Geometric Optimization of an Arched Solar Canal for Annual Generation Using PySAM

Variations on an arched 414-kW solar canal design in Ceres, California were created based on three different arc heights and eight different tilt groups. Tilts were determined by evenly spacing groups across a hypothetical arc calculated from arc height and a canal width of 126-ft (38.4-m). PySAM was used to model annual output for each variation across a range of orientations from fully E-W to fully N-S. Variations showed negligible differences in output when facing E-W, with a small drop (1% - 3%) depending on arc height when facing N-S due to low contribution from north-facing panels being exacerbated by steeper tilts associated with larger arc heights. Number of tilt groups had a negligible impact on production compared to the arc height (<0.9% at most). This suggests that such design decisions can be based on factors of structural design and cost considerations. The negligible difference for E-W facing panels (N-S canals) suggests an even higher degree of design freedom with the possibility for steeper sided alternative designs, including twosided A-frame type structures on narrower canals and three-sided truss-bridge structures with large flat tops for spans up to 300-ft (91.4-m).