Towards Optimizing Solar PV Collector Deployment in Inter-Row-Shaded Arrays
Abstract
In this study a method of determining optimal geometric deployment parameters for solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays is presented. The Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) is selected as the objective function to minimize in specifying optimal row spacing and tilt angle of collectors in a multi-row solar PV array. Optimum specifications for the row spacing (characterized by the dimensionless quantity S/L) and plane tilt angle are obtained for different field-collector cost ratios, Cf/Cc. The optimum values of row spacing and tilt are found at the points of minimum LCOE for each of the Cf/Cc values. A design chart that can be used to directly determine the optimum S/L and tilt angle values was produced using data computed through the industry-standard PV simulation program, PVSyst, for the case of a 1MW solar PV plant located at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. An estimate of the land area required to optimally deploy a Solar PV plant can also be directly determined from this design chart, which gives the hectares per MWp required for optimal design specifications. Key Words: Inter-row shading, economical deployment, normalized row spacing, field-to-collector cost ratio, optimum tilt angle, Levelized Cost of Energy