Urban morphology as an indicator of solar potential on building facades at high latitudes

Abstract

Solar cadastres enable calculating and visualizing solar energy potential data on urban surfaces (i.e., roofs, facades, and ground). At high latitudes, knowing the solar potential of vertical surfaces is important due to the solar geometry (i.e., low sun angle). This study provides insights into correlations between neighbourhood morphology and solar energy potential. It moves from the acquisition of the three-dimensional urban surface mode of Trondheim (Norway) to the estimation of the solar potential on urban surfaces with data post-processing and visualization at the neighbourhood scale. The results show that facades' irradiance spread emphasizes high-density neighbourhoods influence on solar potential.