Part One: Irradiance Losses
Panel Angle & Orientation
Irradiance losses reduce the amount of available sunlight (irradiance) the PV system can convert to electricity.
Panel Angle & Orientation
Tilt & Orientation
The angle of the solar panels impacts the amount of total irradiance the system receives over the course of a year. As a rule of thumb, placing panels at a tilt facing towards the equator will maximize the amount of incident irradiance.
Note: It’s best to use modeling software to precisely quantify specific site differences and weigh them against other design considerations and what’s practical at the site.
Panel Angle & Orientation
Solar Incidence Angle
Solar incidence angles refer to the angle of the panel’s surface compared to the sun’s rays. Incidence angles can impact the amount of sunlight that gets through the glass front of your panels and the energy output from your PV system.
Panel Angle & Orientation
Incident Angle Modifier
💡Suggested loss value: 3-4.5%
Incident Angle Modifier (IAM) loss accounts for the lower transmission of light through the glass front of a solar panel when the sunlight enters at an angle.
✨ Aurora uses the De Soto model to determine how much of the sunlight that hits the front face of the panel makes it through the glass. Based on aggregate performance simulations, the typical IAM loss is between 3% and 4.5%. IAM losses generally increase when tilt and orientation losses increase.
Takeaway: Where possible, tilt your modules at a little less than your latitude, and orient them towards the equator to reduce Incident Angle Modifier losses.
