ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4018-4196
Abstract
The urgency of addressing the climate emergency and clean energy transitions have spurred worldwide initiatives to increase utilisation of renewable energy sources. The integration of rooftop photovoltaic panels at domestic level, often underestimated, is a priority across Europe to meet targets of net-zero emissions by 2050. PV systems represent a crucial technology for renewable energy generation and mitigating climate change. However, their performance and potential are influenced by various factors, including environmental conditions, building parameters and geographical factors. This paper demonstrates multiple factors that affect PV potential in mild temperate oceanic climates, using Ireland as a representative case study. Unlike broad global reviews, this study contextualises PV system performance within the distinct environmental, architectural and socio-behavioural context of Ireland and similar climates. It provides an analysis of factors impacting rooftop PV efficiency, including solar irradiance, advancements in PV technologies, building typologies, roof orientation and tilt angle, shading, dust accumulation, cloud cover, snowfall and energy consumption behaviours. Additionally, the review examines recent trends such as artificial intelligence integration, self-consumption optimisation, battery storage and dynamic energy tariffs as critical components for enhancing PV system effectiveness. By combining insights from recent studies, the paper highlights the challenges posed by Ireland’s diffuse solar conditions, varying local climate and diverse housing stock, while identifying strategies for PV design improvements and energy-use behaviour adjustments. The study concludes with recommendations of development of integrated, site-specific PV frameworks that align technological, environmental, and socio-economic variables to optimise residential rooftop PV deployment in Ireland and comparable climates.
Disciplines
Architecture | Civil and Environmental Engineering
DOI
10.1016/j.seja.2025.100111
Full Publication Date
15-6-2025
Publisher
Elsevier
Funder Name 1
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
Award Number 1
22/RDD/866
Resource Type
journal article
Resource Version
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
Access Rights
open access
Open Access Route
Gold Open Access
License Condition
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Alternative Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667113125000245#ack0001
Deposit Statement
.
Recommended Citation
Aiza Ahmad, Niamh Power, Evan Finegan, Maximising solar PV potential: A comprehensive review of factors affecting photovoltaic installation and generation in a mild temperate oceanic climate, Solar Energy Advances, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seja.2025.100111.
Publication Details
Solar Energy Advances