Analysis of Configurations for Photovoltaic Solar Energy Production Using Agent-Based Simulation

Abstract

To configure a photovoltaic solar energy production plant the circumstances of a site play an important role. A site usually consists a number of specific locations that can be considered ideal (no shadow, perfect southward position, optimal vertical angle). However, much more often locations in a site are not ideal, to an extent that both depends on time of the year and time of the day. An important issue for decision making then is how much loss in efficiency a specific location will entail. In this paper this is analysed by an agent-based simulation method. Here photovoltaic modules with micro-inverters are conceptualised as autonomous energy producing agents, which are monitored by a central monitoring agent which also interacts with a user via a local and a global Web-based interface agent. The presented approach provides an analysis of the different locations at a site by simulating the agents over one full year with time steps of half an hour per day. The outcome of such a simulation provides an overview of the loss of efficiency for each of the locations depending on its characteristics with respect to shadow, orientation and vertical angle.