Design Considerations for Large Roof-integrated Photovoltaic Arrays

✍ Scribed by Michael E. Ropp; Miroslav Begovic; Ajeet Rohatgi; Richard Long

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 330 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1062-7995
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(199701/02)5:1<55::aid-pip156>3.0.co;2-2

✦ Synopsis

This paper describes calculations and modeling used in the design of the photovoltaic (PV) array built on the roof of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, the aquatic sports venue for the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The software package PVFORM (version 3.3) was extensively utilized; because of its importance to this work, it is thoroughly reviewed here. Procedures required to adapt PVFORM to this particular installation are described. The expected behavior and performance of the system, including maximum power output, annual energy output and maximum expected temperature, are then presented, and the use of this information in making informed design decisions is described. Finally, since the orientation of the PV array is not optimal, the eect of the unoptimized array orientation on the system's performance is quanti®ed.