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Shading — The Biggest Design Mistake in Australian Solar
Partial shading of even one panel in a series string can reduce the output of the entire string by 50–100% (depending on bypass diode configuration and the fraction of the string shaded). Yet many residential solar installations are commissioned without a proper shading analysis — the installer eyeballs the roof, declares it "mostly unshaded," and moves on. Three years later the system underperforms by 15% and the homeowner is disappointed.
Sources of Shading in Australian Installations
Trees and vegetation — particularly in established suburbs; growth over time
Neighbouring buildings and extensions
Roof-mounted obstructions: chimneys, dormer windows, satellite dishes, whirlybirds, skylights
Aerial service wires (overhead power/telephone lines casting moving shadows)
Bird droppings — localised but surprisingly significant when concentrated on one panel
Shading Analysis Tools
Tool | Method | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
Solar Surveyor app (CEC recommended) | Phone camera traces horizon profile; software calculates shading losses by month | Good for simple sites |
SunEye 210 (Solmetric) | Fisheye lens + GPS; traces sun path and shade obstructions | High — industry standard |
PVsyst software (3D horizon) | Horizon profile input + detailed 3D shade analysis from array coordinates | Very high — gold standard for commercial designs |
Google Sunroof (indicative only) | Satellite imagery + sun angle calculation | Low — useful for initial screening only |
What to Do When Shading Cannot Be Avoided
When shading is unavoidable (nearby tree that the owner will not remove, adjacent building), the design options are:
String split — shaded panels in a separate string with their own MPPT input
Power optimisers — each panel optimised independently; shaded panels don't drag down unshaded neighbours
Microinverters — maximum shading tolerance
Panel relocation — sometimes moving the array from one roof slope to another eliminates the shading entirely
Engr. Jason Morales — Founder, SolarEnergyPH
