VENTUS GIS SLD Sandbox is a working engineering screening tool for utility scale solar, storage and grid connection analysis.
The tool helps users explore the relationship between land, grid proximity, solar topology, module count, inverter architecture, logistics, BESS assumptions and baseline project economics in one visual interface.
Users can enter a location, view UK substation reference data, select a grid node and generate an indicative solar layout using either string inverter or central inverter topology. The tool can estimate module count, DC capacity, AC capacity, site area, packing units, container loads, baseline revenue, CAPEX assumptions and simple long term financial outputs.
This is a real engineering screening tool. It is not a final construction design package, grid offer, connection approval, EPC quotation or financial advice. It is designed to support early stage project assessment by making technical, spatial, logistics and financial assumptions visible before deeper engineering, grid, planning, procurement and financial studies begin.
A key feature of the sandbox is that technical and commercial assumptions are shown together. In real projects, module count becomes logistics. Cable routing becomes electrical loss. Grid proximity becomes interface risk. BESS assumptions affect land, CAPEX and revenue logic. Financial outputs only become useful when the physical assumptions behind them are visible.
The tool also includes GeoJSON export so that generated layouts and assumptions can be carried into external GIS workflows, reports, internal review or further engineering discussion. The exported data is intended to preserve context, including topology mode, technical assumptions, logistics assumptions, financial assumptions and warnings.
The public substation layer is reference data only. A visible substation point does not confirm available capacity, connection rights, voltage suitability, cable route, grid acceptance or point of connection approval. Any real project must still be reviewed by competent engineers, grid specialists, planners, EPC teams, legal advisers and project finance professionals before real world decisions are made.
VENTUS created this sandbox to support better early stage thinking in solar and storage deployment. The aim is to help developers, engineers, suppliers, investors and commercial teams ask better questions before committing time, capital and contractual responsibility.
Use the sandbox as a thinking tool. Use it to test scale. Use it to compare assumptions. Use it to understand where deeper engineering begins.
The financial model is a screening layer for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) development, grid connection, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) readiness and operating asset value. It is designed to make the main commercial assumptions visible beside the physical layout, not to replace a full valuation report or investment committee model.
The energy price input is a blended screening assumption. It may represent government backed price stabilisation, a private buyer contract, merchant power exposure or a blended revenue case. Users should enter the expected captured electricity price that best reflects the project route to market.
The Operating Asset Net Present Value (NPV) input is user editable because operational value changes with contract quality, revenue certainty, merchant exposure, grid status, asset maturity, inflation, debt assumptions and investor return requirements. A project with stable long term revenue may justify a higher value assumption than a project with greater merchant exposure.
The development cost per Megawatt (MW) input is user editable because development capital at risk rises as a project moves from site identification through grid review, planning, buyer or revenue agreement review, technical design and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) readiness.
The Target Exit Value input is a screening assumption, not a promised sale value or formal valuation. It helps users test whether there may be development margin after development cost, module supply cost, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) cost, grid connection cost and owner costs.
The model deliberately avoids pretending to be a full discounted cash flow model. It is a fast comparison tool for early stage decision making. Real projects still require competent engineering, grid studies, planning review, legal review, tax review, debt sizing, revenue analysis and investment committee approval.