Optimal Arrangement of Photovoltaic Panels Coupled with Electrochemical Storages

Abstract The ideal orientation of PV panels is a widely debated topic. However, the relevant decrease in photovoltaic (PV) system costs and their consequent rapid spread are moving the attention from the achievement of the maximum areal electricity generation to a PV generation profile in agreement with building energy needs. In fact, national subsidies are going to promote electricity self–consumption in PV systems, in order to avoid imbalances in the grid, already relevant at the present market status, i.e. with a still low share of PV in national yearly electricity generation. For all of these reasons, in the next years PV systems will not be designed just to generate the amount of electricity as high as possible, but even to limit electricity exportation from the building perspective. Thus, orientations and PV configurations with lower electricity generation might be preferred, if they allow the user to achieve a higher degree of electricity self-consumption. Of course, in the achievement of this aim, the PV systems will be supported by electrochemical storages as well. This paper shows the analysis of various configurations of PV systems supported by electrochemical storages, aiming at the increase of electricity self-consumption, considering two Italian climates: Venice, in the northeast (Latitude: 45° 26’ N), and Trapani, in southern Italy (Latitude: 38° 01’ N). As regards the detailed simulation of the PV system, the analysis took advantage of program Ener_Lux, while the building energy system was simulated via EnergyPlus.