Enhanced energy conversion performance of Philippine photovoltaic panels through tilt angle adjustments: A mechatronics approach

• Main Authors: Diaz, Fidel, Ngo, Jerrold, Pascual, Maximillian, Planes, Albert, Chua, Alvin Y.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Subjects: Solar energy > Philippines; Solar panels -Philippines; Mechatronics; Mechanical Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/13120
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study focuses on improving the energy conversion performance of photovoltaic panels in the Philippines with monthly and quarterly tilt angle adjustments. The study employs a mechatronic approach to verify the performance of PV systems. A mathematical model is used to estimate the daily extraterrestrial radiation received by a unit area in order to generate the optimal PV tilt angles in the Philippines. The simulation results proves that it is worth changing the tilt angle of a PV panel facing true south on a monthly and quarterly basis in order to achieve significant irradiance gains over panels fixed at the computed optimal year tilt. Experimental results show that energy gains of up to 10% over a year period could be achieved using this technique.