Diseño fotovoltaico y análisis de ganancias solares en los edificios de la ESPOL

Abstract

The present research aims to evaluate the solar radiation harvesting potential of buildings within the ESPOL campus, using a representative building as a model for photovoltaic analysis. The hypothesis states that the use of detailed geometric simulation and shading analysis enables a reliable estimation of the maximum solar exploitation capacity of the campus, thereby justifying the technical feasibility of future implementations. The study was not intended to offset the electrical demand of the buildings but rather analyze the solar resources available on rooftops for energy planning purposes. The project was developed through the construction of a three-dimensional model of the built environment and the application of solar radiation simulations using ray tracing techniques with tools such as Radiance and Ladybug Tools, employing TMY-type climate files. For the model building (Principalship), the distribution of 450 Wp photovoltaic modules was analyzed over a total usable area of 759 m², resulting in an estimated installed capacity of approximately 60 kWp. The main results showed an average annual irradiation of 1551.69 kWh/m²·year and approximately 4.3 kWh/m²·day, values consistent with national references. It is concluded that the applied methodology allows the verification of the technical feasibility of solar energy exploitation on campus and constitutes a replicable basis for larger-scale studies. Keywords: Ray tracing, Shading, Technical feasibility, Solar energy, Irradiation