[Greenbuilding] Electrical line shading of solar PV modules

Gordon Howell -- Howell Mayhew Engineering ghowell at hme.ca
Mon Apr 4 10:22:35 CDT 2011


Thanks for your question Eli:

It doesn't appear that the electrical lines would be a significant 
issue.  They are likely smaller than the sun's disc.

If you use Enphase module-inverters (one inverter for each PV module) 
then any shaded module wouldn't affect the PV array's performance, 
because each PV string is a PV module.

To clarify:  the industry term that is an internationally-recognised 
standard for PV modules is "module", not collector, not panel.  See 
attached file for pictoral description.

+Gordon Howell

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gordon Howell, P.Eng.
Grid-Connected Solar PV Electric Systems
Design, Development, Supply, Commission,
Performance Monitoring

Howell-Mayhew Engineering, Inc.
Edmonton
Phone : +1 780 484 0476
E-mail: ghowell at hme.ca
Web   : www.hme.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




>Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 23:57:51 -0400
>From: "elitalking" <elitalking at rockbridge.net>
>To: "listserv Green Building new"
>         <greenbuilding at lists.bioenergylists.org>
>Subject: [Greenbuilding] Power Line Shading of Photovoltaic Collectors
>
>I am evaluating a site to install photovoltaics.  I am aware that 
>there is a big penalty for partial shading.  The potential location 
>that is without obstructions almost all the time between 9am - 3pm 
>all year, except for 5 power lines.  The poles do not shadow the 
>potential collectors.  Is that enough to significantly reduce 
>performance.  Otherwise, the location is excellent for the other 
>more solid obstructions like trees and buildings.
>
>Thanks for your consideration.
>Eli
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