Optimum azimuth and inclination angle of BIPV panel owing to different factors influencing the shadow of adjacent building

Abstract

Abstract In the present numerical investigation, optimum azimuth and inclination angle of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system are determined due to the adverse shadow effect caused by the adjacent buildings. The factors which influence this shadow are the relative height of the building with reference to BIPV panel, plan area/orientation of the building and horizontal distance of the building from the BIPV panel. HDKR (Hay, Davies, Klucher and Reindl) anisotropic model, encompassing a shadow analysis model, is employed to determine the solar irradiation values. This model involves both shading coefficient and sky-view factor for the accurate evaluation of irradiation values due to shadow caused by the adjacent building. To determine the shading coefficient, the projection of the adjacent building is superimposed over the sun path diagram and the sky view factor is calculated by integrating the sky-trapped curve plotted for any given inclination angle of the BIPV panel Results show that the BIPV panel with optimum azimuth and inclination angle generates significantly higher irradiation as compared to the south-faced BIPV panel having an inclination angle equal to the latitude of the studied location.