Does The Sun Position In The Sky Affect Solar Panels

How does the tilt angle and or orientation of the pv panel affect system performance.

Does the sun position in the sky affect solar panels.

A photovoltaic solar panel produces electricity in direct proportion to the amount of sunlight falling on it. Photovoltaic pv panels collect solar radiation directly from the sun from the sky and from sunlight reflected off the ground or area surrounding the pv panel. Orienting the pv panel in a direction and tilt to maximize its exposure to direct sunlight will optimize the collection efficiency. The angle of the sun in relationship to the angle of the solar panel determines the maximum power density.

In the summer months the sun is high overhead catch more sunlight by tilting solar panel at a lower angle. The positioning of solar panels determines the power output. During the winter the sun moves across the sky at a lower angle angle solar panels higher during these months. Trackers are structures which hold the solar panels in order to move and or tilt them according to the position of the sun.

When the angle of the sun is perpendicular to the solar panel it provides the maximum energy output. The mid to late afternoon frequent heavy dark clouds in an otherwise blue sky resulted in about a 30 reduction in solar power production. Sunlight is at its greatest intensity when it is incident directly upon a surface. For example in states located at lower latitudes such as arizona and hawaii the sun is higher in the sky.

The tilt angle has the biggest effect on the efficiency of the solar panel. Because the sun s angle in the sky influences the intensity of the light received by. By tilting your solar panels the same angle as the latitude of your home which means pointing your panels at that average position you are ensuring that you will get the maximum average output from your solar system throughout the year. In these conditions solar panels generate more power than when the sun is incident at indirect angles.

Before sunset when the sun was again hidden by trees but in an otherwise clear sky the solar panel was producing power at 15 of its peak. They cannot be mounted on a slanted roof. In these states solar pv panels require a low tilt to capture direct sunlight. Sunlight should hit solar panels as directly as possible.

Hence the ideal angle for a solar panel is perpendicular to incoming sunlight. While the sun is in a higher position in the sky during the summer and lower position during the winter it has an average position right in between the two seasons.