied sequentially based on the order defined in the Bill of Materials. 

    Release 7.10.0

    • 3D Panel Layout > Roof tool:
      • New behavior for creation of lines and selection of nodes and edges. To create a line, click on a node or edge. To select a node or edge, double click on it.
      • Select & Move mode is now available. Select one or more nodes or edges and drag them to the desired position.
      • The last drawn node on a roof can now be deleted by clicking Undo or CTRL+Z. Each click deletes the most recent drawn node. To restore the deleted node, click Redo or CTRL+Y.
    • 3D Panel Layout > Panel field tool: It is now possible to select non-adjacent panels and then move or delete them.

    Release 7.8.0

    • Documents: It is now possible to define the PV-System visualization on the PDF. In the Document configuration, select a page with custom 3D visualization (marked with a camera icon) and an image of the PV-System is displayed. From there, you can adjust the zoom level, position, and camera angle of the image based on your preference. 
    • Project Analysis > Overview: A Financial Overview is now available where the total cost for the project is displayed. It considers the cost, discounts and subsidies for all active technologies in the project variant. 
    • Financing has been extended to cover all technologies. When financing is activated from the Financing menu, it will be applied to all active technologies within the project variant.

    Release 7.6.0

    • New document “Savings on your utility bill” : A new PDF page is available in the Document configuration menu for all customers from all countries who are using our default templates. It displays charts which reflect the impact of the new solar system on the utility bill. You can add the two variants of the PDF pages "02a Information Utility bill V1" and "02a Information Utility bill V2" manually to your document configuration.
    • Account Settings is now accessible through an icon located on the top bar.
    • Customers with Solar Calculator: In Library > Solar Calculator: It is now possible to provide a name and description to a retrofit system without battery.

    Release 7.4.0

    • E-signature - Eturnity e-sign solution: Documents can now be forwarded to the customer and signed online using our preconfigured e-sign solution. It is integrated directly into Expert without the need for a a separate subscription to a third-party provider.

    Release 7.2.0

    • MCS Calculation (only for UK): The Eturnity expert calculates for every project the PV production according to the MCS guidelines. If the calculated MCS PV production and yearly consumption is between 1'500 - 5'999 kWh, the customer type is private and the battery storage is  < 15.1 kWh --> The project is validated as "within MCS scope" and the calculation is done with the MCS PV production and MCS self-consumption value. 
      If the project variant doesn't matches this validation criteria every value is calculated with the eturnity calculation. The information about the validation criteria for MCS self-consumption is visible on the page PV > Shading / snow losses.
      Secondly for every roof the sunpath diagram gets calculated and is visible and editable on the page PV > Shading / snow losses. The Shading factor is taken into account if the project variant is within MCS scope; if not the standard Shading / snow losses value is considered for the calculation.
      Documents: 
      - 02a Sunpath diagram: This page is available for all customers and projects
      - 10a About the simulation: This page contains text elements and a report table. The content on this page is dynamic according if the project variant is within MCS scope or not. The report table is only available if the project variant is within MCS scope.
      Other information: 
      Project settings: New dropdown to define the Assessment: Remote or on-line
      Initial situation > PV System: Information about the MCS contractor certification status
      Knowledge Base:  Eturnity AG Support - What are the changes with the implementation of MCS (Country: UK)?
    • 3D Panel layout > Mobile devices: It is now possible to use pinch-to-zoom on mobile touch devices. Touch the screen with two fingers and move them apart to zoom in or move them together to zoom out.
    Published