Effect of tilt angle on the performance of a thin-film photovoltaic system

victor Langat; Christopher  Kanali; Erick Ronoh; Stephen Ondimu; Samuel Njuguna; Tony  Roskilly; Mohammad  Royapoor; Paul  Laidler

doi:10.4314/jagst.v21i2.8

Authors

Victor K. Langat Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
Christopher L. Kanali Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
Erick K. Ronoh Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
Stephen N. Ondimu Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
Samuel N. Ndirangu Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
Tony Roskilly Department of Engineering, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
Mohammad Royapoor School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
Paul Laidler Power Roll Limited, Washington Business Centre, 2 Turbine Way, Sunderland, SR5 3NZ, UK

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v21i2.8

Keywords:

energy hub, performance, Thin-film PV-SYSTEM, Tilt angle, Solar radiation

Abstract

Solar energy is one of the cleanest and sustainable way to enhance electrical supply's resiliency and reliability for domestic and industrial use. Photovoltaic (PV) system has been found to be one of the most effective way of capturing solar energy. Because of its long-term warranty, low-cost of maintenance and vast resource availability, solar power generation has an advantage over its competitors during the current global energy crisis. Thin-film technology PV cells are a new kind of solar cells that offer efficient technique of generating electricity from sunlight. The thin-film PV technology (FFMAT-10, Renovagen, UK) used in this study can supply 0.9 to 1.6 kW of energy to the fast fold energy hub. The hub’s system status and configuration display battery power input, battery’s state of charge, thin-film PV power and AC power output. Two fast fold mats (with a total surface area of 25.3 m²) were connected to the energy hub. The study objective was to assess the effect of tilt angle on the performance of the thin-film PV system. The study was conducted at Kimicha in Kirinyaga County, Kenya (37.294^o E longitude, 0.594^o S latitude and 1258 m altitude) and Juja, Kenya (37.014˚E longitude, 1.093˚S latitude and 1532.5 m altitude) at tilt angles between 0^o to 30^o.The results indicated that 5^o and 15^o produced average maximum PV power of 347.857±231.963 W and 517.714±131.284 W for Kimicha and Juja, respectively. The maximum solar radiation during the study period was 1086.4±211.41 W/m² for Juja and 973.5±219.93 W/m² for Kimicha. An optimal tilt angle yields optimum solar radiation that translates to maximum power production. The outcome of the study aids in acquiring self-sustaining power in the most remote locations where electricity is scarce, improving energy security and fostering economic sustainable development through industrialization.

Keywords— Energy hub, performance, thin-film photovoltaic system, tilt angle, solar radiation.