Photovoltaic panels tilt angle optimization

Abstract

The tilt angle of solar panels is significant for capturing solar radiation that reaches the surface of the panel. Photovoltaic (PV) performance and efficiency are highly affected by its angle of tilt with respect to the horizontal plane. The amount of radiation reaching the surface of a PV panel changes with the changes in its tilt angle, hence adding a solar tracking system will maximize the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of a PV panel at any time during the day, however, integrating solar tracking system will increase the total cost and maintenance of any PV system. Thus, using an optimized fixed tilt angle is the solution to element the initial, maintenance, and operation costs of a solar tracking system. Yet, the fixed angle is location-specific because it depends on the daily, monthly, and yearly location of the sun. In this study; daily, monthly and seasonally angles are calculated mathematically and the amount of incident radiation on the surface of the PV panel is measured along with its voltage. By comparing the practical measurements of the output voltage of PV panels, an optimized tilt angle is decided.