How to Increase your solar panel efficiency ?

Solar Panel angle selection to get full efficiency

Introduction of solar energy

Ninety-three million miles from Earth, our sun is 333,000 times the size of our
planet. It has a diameter of 865,000 miles, a surface temperature of 5,600°C and
a core temperature of 15,000,000°C. It is a huge mass of constant nuclear
activity.

Directly or indirectly, our sun provides all the power we need to exist and
supports all life forms. The sun drives our climate and our weather. Without it,
our world would be a frozen wasteland of ice-covered rock.

How to select the Solar panel Angle?

The total variation in maximum solar altitude for any location on the Earth over a one-year period is 47° (Earth's tilt 23.5° x 2 = 47°). This variation is due to the annual changes in the relative position of the Earth to the Sun.

Because of the 23½° tilt of the earth relative to the sun, the optimum tilt of your solar panels will vary throughout the year, depending on the season. In some installations, it is feasible to adjust the tilt of the solar panels each month, whilst in others it is necessary to have the array fixed in position where the Northern hemisphere the panel face on south and the Southern hemisphere the panel face 

towards North

To get optimum tilt of your solar panels for fixed position

 your latitude = optimum fixed year-round setting (example Chennai, TN:13.0827° N )

To get optimum tilt of your solar panels for Seasonal position (rounded the deg

For winter latitude + 15.6 degree (example Ranipet, TN:13° N +15° = 28 )

For Autumn / Spring latitude - 0 degree (example Ranipet, TN:13° N - 0° = 13)

For Summer latitude - 15.6 degree (example Ranipet, TN:13° N -15° =  -2.0)

This angle is the optimum tilt for fixed solar panels for all-year-round power generation. This does not mean that you will get the maximum power output every single month: it means that across the whole year, this tilt will give you the best compromise, generating electricity all the year round. 

Getting the best from solar panels at different times of the year Depending on when you want to use your solar energy, you may choose to use a different tilt in order to improve power output at a given point in the year. Each month of the year, the angle of the sun in the sky changes by 7.8° – higher in the summer and lower in the winter. By adjusting the tilt of your solar panel to track the sun, you can tweak the performance of your system according to your requirements. 

To get optimum tilt of your solar panels for Monthly position

let us take the example of Chennai,

The Chennai latitude is 13.0827° N,

on 21 of Mar / 21 of Dec the sun will rise 91 deg of East of due South and set West of due South so if we need to set the following deg of panel every month below 

1) March : Latitude + 0°      = 13°

2) April   : Latitude - 8°       = 5°

3) May   : Latitude - 16°    = -3°

4) June   : Latitude - 23°    = -10°

On 21st June the sun will raise 97 deg east to due South and set west to due south

5) July : Latitude - 16°    = -3°

6) August: Latitude - 8°    =  5°

7) September:Latitude - 0°    = 13°

8) October:Latitude + 8°    = 21°

9) November::Latitude + 16°    = 29°

10) December:Latitude + 23°    = 36°

on the Dec 21st the sun will rise 85 deg east due south and sett 85 deg west of due south

11) January: :Latitude + 16°    = 29°

12) February: Latitude + 8°    = 23°

The source of solar power:

Deep in the center of the sun, intense nuclear activity generates huge amounts of
radiation. In turn, this radiation generates light energy called photons. These
photons have no physical mass of their own, but carry huge amounts of energy
and momentum.

Different photons carry different wavelengths of light. Some photons will carry
non-visible light (infrared and ultra-violet), whilst others will carry visible light
(white light).

Over time, these photons push out from the center of the sun. It can take one

million years for a photon to push out to the surface from the core. Once they

reach the sun’s surface, these photons rush through space at a speed of 670

million miles per hour. They reach earth in around eight minutes.

Why sun is heat in summer than the winter?

The two reasons why a sunny day in winter is so much colder
than a sunny day in summer. In winter, when your location on the earth is tilted
away from the sun, the photons have to travel through a much thicker layer of
atmosphere to reach us.

The other reason that the sun is hotter during the middle of the day than at the

end is because the intensity of photons is much higher at midday. When the sun

is low in the sky, these photons are spread over a greater distance simply by the

angle of your location on earth relative to the sun.

The principles of solar electricity

A solar panel generates electricity using the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon
discovered in the early 19 century when scientists observed that certain materials
produced an electric current when exposed to light.

Two layers of a semi-conducting material are combined to create this effect. One
layer has to have a depleted number of electrons. When exposed to sunlight, the
layers of material absorb the photons. This excites the electrons, causing some of
them to ‘jump’ from one layer to the other, generating an electrical charge.
The semi-conducting material used to build a solar cell is silicon, cut into very
thin wafers. Some of these wafers are then ‘doped’ to contaminate them, thereby
creating an electron imbalance in the wafers. The wafers are then aligned
together to make a solar cell. Conductive metal strips attached to the cells take the electrical current.

When a photon hit the solar cell, it can do one of three things: it can be absorbed by the cell, reflected off the cell or pass straight through the cell.
It is when a photon is absorbed by the silicon that an electrical current is
generated. The more photons (i.e. the greater intensity of light) that are absorbed
by the solar cell, the greater the current generated.

Any doubt, query please comment below, I will revert at the earliest time

M/s PMM Smart Future solution – Ranipet  solar product Supplier, Dealer and Distributor

 ( Supplied 10 KW solar power system including on grid and off grid in Ranipet District at different locations Navalpur, Ranipet, Walajapet, Arcot, Sipcot, Ammoor, Perumbulipakkam,  Panapakkam etc)

Source: Solar electricity hand book

Conclusion:

For stationary position our latitude is the optimum angle position, there is different solar product manufacturer in India fix the position at 23 deg, which will reduce the efficiency of panel in the South India, during purchasing panel stand should be specified the panel stand angle your latitude. 

your comment and suggestion and Question are almost welcome