A review on optimal design for photovoltaic power plants

With the global shift in energy systems and the rapid advancement of renewable energy, photovoltaic (PV) power generation has emerged as a clean and sustainable key component of modern energy infrastructure, propelled by ‘dual carbon’ targets. In this context, the design and optimization of PV power plants are crucial for improving their economic feasibility, operational stability, and environmental benefits. Key considerations include modeling power generation, configuring module installation, planning equipment and cable layouts, analyzing module tilt angles and shading effects, determining row spacing, and specifying the number of modules in series. This study systematically reviews the existing literature on PV power plant design and optimization, offering essential insights for selecting optimal system parameters in future engineering applications. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of simultaneous multi-parameter optimization to overcome the limitations of focusing on individual parameters and local optima. The study also surveys mainstream multi-objective optimization frameworks, providing theoretical guidance for developing next-generation efficient optimization design platforms.