A note of investigation on the impact of circumsolar radiation shading of photovoltaic modules

Abstract

Photovoltaic modules (PVMs) experience reduced power generation when solar radiation is shaded outdoors. Solar radiation consists of solar disk and circumsolar radiation. Most solar radiation energy is concentrated in the solar disk. However, high aerosol concentration can shift some solar disk radiation to the circumsolar region. Under these conditions, circumsolar radiation shading becomes significant and should not be overlooked. This study experiments on circumsolar radiation shading under varying aerosol concentration. By recording irradiance, surface temperature distribution, and power changes, we found that under high circumsolar radiation, the photovoltaic output declined without distinct shadows forming.