Determining the influence of mounting angle on the average annual efficiency of fixed solar photovoltaic modules

Abstract

The object of this study is photovoltaic modules with different options for the angle of their installation to the horizon at different geographical latitudes. The scientific problem to solve was determining the dependence of the average annual efficiency of solar photovoltaic modules on the mounting angle of photovoltaic modules and the value of geographical latitude. It has been proven that the efficiency of installation of solar photovoltaic modules can be increased by reducing the angle of their inclination to the horizon depending on the value of the geographical latitude at which they are installed. The average annual efficiency of photovoltaic modules with different mounting angles to the horizon at different geographical latitudes was determined as the annual weighted average value of the cosine of the angle of incidence of solar rays on the plane of the photovoltaic module. The maximum of the average annual efficiency of photovoltaic modules corresponds to a smaller value of the angle of their installation to the horizon than the value of the geographical latitude. So, with a latitude value of 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, and 60°, the mounting angle of photovoltaic modules to the horizon will be 9.5°, 18.8°, 28°, 37°, 45.8°, and 54°, respectively. A dependence was derived that allows determining the mounting angle of photovoltaic modules to the horizon dependent on the value of the geographical latitude at which they are installed. A mathematical expression was also constructed that makes it possible to determine the average annual efficiency of photovoltaic modules depending on the angle of their installation to the horizon for different values of geographic latitude. The results could be used in calculating the average annual efficiency of photovoltaic modules based on the adjusted values of the angle of their installation to the horizon at different geographical latitudes