• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2014

This study spatially assesses the impact of trees on residential rooftop solar energy potential using urban three-dimensional models derived from Light Detection and Ranging(LiDAR) data in San Francisco, California. In recent years on-site solar energy generation in cities has become an essential agenda in municipal climate action plans. However, it can be limited by neighboring environments such as shade from topography, buildings and trees. Of all these effects, the impact of trees on rooftop photovoltaics(PVs) requires careful attention because improper situation of solar panels without considering trees can result in inefficient solar energy generation, tree removal, and/or increasing building energy demand and urban heat island effect. Using ArcMap 9.3.1, we calculated the incoming annual solar radiation on individual rooftops in San Francisco and the reduced insolation affected by trees. Furthermore, we performed a multiple regression analysis to see what attributes of trees in a neighborhood(tree density, tree heights, and the variance of tree heights) affect rooftop insolation. The result shows that annual total residential rooftops insolation in San Francisco is 18,326,671 MWh and annual total light-loss reduction caused by trees is 326,406 MWh, which is about 1.78%. The annual insolation shows a wide range of values from $34.4kWh/m^2/year$ to $1,348.4kWh/m^2/year$. The result spatially maps the locations that show the various levels of impact from trees. The result from multiple regression shows that tree density, average tree heights and the variation of tree heights in a neighborhood have statistically significant effects on the rooftop solar potential. The results can be linked to municipal energy planning in order to manage potential conflicts as cities with low to medium population density begin implementing on-site solar energy generation. Rooftop solar energy generation makes the best contribution towards achieving sustainability when PVs are optimally located while pursuing the preservation of urban trees.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.59.2-59.2
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• 2011

This study presents a new method for coupling ArcGIS (popular GIS software) with TRaNsient SYstems Simulation (TRNSYS, reference software for researchers and engineers around the world) to use capabilities of the 4 and 5-parameter PV array performance models within the ArcGIS environment. Using the validated and industry-proven solar energy simulation models implemented in TRNSYS and other built-in ArcGIS functionalities, dynamic characteristics of distributed PV potential in terms of hourly, daily or monthly power outputs can be investigated with considerations of diverse options in selecting and mounting PV panels. In addition, the proposed method allows users to complete entire procedures in a single framework (i.e., a preliminary site survey using 3D building models, shading analyses to investigate usable rooftop areas with considerations of different sizes and shapes of buildings, dynamic energy simulation to examine the performances of various PV systems, visualization of the simulation results to understand spatially and temporally distributed patterns of PV potential). Therefore tedious tasks for data conversion among multiple softwares can be significantly reduced or eliminated. While the programming environment of TRNSYS is proprietary, the redistributable executable, simulation kernel and simulation engine of TRNSYS can be freely distributed to end-users. Therefore, GIS users who do not have a license of TRNSYS can also use the functionalities of solar energy simulation models within ArcGIS.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1183-1194
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• 2021

Traditionally, electric power systems have been known as the centralized structures, which is organized into placing customers at the end of the supply chain. However, recent decades have witnessed the emergence of distributed energy resources(:DERs) such as rooftop solar, farming PV system, small wind turbines, battery energy storage systems and smart home appliances. With the emergence of distributed energy resources, the role of distributed system operators(:DSOs) will expand. The increasing penetration of DERs could lead to a less predictable and reverse flow of power in the system, which can affect the traditional planning and operation of distribution and transmission networks. This raises the need for a change in the role of the DSOs that have conventionally planned, maintained and managed networks and supply outages. The objective of this research is to designed the future distribution operation system with multi-DERs and the proposed distribution system model is implemented by hardware-in-the-loop simulation(HILS). The test results show the normal operation domain and reduction of distribution line loss.