Session: 17-01: Poster Presentations

Paper Number: 164629

164629 - Shading Impacts on the Abernethy Physical Education Center Photovoltaic System: A Case Study of Catawba College Campus 

Abstract: 

In 2015, Catawba College celebrated the completion of their massive solar project. A total of 3,044 modules were installed across the campus, and they have since produced 6,952,535 kWh. The project was an enormous step forward in terms of sustainability for the college and set a precedent for other colleges and universities across the country, especially in North Carolina. Of the installation projects the Abernethy Physical Education Center is the biggest producer of solar electricity generating about one-third of the total energy production with about one-third of all of the modules found on campus on its roof. However, we believe that those panels may not be exercising their full potential. Using a combination of System Advisor Model (SAM) simulations and Solar Pathfinder shading measurements, we created estimates of other potential tilt angles to determine if changes should be made if the project was ever remodeled.

For this experiment, we focused on the north section of the Abernathy P.E. Center installation. The section is made up of 276 SunPower SPR-E20-327-COM fixed-angle modules and 12 Solectria PVI-23TL-480 inverters, which are divided into three sub-arrays. Every module is set to a tilt angle of 10 degrees facing South. At 10 degrees, the modules are optimized for the summer months, which is not the best fit for the standard academic schedule of most colleges, as a significant proportion of the faculty and students are away from the campus for those months. Our goal in testing is to see if there is an alternate angle that would collect more solar energy, especially in the winter months.

On a clear sunny day in the Fall of 2024, using a Solar Pathfinder, we collected shading and parametric data (e.g., number of modules, number of inverters, actual tilt and azimuth angle of modules, etc.). Shading data was processed using the associated Solar Pathfinder software, using climate data sourced from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport weather station. Three reports were generated with tilt angles at 10°, 35° (ideal), and 50°. The reports showed that the ideal was the most efficient at 92.10% of the potential solar energy, and 10° was the least efficient at 87.90%. The data, before being exported into SAM, was split into subarrays to allow for more detailed analysis. Once in SAM, total energy production for each tilt angle was simulated without accounting for self-shading.

After analysis, we found that there was a 5.51% increase in annual energy yield when using the ideal over the 10° tilt and that there was a 17.14% increase in yield during the winter months when using the 50° tilt (16.37% for ideal) over the 10° tilt angle. Based on our findings, we conclude that if the solar installation on top of the Abernathy P.E. Center were to be remodeled, those in charge should seriously consider increasing the current tilt angle of the modules to 35° or the ideal to improve overall performance. If practicality was considered over overall gain an increase of the tilt angle to 50° should be considered to supply more usable electricity during the most demanding months.

Presenting Author: Bahy Abdelmesih Catawba College

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Bahy Abdelmesih is an assistant professor of energy, innovation, and sustainable technology. He joined the Department of Environment and Sustainability (ENV) at Catawba College (Salisbury, NC) in 2022. He completed his Ph.D. in Solar energy at University of Lleida in Spain and his MSc. degree in renewable energy from University of Oldenburg in Germany. As an undergraduate, he holds a BSc. degree in Physics from the American University in Cairo in Egypt. His research interests are PV performance optimization, wind energy data modeling, and seawater desalination using renewable energy technologies.