Investigation of indirect benefits of PV rooftop in Thailand

Abstract

Other than electricity generation, which is the direct benefit of PV rooftop, cooling load reduction due to PV shading is a benefit impact in the uses of PV rooftop. This report is a study of those indirect benefits of PV rooftop. Relation of shading of PV modules and reduction of cooling load was studied in a real testing cite at the office building of CES Solar Cell Testing Center (CSSC). Several data, i.e. solar radiation, rooftop temperatures before/after PV-panel installation, and electricity consumed by equipment, were monitored and collected. This data could be further estimated for cooling load via transient heat conduction approach.