Solar photovoltaic optimization for commercial flat rooftops in cold regions

Solar photovoltaic systems are becoming increasingly popular as industries try to decrease their carbon footprint. This paper presents a generic optimization framework and examines a case study where a flat rooftop located in Edmonton, Alberta is investigated for the installation of a photovoltaic array. The objectives of this study are to maximize power generation while minimizing the system cost. This case study represents a proposed generic framework that fulfills this optimization problem. Solar power generation per month is forecasted using historical generation data. Panels can be installed at different tilt angles and varying inter-row spacing in order to achieve the optimal design. Designing an effective layout is important when installing solar panels, as the increased shade coverage or the wide variation from the normal angle of the sun can result in a loss of energy generation. The capital cost and payback period for the investment are also important factors when determining whether or not a photovoltaic system layout (inter-row spacing, tilt angle, etc.) is considered optimal. Analytic hierarchy process is used to weigh the decision factors and determine the optimal layout.