Name- Anmoldeep Singh

Student id – 8901835

Laboratory Manual

TECH8015: Photovoltaic Grid Design

Lab 1 – RETScreen Site Analysis

Rev: December 2021

 Table of Contents

Contents
Table of Contents..................................................................................................................................1
Lab 1: Study and analysis of PV configurations using RETScreen...........................................................2
Objective...........................................................................................................................................2
Apparatus..........................................................................................................................................2
Required Preparation........................................................................................................................2
Procedures.........................................................................................................................................2
Task 1: Calculate the annual solar radiation (MWh/m2) on a horizontal surface..........................2
Task 2: Find the optimum tilt angle of a fixed PV array at which the annual solar radiation is
maximum, and the PV array is facing due south............................................................................3
Task 3. Utilizing the methodology used in previous tasks, answer the following questions:.........3
Expected Outcomes...........................................................................................................................5
Report Submission Instructions.........................................................................................................5

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 Lab 1: Study and analysis of PV configurations using RETScreen
Objective
Determine the solar energy resource and the expected annual energy production at a given location
utilizing RETScreen software.

Apparatus
 RETScreen software

Required Preparation
Select a location where you would like to perform this analysis and determine the GPS coordinates
for that location.

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 Toronto City Hall
100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Gps coordinates: - 43.65360679602843, -79.38413301551246

Procedures
Task 1: Calculate the annual solar radiation (MWh/m2) on a horizontal surface

Step 1: Open RETScreen and click on “Feasibility”, under analysis type

Step 2: Select a location for your facility
Step 3: Note down the “Daily solar radiation – horizontal” column in the chart to determine the
average daily insolation on a horizontal surface at your site location. Using this value, determine the
total annual solar radiation (or insolation) on a horizontal surface at your site location.

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Task 2: Find the optimum tilt angle of a fixed PV array at which the annual solar radiation is
maximum, and the PV array is facing due south

Step 1: Click on “Go to: Facility” at bottom of page

Step 2: Select Power Plant, and Photovoltaic for “Facility type” and “Type”. Fill in the fields for
“Facility Information”.
Step 3: Click on “Go to: Energy” at bottom of page
Step 4: Click on “Power” button along top bar, and add “Photovoltaic”. Select “Level 2” in the fields
that show up.
Step 5: Under “Resource Assessment”, set “Solar tracking mode” to “Fixed”, and “Azimuth” to 0. For
the “Slope”, you will try different values until you find one that yields your maximum annual solar
radiation (or insolation) in MWh/m2. In order to see the maximum annual solar radiation, click on
“Show Data” to display the monthly table, along with annual values.
Record the optimum tilt angle, and the maximum annual solar radiation:

Tilt angle 28-36 (3.98 Daily solar radiation – tilted KWh/m2/d)

Annual Solar radiation – tilted 1.45 MWh/m2

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Task 3. Utilizing the methodology used in previous tasks, answer the following questions:

Question 1: Calculate the annual solar radiation (MWh/m 2) at an optimum tilt angle of a fixed PV
system facing 30° west of due south. What is the new optimum tilt angle? What is the maximum
solar radiation? How do these results compare with the results from the previous task, when the
system is facing south?

Answer:

Tilt angle 30 (3.91 Daily solar radiation- tilted KWh/m2/d)

Annual solar radiation -tilted 1.43 MWh/m2

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 Question 2: Find the optimum tilt angle of a fixed PV array at which the solar radiation for summer
months (June, July, August) is maximum and the PV array is facing due south. Record the tilt angle,
and the total annual solar insolation at this angle. Next, find the optimum tilt angle of a fixed PV
array at which the solar radiation for winter months (December, January, February) is maximum
and the PV array is facing due south. Record this tilt angle, and the associated total annual solar
insolation as well. Compare and discuss these two results.

Answer:

Summer – Tilt angle 12 (3.83 Daily Solar Radiation- tilted KWh/m2/d), Azimuth 0

 In summer, the sun takes a higher path across the sky. This means that sunlight arrives at a
steeper angle to the horizontal plane. If solar panels are tilted at a lower angle, they are
more aligned with the incoming sunlight during summer, capturing more solar radiation.

 A lower tilt angle reduces the shading effect of the panels on each other, as sunlight comes
in at a steeper angle. This is particularly advantageous for maximizing solar radiation during
the longer days of summer.

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 Winter- Tilt angle 71 (3.38 Daily solar radiation – tilted KWh/m2/d), Azimuth 0

 In winter, the sun takes a lower path across the sky, resulting in sunlight arriving at a
shallower angle to the horizontal plane. Tilted solar panels can capture more sunlight
when they are oriented at a higher angle in relation to the winter sun's path.

 A higher tilt angle in winter helps to minimize the impact of lower sun angles, allowing the
solar panels to receive more direct sunlight and thus increasing the solar radiation
captured during the shorter days of winter.

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 Question 3: Calculate the annual solar radiation for a tracked (one axis, two axis and azimuth) PV
system under the following conditions:

i) one axis tracking with PV array tilt angle of the latitude of your site
ii) two axis tracking
iii) azimuth tracking with optimum PV array tilt angle

Compare and discuss these results

Answer 3:

i) Annual solar radiation (one axis tracking with PV array tilt angle of the latitude of the site) = 1.82 MWh/m2

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ii) Annual solar radiation (two axis tracking) = 1.89 MWh/m2

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iii) Annual solar radiation (azimuth tracking with optimum PV array tilt angle) = 1.81 MWh/m2

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Question 4: Determine the PV system capacity factor, and the total electricity exported to the grid
under the following conditions:

 Fixed panels (no tracking)

 Optimum tilt angle for maximum annual solar insolation
 Azimuth = 0
 Using 20 x Helios mono-Si 6T 250W panels
 Ignoring bifacial cell adjustment factor (set at 0%)
 Miscellaneous losses (under PV category) of 6%
 Inverter efficiency of 97%
 Inverter capacity of 5kW
 Ignoring miscellaneous losses (under Inverter category) (set at 0%)

Answer: PV system capacity factor = 14.9%

The total electricity exported to the grid = 6.526MWh

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Expected Outcomes

By following the procedures listed above you should have observed the effect of tilt angles, azimuth
angles, and tracking systems on the total amount of insolation that can be captured by a PV system,
as well as how some these factors can have different impacts on insolation during the different
seasons.

Report Submission Instructions

Submit your lab report on eConestoga under Lab 1 assignment. Your report for this lab is due at
11:30p.m. Friday evening in week 4.

While you may discuss with others how to approach the assignments, the work you submit must be
your own. Please note that your submissions will be checked for originality by Turnitin. Submitting
an unoriginal work and plagiarism is an academic offence that will not be tolerated. A range of
penalties may be applied based on whether it is a first or subsequent offence and on the severity
from a grade deduction to suspension from the College. Please review the College's Academic
Integrity Policy for more information.

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