Experimental Verification of the Sky View Factor Model in Multiple-Row Photovoltaic Fields

Abstract

Abstract In multiple rows of photovoltaic fields, the rows may be installed with several modules placed along the row width. The verification of the sky view factor model pertains to the second and subsequent rows. Photovoltaic (PV) modules along the row width experience uneven incident diffuse radiation caused by differences in the sky view factor of the modules. The present experimental study verifies first the sky view factor model, and second shows the differences in output power of the PV modules (affected by the sky view factors) placed in different locations along the width of the second row. This work complements the theoretical previous work and emphasizes the importance of the incident diffuse radiation, associated with the sky view factor, on the energy loss of the PV field. Two rows deployed with PV modules were tested on the laboratory roof for several days for different inclination angles and distances between rows. The results show that a top module on a row may generate 8% more power than a bottom module at noontime. The findings of this experimental study have technical significance in designing PV systems.