Determining the optimal orientation for solar panels – a comparison amongst selected software

Abstract

The angle of tilt between solar panels and the horizontal plane determines the amount of solar radiation falling on the panel. Therefore, selecting an optimal tilt angle is essential to maximize captured solar irradiance. Due to the complexity and cost of solar tracking systems, it is often preferable for panels to be installed at a fixed tilt angle especially for large array of panels. In this work, the optimal tilt angle for a 600kW solar system is investigated using Okorobo-Ile town, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State (Latitude/Longitude: 4.47N, 7.54E) as a case study. The software used for this investigation are: Photovoltaic Geographic Information System (PVgis), Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technology Screening Software (Retscreen), Photovoltaic System (PVsyst) and Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (Homer). The results show that all the software yield a tilt angle of 8°, while the azimuth angles range from 0° to 41°. Among the software reviewed, PVGIS demonstrated the highest ease of use and the fastest response time for determining optimal angles.