Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods

Photovoltaic utilization is a key strategy for advancing global carbon neutrality goals, as many countries strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The integration of photovoltaic technology in buildings is becoming increasingly widespread across the world, with distributed photovoltaic systems, s...

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Main Authors: Wenheng Zheng, Huihui He, Fuyu Qin, Yuncheng Lan, Yingde Yin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025003779
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author Wenheng Zheng
Huihui He
Fuyu Qin
Yuncheng Lan
Yingde Yin
author_facet Wenheng Zheng
Huihui He
Fuyu Qin
Yuncheng Lan
Yingde Yin
author_sort Wenheng Zheng
collection DOAJ
description Photovoltaic utilization is a key strategy for advancing global carbon neutrality goals, as many countries strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The integration of photovoltaic technology in buildings is becoming increasingly widespread across the world, with distributed photovoltaic systems, such as rooftop installations, demonstrating significant potential for development. However, there is relatively little research on the thermal and energy-saving benefits of photovoltaic roofs, especially regarding the influence of overhead height and tilt angle on thermal and electrical performance. Therefore, this paper established a simulated model to investigate the impact of various overhead heights and tilt angles of photovoltaic modules on thermal and electrical performance, as well as energy-saving benefits. Meanwhile, an experimental system was constructed to validate the model's accuracy, with the RMSE below 3.0 and the MAPE within 10 %. The results indicate that adjusting the overhead height slightly affects the daily cooling load difference between conventional and photovoltaic roofs, with negligible impact on overall energy-saving efficiency (less than 0.2 %). Notably, the power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency of parallel overhead photovoltaic roofs are optimal in summer, with values of 307.2 W/m2 and 18.8 %, respectively. However, the power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency of parallel overhead photovoltaic roofs are the worst in winter. The optimal power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency are achieved with a 20° tilt angle throughout the year, with values of 79.4 kW·h/m2 and 25.5 %, respectively. As the tilt angle increases, the energy-saving performance decreases. The results of this paper can provide a reference for the design and optimization of photovoltaic roofs.
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issn 2590-1230
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spelling doaj-art-325ac5829ae7471d8f0e58044e2e57662025-02-11T04:35:24ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-03-0125104292Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methodsWenheng Zheng0Huihui He1Fuyu Qin2Yuncheng Lan3Yingde Yin4School of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaCorresponding authors.; School of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaCorresponding authors.; School of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, ChinaPhotovoltaic utilization is a key strategy for advancing global carbon neutrality goals, as many countries strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The integration of photovoltaic technology in buildings is becoming increasingly widespread across the world, with distributed photovoltaic systems, such as rooftop installations, demonstrating significant potential for development. However, there is relatively little research on the thermal and energy-saving benefits of photovoltaic roofs, especially regarding the influence of overhead height and tilt angle on thermal and electrical performance. Therefore, this paper established a simulated model to investigate the impact of various overhead heights and tilt angles of photovoltaic modules on thermal and electrical performance, as well as energy-saving benefits. Meanwhile, an experimental system was constructed to validate the model's accuracy, with the RMSE below 3.0 and the MAPE within 10 %. The results indicate that adjusting the overhead height slightly affects the daily cooling load difference between conventional and photovoltaic roofs, with negligible impact on overall energy-saving efficiency (less than 0.2 %). Notably, the power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency of parallel overhead photovoltaic roofs are optimal in summer, with values of 307.2 W/m2 and 18.8 %, respectively. However, the power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency of parallel overhead photovoltaic roofs are the worst in winter. The optimal power supply gain and comprehensive energy-saving efficiency are achieved with a 20° tilt angle throughout the year, with values of 79.4 kW·h/m2 and 25.5 %, respectively. As the tilt angle increases, the energy-saving performance decreases. The results of this paper can provide a reference for the design and optimization of photovoltaic roofs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025003779Overhead heightTilt anglePhotovoltaic roofThermal performanceComprehensive performance
spellingShingle Wenheng Zheng
Huihui He
Fuyu Qin
Yuncheng Lan
Yingde Yin
Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
Results in Engineering
Overhead height
Tilt angle
Photovoltaic roof
Thermal performance
Comprehensive performance
title Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
title_full Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
title_fullStr Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
title_full_unstemmed Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
title_short Effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
title_sort effect of the overhead height and tilt angle on comprehensive performance of photovoltaic roof based on simulation and experimental methods
topic Overhead height
Tilt angle
Photovoltaic roof
Thermal performance
Comprehensive performance
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025003779
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AT huihuihe effectoftheoverheadheightandtiltangleoncomprehensiveperformanceofphotovoltaicroofbasedonsimulationandexperimentalmethods
AT fuyuqin effectoftheoverheadheightandtiltangleoncomprehensiveperformanceofphotovoltaicroofbasedonsimulationandexperimentalmethods
AT yunchenglan effectoftheoverheadheightandtiltangleoncomprehensiveperformanceofphotovoltaicroofbasedonsimulationandexperimentalmethods
AT yingdeyin effectoftheoverheadheightandtiltangleoncomprehensiveperformanceofphotovoltaicroofbasedonsimulationandexperimentalmethods