Orientation Of Solar Panels Research Articles

Impact of the type, orientation, and temperature of solar panels on observed efficiency in Latvian climate conditions

As solar panel technologies become more and more popular and are increasingly used in nearly zero-energy building solutions, one must make sure that the panels are able to achieve performance indicators similar to those determined by manufacturers under standard testing in real-world conditions. To determine the efficiency of poly- and monocrystalline panels, depending on their spatial orientation and other parameters, a set of test panels was installed in Riga, Latvia in 2018 for long-term monitoring of their power output. This article summarizes the results for the first two years. In the autumn of the second year of monitoring, temperature sensors were installed on the solar panels to study the effects of temperature on panel’s efficiency. The data show that the panel’s spatial positioning is a crucial element affecting the amount of energy produced, although the type of panels and climate conditions are also important.

Optimization of Solar Panel Tilt and Azimuth Angle for Maximum Solar Irradiation and Minimum Loss for Rural Electrification

Abstract: The earth receives solar power at a rate of 120 petawatts, meaning that the energy obtained from the sun in a single day could satisfy the world’s energy needs for almost twenty years. Africa is often considered and referred as the "Sun continent" or the continent where the Sun's influence is the greatest, yet over 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live without electricity. This inexhaustible, untapped, abundant, and environmentally friendly solar energy potential encouraged solar power generation technologies to flourish faster than any other renewable energy technology most especially in Africa. The amount of electricity generated by a fixed-tilt solar PV system depends on the orientation of the PV panel (tilt and azimuth angle) relative to the sun. The panel of a solar PV system collect solar radiation more efficiently when the sun's rays are perpendicular to the panel: when the sun hits it directly at a 90o degree angle; but the sun is a moving target. Not only does it move across the sky throughout the day, but it is higher in the sky in the dry season (winter) from October to March and lower in the sky in the wet season (summer) from April to September. Since the climate is usually characterized into two seasons, the system optimization presented in this paper was carried out based on: yearly irradiation yield (fixed tilted plane) to guarantee optimum solar irradiation throughout the year, with 0.0% loss with respect to optimum. The system eliminates the challenges associated with changing the solar panel orientation every season, or using the expensive and inefficient sun tracker in tracking sun energy; while guaranteeing higher energy production, better system performance, lower system losses, and low operational cost. The system optimization was carried out with the “PVsyst simulation software” made for PV system designers and researchers to predict the performance of different solar system configurations, evaluate the results, and identify the best approach for maximum energy production. This paper investigated the optimal tilt and azimuth angle for solar panel orientation techniques for a typical rural community in Nigeria (Ndikelionwu) to advance rural electrification. After series of simulation and optimization processes; the best yearly irradiation yield was recorded when the solar panel is at 40o tilt and 0o Azimuth angle; with 0.0% loss with respect to optimum. Keywords: Optimization, PVsyst, Solar Irradiation, Tilt and Azimuth Angle, Global on Collector Plane, Fixed Tilted Plane, Rural Electrification, Solar Panel Orientation And Yearly Irradiation Yield.

IMPROVEMENT OF A SOLAR PANEL TRACKING SYSTEM USING ADDITIONAL MASS POSITION ADJUSTMENT

This study aims to obtain an effective solar panel tracking mechanism using energy-efficient electric actuators. Furthermore, we designed and implemented a semi-active solar tracking system. A tracking system is proposed to control solar panel orientation using a moving mass, a spring system, and an actuator. The weight of the moving mass and the spring constant are optimized to reduce actuator size. A stepper motor was used for this case. This electric drive is not the prime mover of the solar tracker; hence, it works against mass elements lighter than solar panel weight as used in the active solar tracker. Experimental results suggest that the average power required by the stepper motor is 0.21% of the energy generated by the solar tracking system. The results indicate that the proposed solar panel tracker works satisfactorily to control solar panel orientation.

Investigation of orientation impact on electrical power of bifacial solar elements

Purpose. To develop the integrated mathematical model for definition of bifacial solar element rational power operation in the various operation conditions caused by orientation of solar panels and power influence. Methodology. We have proposed the method of definition of bifacial solar elements irradiation and temperature mode and also electric power production at various orientation of panels. Results. We have made analytical investigations of temperature operation conditions of solar elements and their influence on electrical power for various panels orientation in space. Features of irradiation of the forward and back parts of solar panels, conditions of a temperature operating mode and its influence on electric power production are shown. Possibilities of rational conditions of spatial panels orientation are considered. Originality. We have suggested and proved the model of definition bifacial irradiation solar panels and thermal conditions of electric power production and also rational conditions of spatial orientation of panels. Practical value. The developed by us methodology as well as results of its application, allows to choose rational architecture of a solar power station with high efficiency.

System efficiency prediction of a 1kW capacity grid-tied photovoltaic inverter

<p>This article presents the system design and prediction performance of a 1kW capacity grid-tied photovoltaic inverter applicable for low or medium-voltage electrical distri-bution networks. System parameters, for instance, the longitude and latitude of the solar plant location, panel orientation, tilt and azimuth angle calculation, feasibility testing, optimal sizing of installment are analyzed in the model and the utility is sim-ulated precisely to construct an efficient solar power plant for residential applications. In this paper, meteorological data are computed to discuss the impact of environmen-tal variables. As regards ensuring reliability and sustenance, a simulation model of the system of interest is tested in the PVsyst software package. Simulation results yield that the optimum energy injected to the national grid from the solar plant, specific pro-duction, and performance ratio are 1676kWh/year, 1552kWh/kWp/year, and 79.29% respectively. Moreover, the predicted carbon footprint reduction is 23.467 tons during the 30 years lifetime of the system. Therefore, the performance assessments affirm the effectiveness of the proposed research.</p>

Increasing the Efficiency Factor of Solar Power Plants Due to Solar Energy Localizing

The article presents an analysis of the state of development of solar energy in Europe and the Republic of Belarus for 2020. An algorithm for increasing the efficiency factor of solar power plants by localizing the solar trajectory depending on the latitude and longitude of the area has been proposed. In particular, taking into account the angle of the Sun position above the horizon and the azimuth angle of the Sun, the increase in the efficiency factor of solar power plants for the Republic of Belarus is calculated. Based on this algorithm, a program has been written that makes it possible to draw a diagram of the solar trajectory. An analysis has been made of the degree of localization of solar energy for solstice days in 6 oblast (regional) centers of the Republic of Belarus; it is found that the highest intensity of solar radiation is observed in Brest and Gomel, the average in Grodno, Minsk and Mogilev, while the lowest one – in the city of Vitebsk. A comparative analysis of the solar trajectory of the city of Berlin (Germany) with the city of Gomel and the city of Brest is carried out. Recommendations have been developed for the effective operation of solar power plants in the oblast (regional) cities of the Republic of Belarus during the year in an autonomous and combined mode of operation. The obtained numerical calculations of the solar trajectory make it possible to optimize the orientation of solar panels for permanently installed panels and for automated solar tracking systems, as well as to select the optimal configuration of the power plant equipment for any geographic area.

Method for Estimating Solar Energy Potential Based on Photogrammetry from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This study presents a method to estimate the solar energy potential based on 3D data taken from unmanned aerial devices. The solar energy potential on the roof of a building was estimated before the placement of solar panels using photogrammetric data analyzed in a geographic information system, and the predictions were compared with the data recorded after installation. The areas of the roofs were chosen using digital surface models and the hemispherical viewshed algorithm, considering how the solar radiation on the roof surface would be affected by the orientation of the surface with respect to the sun, the shade of trees, surrounding objects, topography, and the atmospheric conditions. The results show that the efficiency percentages of the panels and the data modeled by the proposed method from surface models are very similar to the theoretical efficiency of the panels. Radiation potential can be estimated from photogrammetric data and a 3D model in great detail and at low cost. This method allows the estimation of solar potential as well as the optimization of the location and orientation of solar panels.

Designing a control system for the orientation of solar panels in the dynamic simulation environment of SimInTech technical systems

The energy efficiency of solar panels is largely determined by the accuracy of their orientation to the Sun. The article presents the results of the development of a software control system for the orientation of the solar panel, depending on the geographical location and calendar date. The system model is implemented in the environment of dynamic modeling of SimInTech technical systems and includes a model of a complex of electromechanical devices for solar panel orientation, a discrete PID controller and a software control unit, which are implemented on the basis of standard SimInTech blocks and submodels. The panel orientation system allows to change the coordinates of the azimuth and location that determine the orientation of the panel in three-dimensional space and control them according to a given program. The system is implemented as a package of projects that interact through a common signal base, which provides information exchange between projects, making the system model flexible and universal. The result of the control system is presented in the 3D module of the visual editor, which allows you to visually track the results of management and the efficiency of equipment use. To confirm the quality indicators of the orientation control of the solar panel the percentage of the received energy capacity is calculated.

A simulation model of the application of the solar STAF panel heat transfer and noise reduction with and without a transparent plate: A renewable energy review

Solar energy is an affordable and environmentally friendly source of energy available in unlimited amounts. Therefore, the development of new environmentally friendly energy technologies has become crucial. The importance of increasing the application of solar technology is reflected in the development of new innovative panels using solar energy for heating, cooling as well as for electricity generation and even hydrogen production. We have designed a new innovative solar panel, currently still in the testing phase, to be integrated into the façade of the building. The solar panel consists of an absorption heat exchanger, an interior heat exchanger and insulating material between them. Numerical simulation analyses of the solar panel heat and noise transfer were based on the measurements performed. The following numerical simulation analyses were carried out: a heat transfer analysis with and without a transparent plate in front of an absorption heat exchanger, a heat transfer analysis of the interior heat exchanger, a noise reduction analysis and a heat transfer analysis regarding solar panel orientation. Moreover, other original diagrams are presented having an impact on the panel during the solar energy heat transfer, such as absorbed heat, emitted heat, convection-conduction heat, reflected heat and an efficiency diagram. The results of the analysis show that the installation of a transparent panel in front of the absorption heat exchanger reduces the panel efficiency when there is no wind and that it increases its efficiency when the wind blows. It is recommended to manufacture a STAF panel heat exchanger with two inlet and outlet pipes in order to avoid any flow-induced noise. In the event of improper orientation, the absorption capacity of solar radiation may be reduced by more than 40%.

Calculating the Energy Yield of Si-Based Solar Cells for Belgium and Vietnam Regions at Arbitrary Tilt and Orientation under Actual Weather Conditions

Predicting actual energy harvesting of a photovoltaic (PV) installation as per site-specific conditions is essential, from the customer’s point of view, to choose suitable PV technologies as well as orientations, since most PVs usually have been designed and evaluated under standard illumination. Hence, the tendency lives in the PV community to evaluate the performance on the energy yield and not purely on the efficiency. The major drawback is that weather conditions play an important role, and recording solar spectra in different orientations is an expensive and time-consuming business. We, therefore, present a model to calculate the daily, monthly and annual energy yield of Si-based PV installations included in commercial panels as well as tandem solar cells. This methodology will be used to evaluate the benefit of potential new technologies for domestic and building integrated applications. The first advantage of such a numerical model is that the orientation of solar panels and their properties can be easily varied without extra experiments. The second advantage is that this method can be transferred to other locations since it is based on a minimum of input parameters. In this paper, the energy yield of PV installations for different regions in Belgium and Vietnam will be calculated.

A visual-inertial system to determine accurate solar insolation and optimal PV panel orientation at a point and over an area

To provide the best return on investments it is often required to assess the suitability of a site for installation of solar photovoltaic panel and quantify shading and atmospheric losses. The shading analysis is generally done using light detection and ranging or 3D geographic information system-based approaches which are cost-effective only for large-scale analysis. In several cases, particularly in developing countries, LiDAR data or 3D GIS are not available. In this study, a terrestrial image-based system is developed to accurately estimate solar insolation at a place. The positions of obstructions obtained using captured images are integrated with sun position model to provide solar insolation and optimal solar panel orientation. To further refine the result, the effect of sky conditions on the obtained solar insolation is also considered at monthly and yearly scale. About 40% reduction in solar insolation is observed due to shading which rose to 51% when the atmospheric conditions were included in the analysis of the selected sites. Further, an approach to estimate solar insolation over an area using some discrete point location is also presented and demonstrated. Results from 30 sites show that the obtained error in insolation estimate over an area is within 4%.

Observation-Based Attitude Realization for Accurate Jason Satellite Orbits and Its Impact on Geodetic and Altimetry Results

For low Earth orbiting satellites, non-gravitational forces cause one of the largest perturbing accelerations. During a precise orbit determination (POD), the accurate modeling of the satellite-body attitude and solar panel orientation is important since the satellite’s effective cross-sectional area is directly related to the perturbing acceleration. Moreover, the position of tracking instruments that are mounted on the satellite body are affected by the satellite attitude. For satellites like Jason-1/-2/-3, attitude information is available in two forms—as a so-called nominal yaw steering model and as observation-based (measured by star tracking cameras) quaternions of the spacecraft body orientation and rotation angles of the solar arrays. In this study, we have developed a preprocessing procedure for publicly available satellite attitude information. We computed orbits based on Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) observations to the Jason satellites at an overall time interval of approximately 25 years, using each of the two satellite attitude representations. Based on the analysis of the orbits, we investigate the influence of using preprocessed observation-based attitude in contrast to using a nominal yaw steering model for the POD. About 75% of all orbital arcs calculated with the observation-based satellite attitude data result in a smaller root mean square (RMS) of residuals. More precisely, the resulting orbits show an improvement in the overall mission RMS of SLR observation residuals of 5.93% (Jason-1), 8.27% (Jason-2) and 4.51% (Jason-3) compared to the nominal attitude realization. Besides the satellite orbits, also the estimated station coordinates benefit from the refined attitude handling, that is, the station repeatability is clearly improved at the draconitic period. Moreover, altimetry analysis indicates a clear improvement of the single-satellite crossover differences (6%, 15%, and 16% reduction of the mean of absolute differences and 1.2%, 2.7%, and 1.3% of their standard deviations for Jason-1/-2/-3, respectively). On request, the preprocessed attitude data are available.

Impact of Solar Panel Orientation on the Integration of Solar Energy in Low-Voltage Distribution Grids

In Belgium, and many other countries, rooftop solar panels are becoming a ubiquitous form of decentralised energy production. The increasing share of these distributed installations however imposes many challenges on the operators of the low-voltage distribution grid. They must keep the voltage levels and voltage balance on their grids in check and are often regulatory required to provide sufficient reception capacity for new power producing installations. By placing solar panels in different inclinations and azimuth angles, power production profiles can possibly be shifted to align more with residential power consumption profiles. In this article, it is investigated if the orientation of solar panels can have a mitigating impact on the integration problems on residential low voltage distribution grids. An improved simulation model of a solar panel installation is constructed, which is used to simulate the impact on a residential distribution grid. To stay as close to real-life conditions as possible, real irradiation data and a model of an existing grid are used. Both the developed model as the results on grid impact are evaluated.

Methodology and software for estimating target efficiency of land remote sensing satellites at the stage of design

The paper aims to present the software developed with the purpose of estimating land remote sensing satellites and space monitoring system target efficiency indices. The essence of the approach is step-by-step simulation of the satellite orbital motion with permanent determination of the flight conditions and estimation of the satellite and the space monitoring system target parameters. Main factors affecting target efficiency are taken into consideration; they include orbital elements and the satellite coordinates variation while its orbital movement, the satellite manoeuvres in the process of its target operation, conditions of survey objects taking, characteristics of survey equipment, etc. The algorithm used is based on a number of mathematical models such as models for generating initial data on survey objects, models for choice of survey objects within the satellite swath, models for constructing land remote sensing satellites survey path, models for estimating orientation of solar cell battery panels, etc. The software has been developed in Delphi programming support environment. It enables calculation of satellites target parameters such as ground resolution, operational efficiency, surveillance frequency, productivity.

Optimization of Solar Panel Orientation Considering Temporal Volatility and Scenario-Based Photovoltaic Potential: A Case Study in Seoul National University

University campuses accommodate large numbers of people and are suitable places to organize a microgrid. The solar potential in the university area is estimated and the optimal orientation of solar panels is presented in this study. The optimal orientation is analyzed considering temporal volatility to increase the stability of the grid. Several variables are selected and scenarios are designed to consider various investments and technologies. Scenario-specific photovoltaic potentials were estimated using Geographic Information Systems analysis technology. Analysis of temporal volatility was conducted based on the difference between demand and supply of electricity. Optimal panel orientations were presented according to project objectives, such as highest efficiency or low volatility. As a result, the total potential of the study area was tens to hundreds of GWh/year depending on the scenario. The university has an advantage in hourly volatility, but has some problems in monthly volatility. The optimal orientation varies according to objectives and solar power supply ratio. The results of this study are expected to help researchers and technicians in the solar energy industry and assist in urban planning.

A climatology of solar irradiance and its controls across the United States: Implications for solar panel orientation

The National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB), which is a spatially-dense modeled dataset intended to accurately represent long-term statistics, was used to construct a 15-year climatology of variations in the direct-beam and diffuse radiation fields across the United States (US). Continental scale variations in the radiation field vary predominantly by latitude during the winter and longitude during the summer. Eight sub-regions, defined by similar climate forcing and geography, demonstrate that the largest seasonal and year-to-year variations in the diffuse-to-direct ratio are in the Northwest and Southwest, while the smallest are in the Northeast and Southeast. The year-to-year variability across the western US is attributed to large scale climate signals, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A preponderance of diffuse radiation during the summer in the Midwest, South-Central, Southeast and Northeast is demonstrated. It is suggested that harvesting procedures be tuned to accommodate this preponderance. Orienting a fraction of fixed panels to optimize the diffuse beam during the summer in these regions is suggested to increase energy yield. Adopting a seasonal and year-to-year approach in the harvesting procedure in the Northwest and Southwest that is tuned to large scale climate signals is likely to optimize harvest yield in those regions.

A METHOD FOR DETERMINING OF OPTIMAL TILT ANGLE AND ORIENTATION OF PV MODULES BASED ON MEASURED SOLAR RADIANCE DATA

For calculating and designing of photovoltaic (PV) plant, it is necessary to choose the optimal tilt angle and azimuth orientation of solar panels which will largely determine the electricity output produced by future PV plant during an operational calendar period. However, in order to determine these angles experimentally by monitoring the PV plant electricity yield at different panel’s positions, it will take many years. Therefore, it is advisable to develop a theoretical model, which a priori calculates the optimal tilt and azimuth angles of panels amounted in fixed positions. This paper assumes the maximum of the total radiation arrival per unit area on the receiving surface over the calendar period of PV plant operation as an optimization criterion for these angles. The calculation scheme has been applied for the whole year, for four year seasons and for a whole year period except winter. In the developed optimization method, the initial data are the geographical coordinates of the PV plant, the hourly sums of direct and diffuse radiation on the horizontal plane, as well as the reflectivity of the earth's surface. These data obtained by averaging the long-term measurements of the main solar radiation components are experimental ones. The developed computational scheme is based on nonlinear equations for the optimal tilt angles of panels first obtained for anisotropic solar radiation models. This scheme allows us to calculate the optimal panel angles for any operational PV plant period and for any region for which experimental radiation data are available. As the examples, we have calculated the graphs of the average daily radiation arrival dependencies on the panel’s position angles and have determined the optimal fixed tilt and azimuth angles for six cities of Russia located in different climatic zones. The method allows us to evaluate the gain in the electricity yield of PV plant when choosing the optimum tilt angles and azimuth of the panels, and to a djust the tilt angles to the optimum values for each season if this is envisaged by the PV string design.

Spatiotemporal indicators of solar energy potential in the Guiana Shield using GOES images

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the potential for solar energy in the Guiana Shield and propose indicators to encourage the exploitation of solar energy systems in this area. For this, we use the Heliosat-2 optimized method to process images from the geostationary meteorological satellite GOES acquired in the period from April 2010 to July 2015. We calculated the average daily global horizontal irradiation (GHI) and direct normal irradiation (DNI) throughout the study period. The results obtained allowed us to establish four indicators: maps of production potential, the inter-day variability of DNI and GHI, maps of solar panel orientation related to maximum solar potential, and maps of areas where the solar resource is under the exploitable potential threshold. We also added an additional indicator, the suitability of areas for solar system installation depending on the ground slope. Our study shows that the average value of production potential for the entire Guiana Shield is approximately 1780 kWh.kWc−1.year−1 for GHI and 2040 kWh.kWc−1.year−1 for DNI. Comparisons with pyranometer measurements indicate an error relative bias of less than 2% and a relative RMSE of less than 21% for hourly estimates of GHI. Although the Guiana Shield region is covered by many clouds, few areas show insufficient solar potential for the exploitation of GHI and DNI, but the hilly nature of the area limits possible locations of very large power plants and instead favors more medium-sized plants. This is the first study that offers exploitability indicators for solar resources in the Guiana Shield. In conclusion, the established indicators provide a new perspective on the solar potential in the Guiana Shield and are expected to promote the development of new solar energy operating systems.

Fuzzy rule-based model for optimum orientation of solar panels using satellite image processing

In solar energy converting systems, a particular attention is paid to the orientation of solar collectors in order to optimize the overall system efficiency. In this context, the collectors can be fixed or oriented by a continuous solar tracking system. The proposed approach is based on METEOSAT images processing in order to detect the cloud coverage and its duration. These two parameters are treated by a fuzzy inference system deciding the optimal position of the solar panel. In fact, three weather cases can be considered: clear, partly covered or overcast sky. In the first case, the direct sunlight is more important than the diffuse radiation, thus the panel is always pointed towards the sun. In the overcast case, the solar beam is close to zero and the panel is placed horizontally to receive the diffuse radiation. Under partly covered conditions, the fuzzy inference system decides which of the previous positions is more efficient. The proposed approach is implemented using experimental prototype located in Perpignan (France). On a period of 17 months, the results are very satisfactory, with power gains of up to 23 % compared to the collectors oriented by a continuous solar tracking.

Spectral Measurements of Geosynchronous Satellites During Glint Season

Operational communication geosynchronous satellites are typically large structures with solar panels that maintain a stable attitude relative to the Earth and Sun. During the equinox periods, the geometry of the satellite, the sun, and an Earth observer is favorable for a condition to occur called a glint, or a specular reflection off the satellite. It is presumed that the glint is caused by the solar panels because those structures are solar oriented. This phenomenon was previously observed and reported using broadband photometry techniques. In this paper, glint observations from two satellites are presented, Wildblue-1 and DirecTV-12, as measured across the visible spectrum using slitless spectroscopy techniques. It is clear from the results that the wavelength where the glint maximum occurs is shifted toward the blue or shorter wavelength end of the spectrum relative to the time periods before and after the glint. It is also clear from the data that the spectral reflectance during the glint is less like a blackbody compared to spectra before and after the glint. This is consistent with the presumption that the solar panels are the main cause of the satellite glint. These results indicate spectral measurements may offer the ability to discern satellite features such as solar panel orientation and relative or potentially absolute power capacity.