One of the vital stages in designing solar systems is to select the tilt angle of a surface. The amount of the sunlight received at a surface depends on the tilt angle. Thus, optimizing the tilt angle improves the power production of a solar system. There are different techniques for calculating the optimum tilt angle. One of the primary purposes of this lecture is to calculate the optimum tilt angles for different time periods for a specific location by using tilt angle-total solar radiation relation. Evaulating solar tracking PV systems and comparing these systems with fixed PV systems in terms of cost, efficiency and environmental impact is the other significant goal. The outcomes of the lecture will provide adequate information to design a real time PV system.

Solar radiation. Solar radiation components and total solar radiation on horizontal surfaces. Diffuse solar radiation equations. Estimation of diffuse solar component. Total solar radiation on horizontal surfaces in Turkey. Solar radiation components and total solar radiation on tilted surfaces. PV cell, module and array. PV panels and principles. PV system sizing. The relation between total solar radiation and PV system size. The relation between tilt angle and total solar radiation. The advantages and disadvantages of fixed PV systems and solar tracking PV systems.