The mapping of maximum annual energy yield azimuth and tilt angles for photovoltaic installations at all locations in South Africa

Tebogo Matshoge^I; Adoniya Ben Sebitosi^II

^IDepartment of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town
^IICentre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies, University of Stellenbosch

ABSTRACT

Photovoltaic (PV) technology is fast emerging as a viable energy supply option in mitigation against environmental degradation through the burning of traditional fossil fuels. The cost of the technology, however, still poses a major challenge, as the efficiencies are generally still quite modest. Current research efforts to improve efficiency are mainly focused on component physics and manufacturing technologies. Little attention seems to be paid to improved system design at field level. Traditionally it is assumed that a panel installed at a tilt angle that is equal to the latitude at a location should achieve maximum annual energy yield for a non-tracking installation. However, in practice, due to a number of factors such as wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, global and diffuse irradiation and other climatic factors, the optimum azimuth and tilt get more convoluted. In this paper the optimum angles (azimuth and tilt) to maximise annual energy yield for fixed angle PV installations at all locations in South Africa have been tabulated. Climate data software together with solar design software were used in determining the angles. The availability of these tables will offer an additional support tool to the country in promoting the growth of PV as a viable alternative energy generation technology for both urban as well as the most secluded rural areas that are not grid connected.

Keywords: photovoltaics, South Africa, tilt, azimuth

Full text available only in pdf format.

References

Bekker B., (2007). Irradiation and PV array energy output, cost and optimal positioning estimation of South Africa. Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, Vol. 18 No. 2 May 2007.         [ Links ]

DME (2003). White Paper on Renewable Energy, Department of Minerals and Energy Republic of South Africa, November 2003, Part 5. www.dme.gov.za/energy/renewable.stm.         [ Links ]

Medica M., Jurin G., and Frankovic B., (1996). The analysis of PV power supply availability using the reference year data - Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Vukovarska 58, Croatia.         [ Links ]

Sebitosi A. B., (2008). Energy Efficiency, Security of Supply and the Environment in South Africa: Moving Beyond the Strategy Documents. Energy, Volume 33, Issue 11, November 2008, Pages 1591-1596.         [ Links ]

Sebitosi, A. B., and Pillay P., (2008). Renewable energy and the environment in South Africa: A way forward. Energy Policy, Volume 36, Issue 9, September 2008, Pages 3312-3316.         [ Links ]

Sebitosi A. B., and Pillay P, (2008). Grappling with a half-hearted policy: The case of renewable energy and the environment in South Africa. Elsevier Energy Policy Volume 36, Issue 7, July 2008, Pages 2513-2516.         [ Links ]

Received 12 December 2009
Revised 11 June 2010