Comparative Performance Analysis of PV Module Positions in a Solar PV Array Under Partial Shading Conditions

The irradiation intensity is the primary catalyst for energy production in photovoltaic (PV) systems. Nevertheless, it alleviates partial shading (PS) by inhibiting power production, primarily in habitable metropolitan areas, owing to surrounding objects or high soiling rates, particularly in dry and semi-arid climates. Hence, the PV module’s location, orientation, and tilt angle significantly affect its performance and shorten its durability. Thus, this study undertakes a benchmark analysis of the two distinct panel positions’ performance using PSIM and MATLAB software simulations and an actual practical test. A visual inspection of a solar power plant in Morocco’s Green Energy Park is the origin of the survey concept; it observes that the soil density consistently covers certain PV panel spots. In this context, the solar energy data of an intelligent home deployed in the earlier-mentioned research platform has been deployed to emulate the performance of future buildings challenged with various obstacles. Therefore, the roof-mounted PV system satisfied the home’s energy demands. In the first scenario, the PV module is in portrait mode. In the second case, they are in landscape orientation. The findings of this investigation demonstrate that standard PV panels produce more power when arranged in a landscape configuration than in a portrait configuration, exhibiting a discrepancy of up to
$1010 Wh$
for a modest PV system. Finally, this study suggests appropriate orientation and design recommendations for standard and advanced solar modules, mainly those deployed in arid and heavily populated urban regions featuring severe shading constraints.