Azimuth Angle Of A Solar Panel Efficiency

Let s start with two key terms.

Azimuth angle of a solar panel efficiency. Geographic location is another big factor. A flat roof has a 0 degree tilt and a vertical wall mount has a 90 degree tilt angle. Solar panels are most efficient when pointing at the sun so engineers want to minimize this angle at all times. Today we re going to explain how to mount your solar panels to get the most energy from them.

In the real world most solar panels tend to have efficiencies in the 16 19 range though some manufacturers like mission and sunpower have higher end panels that have efficiencies exceeding 20. Azimuth is the array s east west orientation in degrees. The angle of your roof actually has less impact on solar panel performance than the direction your solar energy system faces. The vertical tilt of your panels.

In terms of solar pv system the due south of azimuth is 0 it is minus angle from south to east to north it is positive angle from south to west to north. This is the angle between the line that points to the sun and the angle that points straight out of a pv panel also called the line that is normal to the surface of the panel. The array s tilt is the angle in degrees from horizontal. The electricity generated by a solar panel system is also dependent on the degree of shading that the system experiences and the tilt angle and azimuth of the roof on which it is installed.

Angle of incidence θ. Welcome to another entry in our ongoing solar 101 series. Positive 90 degrees is facing due west negative 90 degrees is facing due east. Photovoltaics produce power when the angle at which the sun s rays hit the panel surface the angle of incidence is small or when light strikes the panel as close to perpendicular as possible.

However even if you lower the tilt of your roof all the way down to 5 production only decreases by about 10 percent. Elevation angle and azimuth angle commonly shortened to angle and azimuth for brevity. In order to collect energy more efficiently solar panels should be angled to face as close to the sun as possible. In most of the solar pv energy calculator tools an azimuth value of zero is facing the equator in both northern and southern hemispheres.

Optimal electricity production occurs when solar panels face south at a tilt equal to 30. For example the azimuth is 90 if solar is in the due east it is 90 if solar is in due west. The compass angle shows 180 for south 90 for east and 270 for west. Since solar panels are more productive when the sun s rays are perpendicular to their surfaces the certainly best orientation is the one directly true south azimuth angle 180.

We must therefore know on which side there is higher solar radiation for the whole day in order to have the maximum possible power production. The azimuth is the angle of easy west south and north.