Optimal design of solar fields

Economical design of solar plants requires a careful analysis of the interrelated parameters involved. Parameters like shadow and masking effects, field slope ε and collector azimuth γ_c, collector height H and length L, solar field width W or efficiency, etc., have an effect on the design results. The use of many rows, in a limited piece of land, will increase the gross collector area but will also increase the shadowing and the masking effects. On the other hand, a small number of rows K (i.e. large distance between rows D) decrease the shadowing and masking, but because the total collector area is smaller the energy output from the field may not increase. Another parameter that may affect the amount of collected energy is the use of step like structures or sloped fields. In this case the shadowing and masking effects are reduced, thus increasing the amount of energy collected by the field.