System Advisor Model

SAM combines an energy-technology model with a financial arrangement, such as behind-the-meter bill savings, power sales or third-party ownership. A project holds one or more cases, each with its own inputs and results. The 2024.12.12 help describes creating a default-filled case after model selection and saving the project as .sam; a separate Save with hourly results option appears in that guide. Review defaults before interpreting scenario differences. Current distribution is SAM 2026.7.3 for Windows, Mac and Linux, and first use requires an email registration/free software key. Versions install side by side. The documentation cautions that saving a project in a newer version can prevent opening it in an older one, so retain separate versioned copies for comparisons. SAM's detailed technical/financial project models are broader than PVWatts' simplified production estimate.