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RE: Solar Power as an Alternative Source of Power in Africa (Some Pictures of a Friend's Installation Which he did this Past Weekend)
Would it not be more efficient to angle the panels and orient them to best collect the sun's rays, rather than on a flat-top roof?
The panels was oriented to the magnetic south. At that orientation, it has the most inclination to the sun since it is a fixed object. It would have been more efficient if it is a smart system that tracks the sun like this one below
The roof is NOT flat. There is an degree of tilt, about 84°
ah. thanks for the drawing. I think some people do not realize different latitudinal locations require different angled solar panels.
You are most welcome.
Oh cool. Yeah maybe you can install a rotary system in the future. I'd like to see some reading as to the efficiency over a month or something
@mobbs, I would definitely check for reading in due course. Making a rotary system is doable but much costlier and would make the system more complex but with the advantage of more efficiency in sun's harvest.
depends how far from the equator one is. The solar zenith angle (angle of inclination of the sun) varies depending on time of day and also time of the year. The further from the equator one is the more extreme this angle is. If you are on the equator the best angle for an average daily exposure is 0 degrees.
Good point yeah hadn't thought of that, insightful!
nathenial, we are quite close to the equator here, hence the choice of angle of tilt chosen for this fixed system.