A study of the estimation of the photovoltaic potential at the urban level in tropical complex terrain

This work considers photovoltaic solar energy as an alternative to promote the diversification of the energy matrix and contribute to improving energy access to the citizens of Medellin Metropolitan Area, Colombia, a tropical region that is conditioned by the topography and by the different urban morphology. The objective is to direct policies and strategies for more sustainable and resilient energy use in tropical cities on complex terrain through the production of energy from alternative renewable sources.  To achieve this, we assess how much of the energy demand can be generated within the city, integrated into the urban morphology at the roofs of existing buildings including the effect of topography. We use meteorological information and power measurements from three experimental solar panels. We analyze the photovoltaic energy potential in Representative Urban Areas (RUA) and provide information relevant to the whole Valley's context to guide sustainable and resilient energy planning.  One particular result is about the energy reduction factor due to cloudiness, which quantifies how energy would vary under the region's cloud conditions.