Speaker
Description
Rural building clusters hold significant prospects for solar energy applications. However, the unclear impact of building shading on solar energy potential impedes their effective utilization. To address this challenge, we conducted case studies in three villages with diverse topographies in Nanjing. Utilizing a 12.5 m resolution digital elevation model (DEM), 3D building models, and hourly radiation simulations, we investigated the annual accumulated solar irradiance on the surfaces of these villages, both with and without considering building shading. The results showed that building shading has a more substantial impact on the potential of facades than on rooftops. Without considering shading, the façade annual accumulated solar radiation is 31.1%-55.5% higher than when shading is taken into account. While for rooftops, this ratio is only 3.5%-6.0%. Among different oriented surfaces, west-facing rooftops and facades are the most sensitive. Neglecting building shading leads to overestimations of 13.2%-20.8% and 36.7%-84.8% for the solar irradiance on these two types of surfaces, respectively. Furthermore, topography variation would not affect the impact of building shading on solar radiation distribution. This study contributes to a more accurate assessment of solar energy potential in rural areas, which is vital for constructing a sustainable society.
