Energy Yield
============

For PV systems, SAM reports the ratio of the system's annual AC electric output in Year one to it's nameplate DC capacity:

*Energy Yield (kWh/kW) = Annual Energy (AC kWh) ÷ Nameplate Capacity (DC kW)*

Where *Annual Energy* is the total annual electric generation in the first year of operation, and *Nameplate Capacity* is the system's DC nameplate capacity from the :doc:`System Size<../detailed-photovoltaic-model/pv_system_size>` page for the detailed photovoltaic model and the :doc:`System Design <../pvwatts/pvwatts_system_design>` page for the PVWatts model.

.. note:: The term "energy yield" is sometimes used to describe the total annual electrical output of a power system in kWh, and terms like "specific yield," or "yield" are used for the kWh/kW metric. In SAM, "annual energy" refers to the total annual electrical output in kWh and "energy yield" is the kWh/kW metric.