Rules Of Thumb For Designing Solar Panel Power System

The optimum performance of a photovoltaic panel is obtained when it s correctly aligned to the sun when the sun is directly overhead.

Rules of thumb for designing solar panel power system.

The rules of thumb in the solar industry are that the panels should face toward the equator and be mounted at an angle of inclination angle between the ground and the panel equal to the degree latitude of the installation site. Historically modules were tilted at or near the latitude of the project s location. This is fine if you are going for a top down system and will only load to the available capacity. This orientation optimizes for the sun angles throughout the year pointing the modules as close as possible to the sun s average position in the sky.

Of course you should tilt the panels for maximum power on home systems and that means 15 degrees higher than latitude in winter 15 degrees lower in summer. Here in seattle that would mean the panels face due south and they are mounted at an angle of inclination of 47 5. This usually equates as a fixed mounting to an alignment of around latitude or 15 degrees. 2 know how much available roof space sq ft you have.

This would mean a 25 tilt in miami a 35 tilt in raleigh north carolina and a 45 tilt in seattle. Often when designing a power system people are tempted to start at the generation source i e. To determine how many solar panels you can actually use it is important that you know how much roof space you have. Historical design rules varied greatly by latitude.