Tilt and azimuth - Revision history

Alex at 19:30, 10 February 2021

2021-02-10T19:30:03Z

Alex at 19:26, 10 February 2021

2021-02-10T19:26:38Z

Alex: Marked this version for translation

2021-02-10T18:50:00Z

Marked this version for translation

Show changes

Alex at 18:49, 10 February 2021

2021-02-10T18:49:36Z

Alex at 18:49, 10 February 2021

2021-02-10T18:49:18Z

Alex at 14:45, 1 January 2021

2021-01-01T14:45:32Z

Alex at 15:10, 29 December 2020

2020-12-29T15:10:48Z

Alex: Alex moved page Tilt and orientation to Tilt and azimuth

2020-12-07T21:22:47Z

Alex moved page Tilt and orientation to Tilt and azimuth

Alex at 15:53, 29 November 2020

2020-11-29T15:53:00Z

Alex at 18:14, 27 November 2020

2020-11-27T18:14:32Z

@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 *Mounting systems are frequently build that enable users to change the angle of the PV modules through the course of the year to maximize production at higher latitudes. The standard array angle adjustment is +15° at the fall solstice and -15° at the spring solstice. At 41° latitude, a system that is adjusted at the two solstices will produce an estimated 6% more than a system that is at a fixed 41° tilt. This additional energy can be crucial in the winter.<ref name="pvwatts"/>
 *If PV system is only going to be used seasonally then mounting the PV modules at an angle that maximizes production during that time of the year is advisable.
-*As in the example systems above, it is not advisable to mount PV modules at an angle of 0° near the equator as they are unable to shed water and will lose significant production as they become increasingly soiled. At least a 5° angle is recommended.
+*As was mentioned previously, it is not advisable to mount PV modules at an angle of 0° near the equator as they are unable to shed water and will lose significant production as they become increasingly soiled. At least a 5° angle is recommended.
 ==Notes/references== <!--T:28-->

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 <translate>
 <!--T:1-->
-[[File:Tiltfrontside.png|thumb|250px|'''Pole-mounted PV modules:'''<br />''(1)'' is the angle of the modules relative to the ground. Production is maximized when the sun's rays strike a module perpendicularly.]]
+[[File:Tiltfrontside.png|thumb|250px|'''Pole-mounted PV modules:'''<br />''(1)'' is the angle of the modules relative to the earth. Production is maximized when the sun's rays strike a module perpendicularly.]]
 <!--T:2-->
-The sunlight that reaches the earth is strongest when it strikes a surface perpendicularly or a 90° angle, yet the position of the sun in the sky varies through the day and through the year for every location. This means that to capture as much sunlight as possible and maximize production, a PV module must be properly positioned. There are two important ways in which a [[Special:MyLanguage/PV module|PV module]] can be positioned relative to the sun:
+The sunlight that reaches the earth is strongest when it strikes a surface perpendicularly (with an angle of 90°), yet the position of the sun in the sky varies through the day and through the year for every location. This means that to capture as much sunlight as possible and maximize production, a PV module must be properly positioned. There are two important ways in which a [[Special:MyLanguage/PV module|PV module]] can be positioned relative to the sun:
 *Direction relative to the cardinal directions (North, East, South, West).
 *Angle relative to the surface of the earth.
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 <!--T:12-->
-The most important window for PV system production is between 9:00 and 15:00. At 9:00 the sun is rising in the East and gaining strength. At around 12:00 the sun is reaching the peak if its arc in the sky between East and West. In the Southern hemisphere, the position of the sun in the sky is due North at this point. In the Northern hemisphere it is due South. At 15:00 the sun is beginning to fall towards the West and is losing strength. To maximize the amount of sunlight that a PV module captures, it is ideal to if it is pointed with an azimuth angle of due North (0°) in the Southern hemisphere and due South (180°) in the Northern hemisphere as this enables the PV module to capture the maximum amount of sunlight as the sun arcs from East to West. Additionally, if the PV module is properly facing either of these directions it it will be able to take maximum advantage of the sun's rays when it is at its strongest.
+The most important period for PV system production is between 9:00 and 15:00. At 9:00 the sun is rising in the East and gaining strength. At around 12:00 the sun is reaching the peak if its arc in the sky between East and West. In the Southern hemisphere, the position of the sun in the sky is due North at this point. In the Northern hemisphere it is due South. At 15:00 the sun is beginning to fall towards the West and is losing strength. To maximize the amount of sunlight that a PV module captures, it is ideal to if it is pointed with an azimuth angle of due North (0°) in the Southern hemisphere and due South (180°) in the Northern hemisphere as this enables the PV module to capture the maximum amount of sunlight as the sun arcs from East to West. Additionally, if the PV module is properly facing either of these directions it it will be able to take maximum advantage of the sun's rays when it is at its strongest.
 <!--T:13-->
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 <!--T:18-->
-A compass is necessary to determine the cardinal directions in order to point PV in the right direction. PV modules maximize production when pointed ''true'' North/South, but an unadjusted compass provides ''magnetic'' North/South which can vary significantly depending on the magnetic field in the location where the PV system is being installed. The adjustment factor between magnetic North and true north is called '''magnetic declination.''' This value can be found on some paper maps, but the most accurate and easiest source is the internet. There are many different free tools such as the [https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml#declination NOAA Magnetic Declination Tool.]
+A compass is necessary to determine the cardinal directions in order to point PV in the right direction. PV modules maximize production when pointed ''true'' North or South, but an unadjusted compass provides ''magnetic'' North or South which can vary significantly depending on the magnetic field in the location where the PV system is being installed. The adjustment factor between magnetic North and true north is called '''magnetic declination.''' This value can be found on some paper maps, but the most accurate and easiest source is the internet. There are many different free tools such as the [https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml#declination NOAA Magnetic Declination Tool.]
 <!--T:19-->
@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 <!--T:27-->
 Under some conditions it makes sense to use a tilt for a PV module that is different than latitude.
-*It is often the simplest, cheapest and most theft-proof option to install PV modules on the roof of a home. In this case, typically the angle of the existing roof is used as the tilt angle for the PV module. An 17° latitude, an array with a tilt angle of 7° will only produce an estimated 2.1% less than an array with a tilt angle of 17°.<ref name="pvwatts"/>
+*It is often the simplest, cheapest and most theft-proof option to install PV modules on the roof of a home. In this case, typically the angle of the existing roof is used as the tilt angle for the PV module. An 17° latitude, an PV module with a tilt angle of 7° will only produce an estimated 2.1% less than a PV module with a tilt angle of 17°.<ref name="pvwatts"/>
 *Mounting systems are frequently build that enable users to change the angle of the PV modules through the course of the year to maximize production at higher latitudes. The standard array angle adjustment is +15° at the fall solstice and -15° at the spring solstice. At 41° latitude, a system that is adjusted at the two solstices will produce an estimated 6% more than a system that is at a fixed 41° tilt. This additional energy can be crucial in the winter.<ref name="pvwatts"/>
 *If PV system is only going to be used seasonally then mounting the PV modules at an angle that maximizes production during that time of the year is advisable.
 *As in the example systems above, it is not advisable to mount PV modules at an angle of 0° near the equator as they are unable to shed water and will lose significant production as they become increasingly soiled. At least a 5° angle is recommended.
-==Notes== <!--T:28-->
+==Notes/references== <!--T:28-->
 <!--T:29-->

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Movements of the earth==
 The earth is at all times rotating around its own axis (completing a full rotation approximately every 24 hours) and orbiting around the sun (completing a full orbit approximately every 365 days).
 ===Daily rotation===
 The earth completes a full revolution around its own axis approximately every 24 hours. This causes the strength of the sun to vary throughout the day as it arcs through the sky, rising in the East and setting in the West. The strength of the sun's rays peak when it is at the top of its arc between East and West at around 12:00.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:PV source]]
 [[File:Tiltfrontside.png|thumb|250px|'''Pole-mounted PV modules:'''<br />''(1)'' is the angle of the modules relative to the ground. Production is maximized when the sun's rays strike a module perpendicularly.]]
 The sunlight that reaches the earth is strongest when it strikes a surface perpendicularly or a 90° angle, yet the position of the sun in the sky varies through the day and through the year for every location. This means that to capture as much sunlight as possible and maximize production, a PV module must be properly positioned. There are two important ways in which a [[PV module]] can be positioned relative to the sun:
 *Direction relative to the cardinal directions (North, East, South, West).
 *Angle relative to the surface of the earth.
@@ Line 8: / Line 11: @@
 ==Movements of the earth==
 The earth is at all times rotating around its own axis (completing a full rotation approximately every 24 hours) and orbiting around the sun (completing a full orbit approximately every 365 days).
 ===Daily rotation===
@@ Line 17: / Line 21: @@
 ===Yearly orbit===
 The earth rotates around the sun in a nearly perfect circle one time every 365 days. The yearly orbit of the earth around the sun accounts for the variation in the strength of the sun in different areas between the seasons. The earth's axis is at an angle, roughly 23.5°, which creates seasonal variation as the angle of the sun's rays striking any location on earth varies depending upon the position of the earth in its orbit around the sun. This also has an effect on the number of hours of light that a location receives each day, which becomes more pronounced moving further away from the equator. June 21 in the Southern hemisphere is the shortest day of the year and December 21 is the longest day of the year. The opposite is true in the Northern hemisphere.
@@ Line 25: / Line 30: @@
 ==Azimuth angle==
 The most important window for PV system production is between 9:00 and 15:00. At 9:00 the sun is rising in the East and gaining strength. At around 12:00 the sun is reaching the peak if its arc in the sky between East and West. In the Southern hemisphere, the position of the sun in the sky is due North at this point. In the Northern hemisphere it is due South. At 15:00 the sun is beginning to fall towards the West and is losing strength. To maximize the amount of sunlight that a PV module captures, it is ideal to if it is pointed with an azimuth angle of due North (0°) in the Southern hemisphere and due South (180°) in the Northern hemisphere as this enables the PV module to capture the maximum amount of sunlight as the sun arcs from East to West. Additionally, if the PV module is properly facing either of these directions it it will be able to take maximum advantage of the sun's rays when it is at its strongest.
 '''Southern hemisphere:''' A PV module on a fixed mounting structure will maximize yearly production by facing directly towards the North:
 <gallery widths=250px>
 File:Mozambiquejune219am.png|June 21, 9:00 in Quelimane, Mozambique (17°S). The sun rises in the East.<ref name="sunsmotions"> University of Nebraska-Lincoln Motions of the Sun Lab https://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion3/motion3.html </ref>
@@ Line 34: / Line 41: @@
 '''Northern hemisphere:''' A PV module on a fixed mounting structure will maximize yearly production by facing directly towards the South:
 <gallery widths=250px>
 File:Oaxacadec219am.png|Dec 21, 9:00 in Oaxaca, Mexico (17°N). The sun rises in the East.<ref name="sunsmotions"/>
@@ Line 40: / Line 48: @@
 ===Magnetic declination===
 A compass is necessary to determine the cardinal directions in order to point PV in the right direction. PV modules maximize production when pointed ''true'' North/South, but an unadjusted compass provides ''magnetic'' North/South which can vary significantly depending on the magnetic field in the location where the PV system is being installed. The adjustment factor between magnetic North and true north is called '''magnetic declination.''' This value can be found on some paper maps, but the most accurate and easiest source is the internet. There are many different free tools such as the [https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml#declination NOAA Magnetic Declination Tool.]
@@ Line 47: / Line 56: @@
 ===Non-standard azimuth angles===
 In some cases, it is not possible or not convenient to face a PV module true North/South. If an array is slightly off from true North/South it is unlikely to affect production greatly in any case, but the effect does become more pronounced moving further from the equator. How much production is affected varies significantly, for example:
 *A system with a tilt of 5° facing true East (90°) or true West (270°) at 0° latitude will produce an estimated 5% less than a system facing true North (0°).<ref name="pvwatts"> National Renewable Energy Labs PVWatts Calculator https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php </ref>
 *A system with a tilt of 17° facing true East (90°) or true West (270°) at 17°S latitude will produce an estimated 7.7% less than a system facing true North (0°)<ref name="pvwatts"/>
@@ Line 53: / Line 64: @@
 ==Tilt angle==
 The path that the sun takes through the sky changes each day as the earth moves through its orbit. The change becomes more pronounced as one moves away from the equator. A PV module is able to collect the most energy as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the year if a PV module is placed at an angle that is equivalent to the latitude of the location. At the equator it is important to still tilt the panel with at least a 5° tilt to ensure that water will run off the panel to shed dust.
@@ Line 62: / Line 74: @@
 ===Non-standard tilt angles===
 Under some conditions it makes sense to use a tilt for a PV module that is different than latitude.
 *It is often the simplest, cheapest and most theft-proof option to install PV modules on the roof of a home. In this case, typically the angle of the existing roof is used as the tilt angle for the PV module. An 17° latitude, an array with a tilt angle of 7° will only produce an estimated 2.1% less than an array with a tilt angle of 17°.<ref name="pvwatts"/>
@@ Line 68: / Line 81: @@
 *As in the example systems above, it is not advisable to mount PV modules at an angle of 0° near the equator as they are unable to shed water and will lose significant production as they become increasingly soiled. At least a 5° angle is recommended.
 <references/>
 NOAA Magnetic Declination Tool https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml#declination

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ==Tilt angle==
-The path that the sun takes through the sky changes each day as the earth moves through its orbit. The change becomes more pronounced as one moves away from the equator. A PV module is able to collect the most energy as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the year if the a PV module is placed at an angle that is equivalent to the latitude of the location. At the equator it is important to still tilt the panel with at least a 5° tilt to ensure that water will run off the panel to shed dust.
+The path that the sun takes through the sky changes each day as the earth moves through its orbit. The change becomes more pronounced as one moves away from the equator. A PV module is able to collect the most energy as the sun changes position in the sky throughout the year if a PV module is placed at an angle that is equivalent to the latitude of the location. At the equator it is important to still tilt the panel with at least a 5° tilt to ensure that water will run off the panel to shed dust.
 <gallery widths=250px>

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