Photovoltaic Production Possibilities and its Utilization in Office Buildings in Finland

Abstract

Photovoltaic electricity production data was gathered during a one year period in southern Finland (Espoo, 60.11°N, 24.49°E) from each principal compass point and using several tilt angles in the south facing solar panel. The results showed that the amount of produced electricity and the optimum tilt angle of the solar panels vary greatly in this location according to the time of year. Photovoltaic production data was further applied to office equipment consumption calculations and as a result required solar panel area for each office device was calculated. Calculations were done for the least and the most consuming devices of each group. Conclusion was that the selection of office devices affects greatly to the required solar panel area, as well as to the yearly electricity bill if the electricity is bought from the grid. After this these calculated results were applied to a different geographical location that receives much more sunlight. The selected location for this comparison was Khartoum in Sudan (15.5°N, 32.5°E). Comparison between Sudan and Finland was realized using the statistical solar radiation data of NASA Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy Database and the field measurements performed in the Lighting Unit of Aalto University, Espoo in Finland. This comparison showed that during December, which is the least sunniest month in Finland, the required solar panel area in Finland was 10 times larger than the required area in Sudan. In the summer the solar radiation amounts of these two locations are more equivalent and the required solar panel area is only 1,3 times larger in Finland than in Sudan.