Dual Axis Optimization of Solar Photovoltaic at Various Sites in Pakistan
Abstract
This study investigates dual-axis tracking of solar Photovoltaic (PVs) based on solar radiation data taken from the Energy Sector and Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Evaluation of optimum tilt angle using 17 different sky models (isotropic and anisotropic) and azimuthal angle optimization for a year (2016) was performed. The radiation components (beam, diffused and reflected) were estimated by varying the tilt angle from 0-90°. A comparison of mean monthly total radiation for these models shows an almost 6 to 11 % increase with monthly optimum tilt angle than latitude tilt angle for both Lahore and Khuzdar. The maximum (minimum) azimuth angle is noted for June (December), which varies from -113.81° to 113.81° (-58.32° to 56.89°). The comparison between the mean monthly total irradiance obtained using optimum tilt angle and dual-axis tracking of PV collector shows an increase of about 7 to 25 % for both sites.