Photovoltaic panel installation drainage trough

Can rainwater infiltrate under elevated PV arrays?

Rainwater can generally infiltrate under elevated PV arrays rather than acting like a paved surface. However, because current stormwater runoff models used by local and state jurisdictions were not designed for ground-mounted PV, the stormwater permitting process can impose costly additional stormwater infrastructure requirements.

Can rainwater infiltrate a ground-mounted PV system?

Rainwater can generally infiltrate under elevated PV arrays in ground-mounted PV systems, contrary to the common treatment of these facilities as predominantly impervious surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground. Many jurisdictions are mistaken in this regard.

Which ground-mounted PV sites are used to study stormwater infiltration & runoff?

The PV-SMaRT project is using five ground-mounted PV sites in the United States to study stormwater infiltration and runoff. These sites represent a range of elevations, slopes, soil types, and geographical locations.

Can EPA-SWMM model stormwater runoff in ground-mounted photovoltaic solar parks?

A modelling framework for the simulation of stormwater runoff in ground-mounted photovoltaic solar parks is proposed. Elements in the solar park and their mutual interactions during precipitation events are conceptualized in EPA-SWMM. We demonstrate the potential of the framework by exploring how different factors influence runoff formation.

How to assess runoff generation in PV solar parks?

Assessment of runoff generation in PV solar parks can be carried out by modelling-based approaches, that have the advantage, with respect to purely experimental studies, to allow the investigation of the influence of different hydrological conditions (Yavari et al. 2022).

Do PV panels affect rainfall-runoff and soil erosion processes?

More recently, Wang and Gao (2023) conducted experiments at the plot-scale to investigate impacts of PV panels on rainfall-runoff and soil erosion processes. Results showed that runoff volume, peak flow discharge rate and overland flow velocity are not remarkably impacted by the presence of PV panels.