The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments
Effects of the Solar Module Installing Angles
on the Output Power
Chang Ying-Pin 1
(Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Nan Kai Institute of Technology, 568 Chungcheng Rd., Tsaotun, Nantou, Taiwan 542)
Abstract: With the cost going down and encouragement from
national energy policies, photovoltaic cells have become one of
the most important energy resources for the future. The output
power increment of photovoltaic cells is mainly based on two
factors. One is decreasing the cell modular temperature and the
other is increasing the cellsʺ received solar illumination intensity.
The former can be simply achieved by maintaining a proper
radiating space between the modules and the ground. The later is
more complicated. One needs to consider the installation of cell
modules and then the maximum power output which can be
derived. This paper will theoretically calculate the solar orbit and
position at any time and any location. With the estimation of our
model on the variation of solar illumination intensity, we can
derive the output power of the solar modular cell at any tilt angle
and orientation. The simulated results could be utilized in large-
scale photovoltaic power generation systems when considering
placement for optimal installation. It also provides a useful
evaluation for the output power of photovoltaic cells mounted on
roofs and outwalls of buildings.
Keywords: Photovoltaic cells, solar illumination intensity, tilted
angle.
1 Introduction
Natural energy sources are attracting a great deal of
interest, because of environmental concerns, and
photovoltaic generation systems are currently considered
to be one of the most useful natural energy sources. PV
generation is a flexible power generation method which
is applicable to both small and large power generation
plants; i.e., plants that generate anywhere from less than
3 kVA to more than 100 kVA. The main drawbacks of
the PV generation system are high initial installation
cost and low energy conversion efficiency. In an effort
to overcome these problems, a great deal of research,
such as maximum power point control and high
conversion inverter topology, has been conducted over
past ten
1-4244-1135-1/07/$25.00 ©2007 IEEE. 1-278
ICEMI’2007
Shen Chung-Huang 2
years [1]-[4].
This work presents the development of a solar
powered public illumination system used for a waste
recycle campaign in the city of Sao Paulo (Brazil). A
lighting pole is installed in a street for area illumination
[7]. Within the framework of task 2 of the photovoltaic
power system programme (PVPS) of the international
energy agency (IEA) performance results of grid-
connected and stand-alone PV systems in different
countries have been compared [9]. Temperature
coefficients provide the rate of change with respect to
temperature of different photovoltaic performance
parameters. The derivatives can be determined for short-
circuit current, maximumpower current, open-circuit
voltage, maximumpower voltage, and maximum power,
as well as fill factor and efficiency. ASTM standard
methods for performance testing of cells and modules
address only two temperature coefficients, one for
current and one for voltage [l, 2]. Outdoor
characterization of module and array performance has
indicated that four temperature coefficients for lsc, Imp,
Voc, and Vmp, are necessary and sufficient to accurately
model electrical performance for a wide range of
operating conditions [3]. ASTM also specifies that
temperature coefficients are determined using a standard
solar spectral distribution at 1000 W/m2 irradiance, but
from a practical standpoint they need to be applied at
other irradiance levels as well. A variety of practical
issues regarding the measurement and application of
temperature coefficients still need to be addressed.
This paper describes an astronomy-based idea for
the solar module installing angles with the different solar
illumination intensity, the solar orbit and position. With
the estimation of our model on the variation of solar
illumination intensity, we can derive the output power of
the solar modular cell at any tilt angle and orientation.
Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is
The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

clarified through the simulation. m' =m+12, y ' y  1 , when this month is January or

February, the others m' =m, y ' =y.

2 Solar-array Conventional Model
(2). Julian Century (JC)
A PV array [2] consists of a collection of solar cells
connected in series and/or parallel. Each of these cells is JC=JD1/36525 (10)
basically a p-n diode that can convert the light energy (3). Solar ecliptic latitude and longitude ( O , E )
into electrical energy. An equivalent-circuit model of a The average distance angle of Spring Equinox H ,
solar cell is shown in Fig. 1 and consists of a current angular position U Εeccentricity E and the angle on the
generator and a diode plus series and parallel resistances. average recently M can be calculated from equation (11)
Note that the photocurrent I ph generated in the PV cell is into (14)
proportional to the level of radiation. The current H 280.466457  0.985647358 JD1  0.000304 JC 2 (11)
through the bypass diode I d varies with the junction U 282.937348  0.00004707624 JD1  0.00004569 JC 2
voltage Vt and the array reverse saturation current I o . (12)
E 0.01670862  0.00004204 JC
Parallel resistance RP is very large while the series
(13)
resistance RS is small. (14)
H U
M
RS I
Appling Kepler’s Equation, we can obtain
Id I sh equation the angle from recently X (15) and solar
I ph RP V RL longitude O (16)
X M  360 E sin( M ) / S  900 E 2 sin( 2 M ) / 4S  180 E 3 sin( M ) / 4S
(15)
Fig. 1 PV-cell equivalent circuit

A. Calculation of the solar orbit and position O X  360D  U (16)

In order to obtain maximum output from a
photovoltaic (PV) system, it is necessary to understand
the nature of dependence of the solar orbit and position.
The following proper noun related to the solar orbit and
position.
(1). Julian day (JD)
Because the sun keep track of orbit, the solar ecliptic
latitude longitude angle E is equal to 0 degree.
(4). Latitude and longitude on the equator (D , G )
Longitude on the equator G can be calculated
from interactive angle I, O and E , where I 23.4392D .
G sin 1 sin E cos I  cos E sin O sin I 
Julian day [3] is the number of days from the first day
of the year. January 1 has a Julian Day of 1. December (17)
31 has a Julian day of 365, except in leap years when it (5). Solar azimuth angle and solar elevation angle (Ad, h)
has a Julian Day of 366. The Julian day number can be The next step is to convert Latitude and longitude on
calculated using the following formulas: the equator to Global Mean Sidereal Time (GMST) and
JD=B+C+D+d-1524.5 (5) Local Mean Sidereal Time (LMST), which involves
introducing a correction for your local longitude. Of
where course, if you happen to live on the Prime Meridian, this
§ A· (6) step is unnecessary. If you know your station's longitude
B 2  A  Int ¨ ¸
©4¹ in degrees with respect to Greenwich, simply add it to
C > 
Int 365.25 u y '  4716 @ (7) Latitude and longitude to get GMST and LMST, in
D Int >30.6001 u m  1@
'
(8) degrees. The only caveat is that all latitudes east of the
§ y' · (9) Prime Meridian are defined as having a positive sign and
A Int¨¨ ¸¸
© 100 ¹ those wests of Greenwich are expressed as negative
For example: y year m month and d day, Julian day can numbers. GMST and LMST, resulting in the following
equations:
be calculated the following sentences
GMST 6h41m50.4841s  8640184.81266 u  JD1/ 36525.24  s

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The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

(18)

S o la r ele v atio n a n gl e ( d e g re e)
LMST GMST  J  ( LT  time _ lag ) u 1.002738 (19) The Spring Equinox and the Autumnal Equinox
100 The Summer Solstice
The solar azimuth angle Ad is the azimuth angle of 80
the sun. It can be calculated, to a good approximation,
60
using the following formulas:
ª sin  LMST  D  º (20) 40
Ad tan 1 « »
«¬ sin M cos  LMST  D   cos M tan G »¼ 20
The Winter Solstice
0
The solar elevation angle h ʳis the elevation angle of 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
the sun. That is, the angle between the direction of the
Time (7AM~17PM)
sun and the (idealized) horizon. It can be calculated, to a
good approximation, using the following formula:
h sin 1 >sin M sin G  cos M cos G cosLMST  D @ (21) Spring Equinox by
CWB
T
Spring Equinox by Simulation
3 Theoretical Analysis Summer Solstice by CWBT
The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan (CWBT) [4] Summer Solstice by simulation
is located in the longitude: east 121.5D , and latitude: Autumnal Equinox by CWBT
north 25.03D . Fig.2 shows the daily variation of solar Autumnal Equinox by simulation
elevation angle by The Central Weather Bureau of The Winter Solstice by CWBT
Taiwan and computer simulation. Fig.2 shows the The Winter Solstice by simulation
CWBT curve is almost equal to the computer simulation
results using LABVIEW program. Therefore, we can use
Fig.2 Comparison of the daily solar elevation angle
for solar illumination intensity.
Normal line Normal line
to the solar-cell panel
80
Optimum tilt angle (degree)

Solar radiation
incident line 6
Taipei
T
Taichung
30
Tainan
North Pole
Hengchun
Solar-cell panel
-20
South Pole
1 3 5 7 9 11
Month (the fifteenth days of a month)
Fig.9 The optimum tilt angle v.s. the fifteenth days of a month Horizon component
to the solar-cell panel
with the maximum electric energy of PV array

Fig.3 Effect of solar radiation incident line and normal line

Fig. 4 I-V curves of PV array for SP75

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Fig.3 shows the Effect of solar radiation incident line

Average temperature (C)

PV array temperature
and normal line. Fig. 4 shows the I-V curves of PV array
for SP75 [8]. The monocrystalline silicone solar-cell
panel, SP75, manufactured by Siemens in GERMANY is
Ambient temperature used for software simulation. It has a rated 75W, and
open voltage of 21.7V and a short current of 4.8A. When
the solar-cell panel has a 6 tilt angles, the T angle
between solar radiation incident line and normal line is
Month calculated as follows [5, 6]:
cos T sin G sin(M  6)  cos G cos(M  6) cos Z (22)
Fig.5 Effect of solar-cell modules on yearly average temperature
in Taiwan where Z cos   tan M tan G  is degree for time. Solar
1

illumination intensity [7] can be calculated as:

S S max cos T (23)
Substituting from Eq.(18) into Eq.(1), the output
power of a PV array from Eq.(5) can be obtained.

4 Results and Discussion

Fig.6 The output power of
intensity on different solar-cell panel temperature
Electric energy (W-hour)
The effects of the solar module installing angles on
the output power have been built under temperature
conditions. Fig.5 shows the effect of solar-cell modules
PV array v.s. solar illumination on yearly average temperature in Taiwan. The actual
ambient temperature and modules temperature around
the year is given. The simulation results in this study are
summarized as follows:
6800
During the day, the sun is directly from the sunrise

6790
6780
6770 ˧˴˼̃˸˼
to the noon, and change of the solar illumination
6760
˧˴˼˶˻̈́˺ intensity from 0 to the 100mW / cm 2 . When the solar-cell
6750
6740 ˧˴˼́˴́ modules was measured both T1 (30D C ) and T2 (55D C ) , Fig.6
6730
˛˸́˺˶˻̈́
6720 shows the output power of PV array v.s. solar
6710
6700 illumination intensity on different solar-cell panel
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Tilt angle (degree)
temperature. Also, the output electric energy of PV array
Fig.7 The output electric energy of PV array v.s. solar tilt angles
v.s. solar tilt angles for fixed module at different districts
for fixed module at different districts is shown in Fig.7. It is indicate that the solar
illumination intensity is in proportion to the output
power. With the modules temperature increased from
photovoltaic cells, the output power has reduced slightly,
that a value of 82.68W and 74.35W at noon. In addition,
Electric energy (WH)

Fig.8 shows the output electric energy of PV array v.s.

solar tilt angles at different districts with 25D tilt angle
Hengchun
for fixed modules at four different districts. The
Tainan optimum tilt angle is Taipei 25D , Taichung 24D ,
Tainan 23D , and Hengchun 22D , respectively. Also, it is
Taichung noted that the electric energy of accumulation are
6775WH at Taipei 25D during one year. Fig.9 shows the
Month (the fifteenth days of a month) Taipei
optimum tilt angle v.s. the fifteenth days of a month with
the maximum electric energy of PV array. The figure
shows that the yearly optimum tilt angle are negative
Fig.8 The output electric energy of PV array v.s. solar tilt angles values at four different districts. This mean that that the
at different districts with 25D tilt angle solar-cell panel faces due north [10].

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The Eighth International Conference on Electronic Measurement and Instruments ICEMI’2007

Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the National Tsing Hua

5 Conclusions University in 1993, and the Ph.D. degree from the National
Taiwan University of Science and Technology in 2004. Currently,
This paper presents the effects of the solar module
he is an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering
installing angles on the output power. In order to Department at Nan Kai Institute of Technology, Nantou, Taiwan,
improve the efficiency of the fixed structure solar-cell R.O.C. His research interests include electric power quality and
panels, an optimum installation angle for solar-cell power electronics.
panels should be determined. The relationship between Chung-Huang Shen: was born in, Taiwan. He received the M. Sc.
the sunlight incident angle and the sunlight radiation degree in electrical engineering from the National Taiwan
intensity on the solar-cell panel surface is presented in University of Science and Technology. Currently, he is an
Instructor in the Electrical Engineering Department at Nan Kai
this paper. The best monthly and annual installation
Institute of Technology, Nantou, Taiwan, R.O.C. His research
angles of fixed structure solar-cell panels for different interests include power systems.
areas in Taiwan are obtained with the corresponding
weather data. Computer simulation results indicate that
the optimal tilt angles are from 22D to 25D and south
facing, respectively. For adjustable modules of solar-
cell panel, the output power are has a higher than fixed
modules. The computer simulation results indicate that
installation angles are adjustable by the monthly or daily,
the solar-cell output power is increased slightly.
References
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[3]. G. M. Su, Calculation of solar-cell panel at different tilt
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[4]. The Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan,
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[5]. The Association of Power Producers of Ontario,
http://www.newenergy.org.cn/magazine/solar/9903/990313.h
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[7]. Godoy Simoes, M., and Franceschetti, N. N., A RISC-
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[8]. Siemens Solar Industries, Siemens Solar Basic PV
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Author Biographies
Ying-Pin Chang: was born in, Taiwan, 1965. He received the M.
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