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Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 10:11
by jamel8652
Hello,
I installed 10 monocrystalline panels of 250w each on a fixed south-facing support with an inclination of 30 °.
PVGIS estimates an average annual electricity production of 3740 KW.
I want to make the panels tilting from 14 ° to 60 ° depending on the time of year, but always pointing south.
How much does this operation increase annual production?
Thank you for your help

Re: is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 12:27
by chatelot16
if the panel is tilted for the equinox sun, there will be an 23 ° error at the solstice

cos 23 ° = 0,92 ... so 8% to win

but it is obviously not 8% of won on the total production of the year

we win these 8% in the middle of the day ... when the sun drops this orientation does not matter anymore ... it would be necessary to make an integration on the whole day ... but I would say to the pif gain of 4% on the total of the day

so 4% gain for the day close to the solstice ... but zero gain for the day close to the equinoxe ... also it would be necessary to integrate ... or pifometrer that it remains only 2% to win

if changing this orientation costs nothing you can do it ... if it takes hours of work, to win 2% I would not do anything

doing a real sun follower saves a lot more, but it has to be automatic

a true follower is very favorable to the self-consumption because it increases the power in the morning and the evening, thus widened the possibility of self-consumption

Re: is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 14:07
by ENERC
To get the number, you have to do several simulations on PVGIS by plotting the months to the inclination given in a spreadsheet.
For example: a simulation at 40 ° from October to April, and another at 10 ° from May to September.

Note: With near 1500 Wh / Wc, it is towards the tropics: it is therefore the temperature which is the main factor of yield.

The more it's windy, the more it produces. the temperature counts more than the inclination.

Re: is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 14:35
by sicetaitsimple
Without being a specialist, I think Chatelot2 16% is really a minimum.

Actually you have to do simulations with different degrees of inclination as Enerc says.

If I were in this case, and assuming that changing the tilt of the panels is only a matter of a few turns of pipe wrench (say 1 / 2h of work), I would choose 3 different inclinations, one for winter (60 °), one for summer (14 °) and one for spring and autumn (around 30 °).
It would make 4 settings a year.

Re: is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 15:07
by jamel8652
Thanks for your reply Chatelot16
But I explain in detail what I want to do exactly so that your opinion fits well and answers my question:
I want to incline only the panels so that they will be at the passage of the sun at the meridian of the place (height of the highest sun that is towards midday of the place) orthogonal or almost in the sun every day and always of course facing south.
That is, they will have the following 2 ° inclinations:
from 23/03 to 04/04 and from 09/09 to 21/09 ====> 34 °
from 05/04 to 17/04 and from 26/08 to 08/09 ====> 29 °
from 18/04 to 02/05 and from 09/08 to 25/08 ===> 24 °
from 03/05 to 23/05 and from 18/07 to 08/08 ===> 19 °
from 24/05 to 17/07 ======================> 14 °
from 22/09 to 05/10 and from 11/03 to 22/03 ====> 39 °
from 06/10 to 18/10 and from 26/02 to 10/03 ====> 44 °
from 19/10 to 02/11 and from 12/02 to 25/02 ====> 49 °
from 03/11 to 20/11 and from 25/01 to 11/02 ====> 54 °
from 21/11 to 24/01 =====================> 60 °
According to you, I will gain about how much in annual electrical production under these conditions.
In south oriented fixed panels with fixed tilt the annual output is about 3740KW
Thank you for your answers

Re: Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 25/02/18, 16:02
by chatelot16
in my opinion you do not earn anything more by changing the setting as often

with only 3 position, that's enough, summer, equinox, winters

the summer position should not be at the optimum for the solstice but an angle a little closer to the position the equinox position to remain valid longer

I have just seen a document on an automatic tracker ... it follows the sun automatically for its main movement and it is necessary to make a manual refill 4 times per year for the height of the sun

http://ns305692.ovh.net/~solartec/suiveur-solaire.php

Re: Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 22/04/18, 11:21
by PVresistif
It depends on the use:
in winter the PV yield is very good, and more hot water needs are higher (in summer you take your shower "colder" and the sun lasts longer); therefore if hot water in self-production, 75 ° c 'is the best.

Re: Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 22/04/18, 15:42
by thibr
the best is to put east / west signs
http://mices.fr/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=221
to make a static tracker ... : Cheesy:

Re: Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 22/04/18, 18:52
by chatelot16
to point half of the panel east and half west is a false good idea because half the panel is useless in the morning or evening, which is not offset by half that produces a little more ... we produce more by orienting all the south like everyone

what pays much more is a true follow-up of the sun with equatorial mount ... if the system is well done it requires a derisory power engine, and we do not gain some%, we win 30 at 40%, and especially we win the morning and the evening: we widen the period of production, it does not change anything for the maximum power at noon (which is 14h)

Re: Is it much more profitable to tilt the panels at different times of the year?

published: 22/04/18, 19:32
by thibr
considering the price of the panels, especially if they are used, it is economically interesting to put east / west panels in //
it produces almost like a tracker but without the mechanics.
the difficulty is to find a place without shadows from morning to evening :( what I do not have at home, but hey it still produces : Wink: