SOLAR SITE ANALYSIS
The first step to a good solar installation is the site analysis. What is the available solar
irradiation at the site? Is a good northern exposure available without significant shading? Are the
roof angle, surface area, and orientation adequate to capture a significant amount of the radiation?
What are the economics and incentives available for the customer? These are a few of the
questions that must be addressed before moving forward on a solar installation.
These questions are answered with a site visit and evaluation. Orientation and shading issues can
be evaluated manually with geometric and trigonometric tools. A tape measure, compass, and
inclinometer are the tools necessary to plot the PV array orientation and shading obstructions.
Measure the distance, height, and outline of trees, buildings, and all possible shading objects
from the proposed location of the PV array. For a large array, these measurements should be
made from several locations where the lowest modules may be mounted. The solar chart for the
appropriate latitude will provide a good approximation of solar angles and hours of solar
radiation. By plotting shading objects on the solar chart, estimates of shading time and array
coverage are calculated. For each month of the year, determine total available irradiation and
estimate the percentage of shading times. The result is summed into an annual prediction of
energy output for the array at optimal tilt and orientation. The next step is to determine the actual
tilt and orientation of the array and reduce the predicted output by an appropriate derating factor.
The final calculation of predicted output incorporates the efficiency of the modules, the inverter
efficiency, and a derating factor for all wiring.
A universal tool most solar designers and installers use is the PVWatts program available online
from NREL (see http://www.nrel.gov/rredc/ pvwatts). The PVWatts program provides available
solar radiation data based on historical data. Program inputs are latitude and longitude, tilt angle,
orientation, and derating factors for equipment and wiring. Additionally, the designer must lower
the prediction if there are shading issues. The program output is conservative, and may be
increased by changing the default derating factors.
Many other tools beyond those mentioned earlier (Solar Pathfinder, Google Earth, and SketchUp)
are available to assist with site evaluation and integration of shading information. The SunEye™
by Solmetric will electronically evaluate a site and generate an accurate energy evaluation of the
potential site. Solmetric also developed an application (app) for the iPhone® that is much less
expensive, but does not have the accuracy of the SunEye or other similar instruments. The
iPhone app (Solmetric iPV) relies on the camera function, compass (3GS), and inclinometer built
into the iPhone. The user manually scans the horizon and obstructions, using the camera function
as a siting tool and the inclinometer to measure the object’s angle above the horizon (object-
altitude angle). A digital recording is made of the object-altitude angles versus the azimuth angle.
This recording is the shade outline, which is then plotted on the solar chart for the site location.
Solar chart data are obtained automatically by the program by using a GPS and looking up solar
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radiation information from the nearest weather station. The program analyzes these data and
creates a monthly and annual report of predicted energy output for the array. The array may be
fixed, one-axis, or dual-axis. The program also incorporates efficiency and capacity information
for many types of inverters and PV panels.
