The Solar Academy is pleased to announce Apolline Ferry’s thesis defense.
It will take place on Friday, March 28th at 9:00 AM in the auditorium 160 in IUT Chambéry, on the Bourget du Lac campus. The defense will be in english.
It will also be possible to follow the defense remotely using the following Teams link:
Title of the thesis: Geospatial analysis and impact of mountainous characteristics on solar resource
Supervisors: Christophe Ménézo, Lamia Berrah, Martin Thebault
Abstract:
Mountainous regions are unique places due to their abundant natural resources, including energy, water, and biodiversity. However, they are facing harsh environmental conditions, including steep terrain and low temperatures, as well as a high energy demand. To meet this demand while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to develop local renewable energy production. Solar energy is a promising resource due to its wide availability and decreasing costs. However, the mountainous environment can affect its potential. In this thesis, we aimed to quantify the influence of mountainous characteristics on solar energy resources. First, we studied the optimization of ground-mounted bifacial solar power plants, which offer enhanced energy yield due to ground-reflected irradiance on the rear side of the modules and benefit from the high albedo of snow cover. We developed a model to optimize the tilt angle for various albedo levels and ground coverage ratios. This model enables optimization both at European scale and at a finer local scale, particularly for the analysis of mountainous areas, where high spatial variability is observed. Next, we developed a tool for modeling solar resources at the municipal scale, accounting for the specific characteristics of mountainous environments: large territories, significant spatial variability in meteorological conditions and the presence of mountains, which cause shading and sunlight obstructions at low solar elevations. This tool, named “toscana”, evaluates the solar potential on all surfaces with high spatial resolution, while ensuring reasonable computation time, and has been made publicly available. This tool was then applied to assess rooftop solar resources in numerous mountainous villages and compare them with those in lowland villages at similar latitudes. The development of meteorological and morphological indicators combined with their correlation to solar potential showed that mountainous terrain not only affects the overall potential but also impact its spatial distribution across the territory. Notably, cluster analysis demonstrated that complex topography could lead to substantial differences in solar potential within a single village. A predictive model based on three key indicators was established, enabling fast estimation of solar potential at the municipal scale, and was then applied to assess the solar potential of an entire region. Finally, we conducted a detailed analysis of the influence of three key characteristics of mountainous areas on photovoltaic potential: the effect of low temperatures, the high ground albedo due to snow and snow-related losses caused by module coverage. We also studied the effects of module orientation and inclination, as well as the temporal evolution of energy yield. This thesis highlights the significant impact of mountainous environments on solar resources and underscores the importance of developing dedicated tools and specific energy policies to support solar energy deployment in these unique regions.
Key words : Solar Energy, Mountains, Geographical Information System, Complex Terrain, Photovoltaic Systems.