Thesis (M.Eng.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2014

At present, electrical energy is very important for the development of economy and living, such as education, transportation, communication, etc. The demand for electrical energy worldwide is increasing year by year. Although there are a variety of electrical energy sources, some of them are unsafe for humans and environment (nuclear power), not sustainable for the long future (fossil thermal power). In contrast, renewable energy sources, such as wind, biomass, photovoltaic, etc., are sustainable and environment-friendly. Among these sources, solar energy has been intensively promoted because it is prevailing wherever the sun is shining and it is the most environmentally friendly compared with other energy sources. Additionally, photovoltaic modules and plants for converting solar energy into electrical energy are easily installed at various places where the sunlight is available such as roof tops and wall sides of buildings, and farms. This research examines the decrease of solar power caused by various shading patterns. Then, the arrangement of PV modules in order to mitigate the impact of shading and to optimize the maximum power point tracking is proposed. After that, shading patterns with appropriate tilted angle and azimuth are simulated to show the improvement in power generation.