Sensitivity analysis of the shading effects from obstructions at different positions on solar photovoltaic panels

Abstract

The solar radiation received by PV panels is often affected by neighboring shading objects, such as the surrounding terrain and adjacent buildings. Based on the dynamic spatial relationships among shading objects, the PV panel, and the sun, this research develops a method to quantify shading effects on solar radiation received by PV panels due to obstructions at different positions. By calculating the shading rates of direct and diffuse radiation, the sensitivities of PV panel's shading effects to various positions of 1080 shading blocks at sky dome are determined. It was found that the most sensitive areas of the PV panel's solar radiation shading rates were in the south, but their altitude angles varied greatly. With latitudes of 0°, 30°, and 60°, the maximum sensitivities of the direct and the diffuse radiation shading rates were found to be 1.21 % and 0.32 %, 1.69 % and 0.64 %, and 1.88 % and 1.05 %, respectively. The research offers a new approach to easily identify different sensitive shading areas of the direct and diffuse shading rates, which could provide theoretical supports for PV system planning, site selection, and layout optimization under diverse shading conditions.