Solar Calculator: Difference between revisions
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=Power Production= | |||
'''This is the key calculator fro NREL'''. Give it location and fixed tilt, and it calculates total power production per year with surprising results: angle matters very little for fixed tilt. Thus, flat rooftop is almost as good as optimal, non-tracked angle. Tracking does give significant improvement, though. | |||
*https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php - good. 8.5 MWhr/year with 20 degree tilt or 45 degree tilt. {{check}}'''8.2 MWhr/yr with 12 degree tilt'''. 8.7 MWhr/yr with 32 degree tilt. 7.8 MWhr/yr with 60 degree tilt. With 2 axis tracking, it is 12 MWhr/yr. | |||
**Good reality check: '''Angle optimization in a fixed system gets you only about 6% improvement! 2 axis tracking gets you 50%.''' | |||
=PV Panel Angle Calculator= | |||
*Useful to study latitude (not much difference) vs time of day (lots of differentce, as this difference is determined by air mass. Think of space: in space around the earth, insolation would be constant. | *Useful to study latitude (not much difference) vs time of day (lots of differentce, as this difference is determined by air mass. Think of space: in space around the earth, insolation would be constant. | ||
https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/calculation-of-solar-insolation | https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/calculation-of-solar-insolation | ||
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*Dual axis trackers improve energy gain by 40% [https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/are-solar-axis-trackers-worth-the-additional-investment]. Is that over fixed mount or seasonal change mount? | *Dual axis trackers improve energy gain by 40% [https://www.solarreviews.com/blog/are-solar-axis-trackers-worth-the-additional-investment]. Is that over fixed mount or seasonal change mount? | ||
*Bifacial panels add 14-40% more energy gain, and tracking adds about 40% [https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1641282] | *Bifacial panels add 14-40% more energy gain, and tracking adds about 40% [https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1641282] | ||
=Solar Elevation Calculator= | |||
*https://keisan.casio.com/exec/system/1224682277 | |||
Latest revision as of 19:00, 14 April 2023
Power Production
This is the key calculator fro NREL. Give it location and fixed tilt, and it calculates total power production per year with surprising results: angle matters very little for fixed tilt. Thus, flat rooftop is almost as good as optimal, non-tracked angle. Tracking does give significant improvement, though.
- https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php - good. 8.5 MWhr/year with 20 degree tilt or 45 degree tilt.
8.2 MWhr/yr with 12 degree tilt. 8.7 MWhr/yr with 32 degree tilt. 7.8 MWhr/yr with 60 degree tilt. With 2 axis tracking, it is 12 MWhr/yr.
- Good reality check: Angle optimization in a fixed system gets you only about 6% improvement! 2 axis tracking gets you 50%.
PV Panel Angle Calculator
- Useful to study latitude (not much difference) vs time of day (lots of differentce, as this difference is determined by air mass. Think of space: in space around the earth, insolation would be constant.
https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/properties-of-sunlight/calculation-of-solar-insolation
- Dual axis trackers improve energy gain by 40% [1]. Is that over fixed mount or seasonal change mount?
- Bifacial panels add 14-40% more energy gain, and tracking adds about 40% [2]