Investigation of the Optimum Solar Insolation for PV Systems Considering the Effect of Tilt Angle and Ambient Temperature

Raghed Melhem, Yomna Shaker, Fatma Mazen Ali Mazen () and Ali Abou-Elnour
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Raghed Melhem: Engineering Department, University of Fujairah (UOF), Fujairah P.O. Box 2202, United Arab Emirates
Yomna Shaker: Engineering Department, Fujairah University (FU), Fujairah P.O. Box 2202, United Arab Emirates
Fatma Mazen Ali Mazen: Faculty of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department, Fayoum University, Fayoum 63514, Egypt
Ali Abou-Elnour: Engineering Department, University of Fujairah (UOF), Fujairah P.O. Box 2202, United Arab Emirates

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-24

Abstract: As interest in PV installation has spiked in recent years, the need for optimizing several factors of PV performance has become crucial. These are tilt angle and solar cell temperature (taking into account ambient temperature) and their effect on solar insolation for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The objective of this study is to achieve the optimal tilt angle and cell temperature accordingly by developing a MATLAB program to reach the target of maximizing the received solar insolation. To achieve this, additional solar angles such as the azimuth, hour, latitude angle, declination angle, hour angle, and azimuth angle need to be calculated. By computing the solar insolation for specific regions of interest, specifically the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the desired results can be obtained. Additionally, the study aims to assess the influence of PV cell temperature on the I–V curves of commercially available PV modules, which will provide insights into the impact of temperature on the performance characteristics of PV cells. By employing a developed model, the study examined the combined collective influences of solar received radiation, tilt angle, and ambient temperature on the output power of PV systems in five different cities. The annual optimal tilt angles were found to be as follows: Mecca (21.4° N)—21.48°, Fujairah (25.13° N)—25.21°, Kuwait (29.3° N)—29.38°, Baghdad (33.3° N)—33.38°, and Mostaganem (35.9° N)—2535.98°. Notably, the estimated yearly optimal tilt angles closely corresponded to the latitudes of the respective cities. Additionally, the study explored the impact of ambient temperature on PV module performance. It was observed that an increase in ambient temperature resulted in a corresponding rise in the temperature of the PV cells, indicating the significant influence of environmental temperature on PV module efficiency. Overall, the findings demonstrate that adjusting the tilt angle of PV modules on a monthly basis led to higher solar power output compared to yearly adjustments. These results underscore the importance of considering both solar radiation and ambient temperature when optimizing PV power generation.

Keywords: cell temperature; mathematical model; PV system; solar irradiance; tilt angle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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