Experimental investigation of monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar modules at different inclination angles

Photovoltaic modules have a potential market for off-grid applications in rural context with limited access to the electrical grid. For fixed photovoltaic systems, proper orientation of photovoltaic modules at specific conditions plays a significant role to have maximum performance. This paper presents the effects of different metrological parameters on the performance of photovoltaic modules at three different inclination angles (0°, 33.74° and 90°) with horizontal. Six 40W photovoltaic modules (three monocrystalline and three polycrystalline) were exposed to sunlight at three different inclination angles. Performance ratio, module efficiency, fill factor were calculated for photovoltaic module at different inclination angles and results presented. PV modules at 33.74° tilt angle received high solar radiation and showed high output power. As solar radiation increases, the radiation losses from the surface of the module increases and resultant decrease the module efficiency and increase the module temperature at high solar irradiance. During the winter months, the average efficiency of the monocrystalline PV module at 0° and 90° was 4% and 2% higher respectively than the 33.74° tilt angle. Similarly polycrystalline PV module showed 7% and 5% higher efficiency at 0° and 90° respectively than the 33.74° . Moreover, Fill factor of PV module at 33.74° tilt angle had the highest value as compared to other tilt angles.