Identifying Influential Factors Affecting the Shading of a Solar Panel

Photovoltaic (PV) systems produce less energy when operating under shadings. PV planners need to identify important factors affecting the shadings to forecast power generations in various ambient conditions. Using a case study, we show that overlooking the impact of an environmental factor, herein snowfalls, will result in overestimations in the power forecasting. In this paper, we study the context of the shading from different perspectives and introduce parameters that can affect the duration and severity of shading conditions. To identify key notions of the shading and important factors involved, we implement a literature review and include experts’ knowledge by exploring PV planning tools and conducting a survey in the sector of solar energy. The identified factors can be used to develop a knowledge-based model representing key concepts associated with shading conditions. In addition, the identification of important factors affecting the duration and severity of shading conditions addresses new research domains that need to be explored in the field of PV shading and power estimation.