Ground Cover Ratio panel dimensions

[AKSolar]

In computing the ground cover ratio as well as the 3D Module Layout it appears as though PVsyst draws dimension data from the module .PAN file, but these dimensions are not altered for a tilt angle. For example, a 4m wide module at 25° tilt would only be 3.625m wide from straight down.

This provides a difficulty when trying to fit modules into the Table size you have established in the Near Shadings construction. The do not all fit. This also throws off the ground cover ratio.

[André Mermoud]

In the 3D shadings part, the areas are first defined regardless the module sizes.

I plan to develop a tool for defining these sizes in terms of module sizes for a future version.

Now the Ground cover ratio is defined as the area of the modules themselves to the occupated ground area.

This indicator doesn't involve the projection of the modules on the ground.

Roughly for sheds or trackers, the GCR is computed as the sheds or trackers active width, divided by the pitch between rows (the pich is base-to-base, or center-to-center).

This rough estimation doesn't take into account the surroundings of the array, nor the eventual space between arrays if there are several distinct arrays.