Photovoltaic module stowing during diffuse light conditions
AssigneeArray Tech, Inc.
InventorsKyumin Lee, Kendra Passow, Daniel Fusaro, John Moseley, Sanket Shah
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Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure address problems experienced in conventional tracking systems, including problems associated with inefficiencies created during diffuse light conditions. Embodiments disclosed herein address this problem by altering an angular orientation of PV modules during diffuse light conditions to ensure that the PV modules are in a position that more efficiently generates energy from diffuse irradiance.
Claims20
A method for stowing photovoltaic (PV) modules during diffuse light conditions, the method comprising:
- determining, based on data collected by a sensor, a global horizontal irradiance (GHI) for a location of a solar tracking system at a specified time;
- determining, by a computer and based on the GHI, a first plane-of-array (POA) irradiance for a PV module in the solar tracking system at a normal tracking position at the specified time, wherein the first POA irradiance is estimated by decomposing the GHI into direct and diffuse components and transposing the direct and diffuse components for a first plane parallel to the PV module at the normal tracking position;
- and
- determining, by the computer and based on the GHI, a second POA irradiance for the PV module in the solar tracking system at a diffuse-stow position at the specified time, wherein the second POA irradiance is estimated by transposing the direct and diffuse components for a second plane parallel to the PV module at the diffuse-stow position;
- comparing, by the computer, the first POA irradiance with the second POA irradiance to identify an irradiance gain at the diffuse-stow position;
- and
- placing the PV module into the diffuse-stow position based upon a determination that the irradiance gain exceeds a gain threshold.
A method for stowing photovoltaic (PV) modules during diffuse light conditions, the method comprising:
- determining, based on data collected by a sensor, a global horizontal irradiance (GHI) for a location of a solar tracking system at a specified time;
- determining, by a computer and based on the GHI, a first plane-of-array (POA) irradiance for a PV module in the solar tracking system at a normal tracking position at the specified time;
- and
- determining, by the computer and based on the GHI, a second POA irradiance for the PV module in the solar tracking system at a diffuse-stow position at the specified time;
- comparing, by the computer, the first POA irradiance with the second POA irradiance to identify an irradiance gain at the diffuse-stow position;
- determining a difference between a maximum GHI and a minimum GHI over a period of time prior to the specified time;
- and
- placing the PV module into the diffuse-stow position based upon a determination that the irradiance gain exceeds a gain threshold, wherein the placing of the PV module into the diffuse-stow position is also based on a determination that the difference between a maximum GHI and a minimum GHI does not exceed a variability threshold.
A method for stowing photovoltaic (PV) modules during diffuse light conditions, the method comprising:
- determining, based on data collected by a sensor, a global horizontal irradiance (GHI) for a location of a solar tracking system at a specified time;
- determining, by a computer and based on the GHI, a first plane-of-array (POA) irradiance for a PV module in the solar tracking system at a normal tracking position at the specified time wherein the first POA irradiance is estimated by decomposing the GHI into direct and diffuse components and transposing the direct and diffuse components for a first plane parallel to the PV module at the normal tracking position;
- and
- determining, by the computer and based on the GHI, a second POA irradiance for the PV module in the solar tracking system at a diffuse-stow position at the specified time, wherein the second POA irradiance is estimated to be the same as the GHI;
- comparing, by the computer, the first POA irradiance with the second POA irradiance to identify an irradiance gain at the diffuse-stow position;
- and
- placing the PV module into the diffuse-stow position based upon a determination that the irradiance gain exceeds a gain threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.