Solar Panel Alignment: How Panel Location Impacts Energy Output

Solar Panels are a good way to ensure the use of green energy being brought into your homes and institutes that provide you with the right amount of energy and don’t negatively affect the environment around it.

In this article, we’ll look at the necessity of correctly installing solar panels and how to ensure that the energy output is greater and consistent throughout its usage.

Factors influencing energy output

The quantitative aspects of these factors help determine how solar panels provide energy output. Considering these factors allows the user to get the most out of their solar panels to help ensure the investment is worth every penny.

1. Orientation

Orientation refers to the placement of the solar panel. The placement helps out in harnessing most of the energy-collecting process. The requirement of solar panels is mostly to be out in an open space facing a certain direction to ensure that the sunlight is directed to all the photovoltaic cells to absorb the energy properly.

The perfect direction and tilt allow solar panels to get the most out of their purpose. Measuring these factors allows the installer to get the right size solar panels or clearing for it to be placed on, ensuring the maximum output.

2. Direction

Solar panels are required to face the sun at all times to ensure it gets sunlight from all angles of the day. The rule for the direction of a solar panel is simple, for the southern hemisphere, the solar panel is required to face true north, while in the northern hemisphere, they are required to face true south.

The differences occur between finding the true south, and magnetic south as the south shown on the compass directs the installation of the solar panel to be directed toward the earth’s magnetic pole but instead, the south the solar panels are supposed t face is the solar or geographic south.

This is applied to the true north as well. Depending on the use of the solar panel, the solar panel can have a slight rotation to get the most out of the sunlight possible. This will help provide more electricity when energy is required.

The shifting of the solar panels allows more energy to be created, helping in the use of appliances and what needs energy the most, in the night time as well.

3. Angle

The angle at which the solar panels are facing is also an important consideration to take into account, as it allows more sunlight to cover the surface of the solar panel. This angle is set by measuring the geographical latitude, an example of which can be taken by getting the optimal sunlight with latitude of 50 degrees. The closer the panel is to the equator, the more it should be pointing straight upward.

It can also provide the most optimal level of input by the factors of the climatic and environmental areas, such as snow accumulation on low tilt panels can completely block out the sunlight from covering up the surface.

Low-tilt solar panels are also susceptible to soiling by dirt and other debris, which can block the sun’s rays.

4. Shading

Solar panels that are directly under shading are half the time less likely to produce energy under the sun as compared to those panels that are out in the sun. Therefore, you must consider factors like other buildings, trees, and other covering or shadowing objects to ensure the solar panels’ productivity.

6 Ways to Improve Energy Productivity

For your solar panel to produce the optimal amount of energy, here are 6 factors that can help ensure increasing energy output levels:

1. Buy Efficient Solar Panels

There are many types of solar panels available. The most optimum one is monocrystalline solar panels, made up of single-layer silicone cells that allow the sunlight to get absorbed efficiently and, in turn, create a larger output.

Photovoltaic cells allow the sunlight to be absorbed and turned into useable electricity; however, a solar panel cannot transform all energy into electricity; It is entirely dependable on what the manufacturing process of these panels helps gather up most of the sunlight it absorbs.

Only some solar panels are created equal; some may give 15% of the energy they absorb, while others give lower or higher percentages which are entirely dependent on the type of solar panels you are installing. Another factor in efficiency is the size of the solar panel. If it is larger, it is more likely to produce a larger amount of energy than smaller solar panels.

2. Buy Panels with High Concentrated CPV Cells

These panels have more photovoltaic cells than other solar panels, allowing more sunlight to get absorbed through which energy is produced. However, these can be expensive. Therefore it is more challenging than it looks.

But with the addition of high CPV cells, your solar panel is likely to increase in efficiency from 22% to 46%. But with how well it produces the outcome, high CPV cells are more challenging to find in the market due to their expensive production level.

3. Avoid Shaded Areas

Shaded areas don’t allow much of the sunlight to seep through to be absorbed by the solar panels; these shades can come from trees, buildings, or other objects hovering over the solar panels’ level.

4. Call a Professional

A professional can help guide you on areas where the solar panels can get the maximum sunlight to generate the most electricity output. The photovoltaic cell uses the energy collected by the ones next to them, so even if some of the cells receive sunlight, they need energy not to spread out among them.

5. Clean Solar Panels

Solar panels are flat surfaces; therefore, a usual cleaning is necessary to make sure that the panels are clear of dust and debris that can affect the performance level of the solar panels in creating green energy.

6. Monitor Solar Panels

Noticing the energy level drops is essential in ensuring that the solar panels generate the required energy level. Therefore it is essential to monitor your solar panel and its output level to check the changes over time and make changes according to the results.

Conclusion

To get the maximum output from your solar panels, it is necessary to look out since you’re already investing so much into installing them. Make sure to stay In contact with the professional who installs the solar panels to ensure that the work is done well and that the solar panels work for a longer time.