Innovative Simulation Tools For An Exhaustive And Synthetic Characterization Of The Solar Glare Occurrences For The Design And The Administrative Instruction Of Large-Scale Photovoltaic Plants

Abstract

International audiencePhotovoltaic (PV) is challenged to play a major role in the energy transition that must be conducted in the coming decade, through the development of large-scale PV plants. This emergence generates potential disturbances with the local environment starting with solar glare, i.e. the sun reflection on PV panels, which may jeopardize transportation safety. Some rare aviation administration already established restrictive policies for the construction of PV systems close to airports, such as the FAA in the United-States and the DGAC in France, but nothing yet for railways and motorways. These works, presented through a case study, aim at proposing to PV actors some innovative and generic simulation tools in order to address the glare problematic as part of their project development. The analysis of the glare is carried out in order to characterize the identified glare occurrences through an exhaustive set of physical quantities: occurring day and hour throughout the year, angle between reflected ray and user’s field of view, etc. The overall analysis allows concluding on both the severity of the impact and the project compliance with the applicable requirements (e.g. aviation administration) while locating, within the finely-meshed PV plant, the impacting areas for which remediation must be considered