THE USE OF 3D MODELS IN THE SHADING ANALYSIS OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES IN PVSYST SOFTWARE

Abstract

Among the renewable energy sources such as wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, and tidal energy, photovoltaic solar energy is the one that best suits buildings, both commercial and residential, from large to smaller houses, as it is easy to install compared to others, besides being an efficient, silent, and sustainable electricity generation system. The modules can be installed in remote locations and urban areas as well, directly integrated into buildings. The main factor affecting the performance of photovoltaic power plants is shading caused by objects like vegetation, surrounding buildings, poles, and slopes, among others. Based on this, the objective of this study was to assess the potential for electricity generation by analyzing the presence or absence of shading in the photovoltaic power plant at the Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim Campus. Topographic data were used to locate the power plant and identify potential shading, and the software programs SketchUp and PVsyst were used to analyze losses through three-dimensional modeling. The ground-mounted power plant consists of 4 inverters of 100 kW, with 252 modules connected to inverters 1, 2, and 3, and 248 modules connected to inverter 4, totaling 1004 modules of 405 Wp. Rows, strings, and modules that potentially received shading were identified to mitigate loss sources. The results showed that shading of the modules occurred in restricted areas and only in the early morning and late afternoon. The annual loss diagram from PVsyst indicated losses of approximately 1.5% with nearby shadows. Using data related to the dynamic behavior of voltage and current of the strings and their I-V curve, it was impossible to conclude that shading influenced or caused deviations in the I-V curve.