Brussels - Solar PV statistics

monthly solar PV data for Brussels using PVGIS 5.2

Summary of different orientations of free standing solar PV panels, using optimal inclinations versus ideal two axis tracking

Table 1: quarterly normalized energy distribution for different free standing solar PV orientations in Brussels

Brussels	kWh/year	Q1+Q4	Q2+Q3	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Two axis tracking	1367	30.7%	69.3%	16.8%	36.5%	32.9%	13.9%
Facing east, slope 3.0°	866	23.1%	76.9%	13.5%	41.1%	35.9%	9.6%
Facing south, slope 39.0°	1034	32.2%	67.8%	17.6%	35.3%	32.4%	14.7%
Facing west, slope 34.0°	814	24.3%	75.7%	14.0%	40.2%	35.5%	10.4%
Source: energy.at-site.be/pvgis52, non-commercial use permitted
Data source: PVGIS 5.2 © 2001-2023 European Communities - PVcalc tool
Two axis tracking and Free standing with optimized fixed slope - Radiation model: PVGIS-SARAH2 - Loss=14%

Quarters: Q1 = Jan + Feb + Mar; Q2 = Apr + May + Jun; Q3 = Jul + Aug + Sep; Q4 = Oct, Nov, Dec

East facing free standing solar PV, for different inclinations

Table 2: normalized cumulative and monthly energy distributions for different free standing solar PV inclinations oriented to the east in Brussels

Brussels	kWh/kWpeak	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Facing east; slope 3.0°; cumulative distribution	866	2.1%	5.7%	13.5%	25.5%	39.8%	54.5%	69.1%	81.2%	90.4%	95.8%	98.4%	100%
Facing east: slope 3.0°; monthly distribution	866	2.1%	3.6%	7.8%	12.0%	14.3%	14.7%	14.6%	12.1%	9.2%	5.4%	2.6%	1.6%
Facing east; slope 0.0°; cumulative distribution	866	2.1%	5.7%	13.5%	25.5%	39.8%	54.5%	69.1%	81.2%	90.4%	95.8%	98.4%	100%
Facing east: slope 0.0°; monthly distribution	866	2.1%	3.6%	7.8%	12.0%	14.3%	14.8%	14.6%	12.1%	9.2%	5.4%	2.6%	1.6%
Facing east; slope 30.0°; cumulative distribution	839	2.2%	6.0%	14.0%	26.1%	40.2%	54.5%	68.6%	80.7%	90.1%	95.5%	98.3%	100%
Facing east: slope 30.0°; monthly distribution	839	2.2%	3.8%	8.0%	12.1%	14.1%	14.3%	14.2%	12.1%	9.3%	5.5%	2.7%	1.7%
Facing east; slope 60.0°; cumulative distribution	730	2.4%	6.4%	14.5%	26.7%	40.4%	54.3%	68.1%	80.1%	89.6%	95.2%	98.1%	100%
Facing east: slope 60.0°; monthly distribution	730	2.4%	4.0%	8.1%	12.1%	13.8%	13.9%	13.8%	12.0%	9.5%	5.6%	2.9%	1.9%
Facing east; slope 90.0°; cumulative distribution	524	2.5%	6.7%	15.0%	27.3%	40.7%	54.2%	67.6%	79.5%	89.3%	95.0%	98.1%	100%
Facing east: slope 90.0°; monthly distribution	524	2.5%	4.2%	8.4%	12.2%	13.5%	13.4%	13.4%	11.9%	9.8%	5.7%	3.0%	1.9%
Data source: PVGIS 5.2 © 2001-2023 European Communities - PVcalc tool

South facing free standing solar PV, for different inclinations

Table 3: normalized cumulative and monthly energy distributions for different free standing solar PV inclinations oriented to the south in Brussels

Brussels	kWh/kWpeak	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Facing south; slope 39.0°; cumulative distribution	1034	3.8%	8.9%	17.6%	29.0%	41.1%	52.9%	64.9%	75.7%	85.3%	92.3%	96.7%	100%
Facing south: slope 39.0°; monthly distribution	1034	3.8%	5.1%	8.7%	11.5%	12.1%	11.8%	11.9%	10.8%	9.7%	7.0%	4.3%	3.3%
Facing south; slope 0.0°; cumulative distribution	866	2.1%	5.7%	13.5%	25.5%	39.8%	54.5%	69.1%	81.2%	90.4%	95.8%	98.4%	100%
Facing south: slope 0.0°; monthly distribution	866	2.1%	3.6%	7.8%	12.0%	14.3%	14.8%	14.6%	12.1%	9.2%	5.4%	2.6%	1.6%
Facing south; slope 30.0°; cumulative distribution	1025	3.5%	8.3%	16.8%	28.4%	40.9%	53.2%	65.6%	76.7%	86.2%	93.0%	97.0%	100%
Facing south: slope 30.0°; monthly distribution	1025	3.5%	4.8%	8.5%	11.6%	12.5%	12.3%	12.4%	11.0%	9.6%	6.7%	4.0%	3.0%
Facing south; slope 60.0°; cumulative distribution	982	4.4%	10.1%	19.2%	30.5%	41.6%	52.2%	63.1%	73.4%	83.3%	91.0%	96.0%	100%
Facing south: slope 60.0°; monthly distribution	982	4.4%	5.7%	9.1%	11.2%	11.2%	10.6%	10.9%	10.3%	9.9%	7.7%	5.1%	4.0%
Facing south; slope 90.0°; cumulative distribution	739	5.6%	12.4%	22.2%	32.9%	42.4%	51.0%	60.1%	69.4%	79.7%	88.5%	94.8%	100%
Facing south: slope 90.0°; monthly distribution	739	5.6%	6.8%	9.8%	10.7%	9.5%	8.6%	9.0%	9.4%	10.2%	8.9%	6.3%	5.2%
Data source: PVGIS 5.2 © 2001-2023 European Communities - PVcalc tool

West facing free standing solar PV, for different inclinations

Table 4: normalized cumulative and monthly energy distributions for different free standing solar PV inclinations oriented to the west in Brussels

Brussels	kWh/kWpeak	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Facing west; slope 34.0°; cumulative distribution	814	2.3%	6.1%	14.0%	25.8%	39.6%	54.2%	68.6%	80.4%	89.6%	95.3%	98.1%	100%
Facing west: slope 34.0°; monthly distribution	814	2.3%	3.8%	7.9%	11.8%	13.8%	14.5%	14.4%	11.8%	9.2%	5.7%	2.8%	1.9%
Facing west; slope 0.0°; cumulative distribution	866	2.1%	5.7%	13.5%	25.5%	39.8%	54.5%	69.1%	81.2%	90.4%	95.8%	98.4%	100%
Facing west: slope 0.0°; monthly distribution	866	2.1%	3.6%	7.8%	12.0%	14.3%	14.8%	14.6%	12.1%	9.2%	5.4%	2.6%	1.6%
Facing west; slope 30.0°; cumulative distribution	825	2.3%	6.0%	13.9%	25.7%	39.6%	54.2%	68.7%	80.5%	89.7%	95.4%	98.2%	100%
Facing west: slope 30.0°; monthly distribution	825	2.3%	3.8%	7.8%	11.8%	13.9%	14.5%	14.5%	11.9%	9.2%	5.7%	2.8%	1.8%
Facing west; slope 60.0°; cumulative distribution	713	2.4%	6.4%	14.4%	26.2%	39.7%	53.9%	68.1%	79.8%	89.1%	95.0%	98.0%	100%
Facing west: slope 60.0°; monthly distribution	713	2.4%	4.0%	8.0%	11.8%	13.5%	14.2%	14.2%	11.7%	9.3%	5.9%	3.0%	2.0%
Facing west; slope 90.0°; cumulative distribution	513	2.6%	6.7%	14.9%	26.7%	39.7%	53.6%	67.5%	79.2%	88.6%	94.7%	97.9%	100%
Facing west: slope 90.0°; monthly distribution	513	2.6%	4.2%	8.2%	11.8%	13.1%	13.9%	13.9%	11.6%	9.5%	6.1%	3.1%	2.1%
Data source: PVGIS 5.2 © 2001-2023 European Communities - PVcalc tool

Acknowledgement: many thanks to the PVGIS team for open access to PVGIS 5.2 PVcalc tool. Source - "Photovoltaic Geographic Information System (PVGIS)", European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC). Online tool available at re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvgis.html - PVGIS Ⓒ European Communities, 2001-2023.

Methods: in this work, monthly data for various solar panel orientations is combined. An explanation of PVGIS data sources and calculation methods is available in [1]. Papers [2][3][4][5] provide additional background on the PVGIS methods and references [6][7][8][9] detail the used solar radiation models. In this work we use the proposed (default) solar radiation model per region of PVGIS and we use city names to refer to specific coordinates on the world map. Ocean locations are not modelled in the PVGIS tool, hence we limit ourselves to the land mass of the planet. Both free standing and building integrated (rooftop) solar panels are simulated, with a slope of 0 a horizontal panel and a slope of 90 degrees a vertical oriented panel, for example to mount on a wall. The used PVcalc simulation does not take into account detailed local shadowing effects. Also the invertor is not modelled in detail, and grid saturation is not taken into account as well as dirt on the panels. All these aspects can decrease the effective yield of the PV solar panels. A limitation of PVGIS5.2 is that the optimal inclination of a solar panel is not correctly computed for building integrated solar panels facing west.

References:

[1]

Overview of PVGIS data sources and calculation methods.

joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/pvgis-photovoltaic-geographical-information-system/getting-started-pvgis/pvgis-data-sources-calculation-methods_en

[2]

Huld, T.; Müller, R.; Gambardella, A. A new solar radiation database for estimating PV performance in Europe and Africa. Solar Energy 2012, 86, 1803-1815.

doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2012.03.006

[3]

Gracia Amillo, A.; Huld, T.; Müller, R. A New Database of Global and Direct Solar Radiation Using the Eastern Meteosat Satellite, Models and Validation. Remote Sensing 2014, 6, 8165-8189.

doi:10.3390/rs6098165

[4]

Huld, T.; Gracia Amillo, A. Estimating PV Module Performance over Large Geographical Regions: the role of Irradiance, Air Temperature, Wind Speed and Solar Spectrum. Energies 2015, 8, 6, 5159-5181.

doi:10.3390/en8065159

[5]

A.M. Gracia Amillo, N. Taylor, A.M. Martinez, E.D. Dunlop, P. Mavrogiorgios, F. Fahl, G. Arcaro, I. Pinedo (2021): Adapting PVGIS to Trends in Climate, Technology and User Needs, Proc. 38th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, p. 907-911

doi:10.4229/EUPVSEC20212021-5BO.6.1

[6]

Müller, Richard; Pfeifroth, Uwe; Träger-Chatterjee, Christine; Cremer, Roswitha; Trentmann, Jörg; Hollmann, Rainer (2015): Surface Solar Radiation Data Set - Heliosat (SARAH) - Edition 1, Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring.

doi: 10.5676/EUM_SAF_CM/SARAH/V001

[7]

Pfeifroth, Uwe; Kothe, Steffen; Trentmann, Jörg; Hollmann, Rainer; Fuchs, Petra; Kaiser, Johannes; Werscheck, Martin (2019): Surface Radiation Data Set - Heliosat (SARAH) - Edition 2.1, Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring

doi: 10.5676/EUM_SAF_CM/SARAH/V002_01

[8]

Hersbach, H, Bell, B, Berrisford, P, et al. The ERA5 global reanalysis. Q J R Meteorol Soc. 2020; 146: 1999– 2049.

doi: 10.1002/qj.3803

[9]

Manajit Sengupta, Yu Xie, Anthony Lopez, Aron Habte, Galen Maclaurin, James Shelby, The National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB), Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 89, 2018, Pages 51-60.

doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2018.03.003

Additional PVGIS publications are available at: ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/PVGIS/about/who.