Elevation angle for solar panels...

[Externet]

Hi.   This could be in other subforums, but here it goes.

Placing a row of fixed solar panels on flat soil, the better perpendicular insolation elevation angles -at say latitude 38⁰N-  is about 40 degrees for winter and 60 degrees for summer.  But that is for noon time.  For say 08H to 10H and by 14H to 16H, the sun elevation is lower. And azimuth makes it even a poorer incidence angle. What ± elevation angle is considered a convenient compromise to collect most solar energy?  Is that from some integral calculation ?   My books do not suggest much on it.

[swansont]

Noon is when the Intensity is the highest, so it makes sense to maximize the geometric efficiency for a fixed panel for the part of the day when you get the most sun. You’re only tilting based on angle above horizon at noon, not on the orthogonal direction, and the sun passes through more atmosphere near sunrise and sunset, which scatter blue light more efficiently (i.e.the light actually used by the panels) Do you want to optimize for when you’re getting 50 W/m^2 or when you’re getting 250 W/m^2?

[Externet]

Thanks.  250W/m2  Would be great!  Efficiency I have is barely over 20 !

The intention is a better cumulative daylight integration of power collected.  If deviating 5 lower elevation degrees from the optimal celestial noon yields a larger morning and afternoon watts collected increasing the daylight total, well, is to consider sacrificing a few extra watts around noon for a better yield mornings + afternoons... -if am explaining it well-

[swansont]

52 minutes ago, Externet said:

Thanks.  250W/m2  Would be great!  Efficiency I have is barely over 20 !

The intention is a better cumulative daylight integration of power collected.  If deviating 5 lower elevation degrees from the optimal celestial noon yields a larger morning and afternoon watts collected increasing the daylight total, well, is to consider sacrificing a few extra watts around noon for a better yield mornings + afternoons... -if am explaining it well-

It might be more instructive to think of power you’d be throwing away. If a sub-optimal angle reduced your power by, say, 10%, do you want to lose 10% of a small number, or a big number?