Performance Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Modules Under Different Tilt Angles: A Simulation-Based Study
Keywords:
photovoltaic, tilt angle, solar geometry, isotropic diffuse radiation, sensitivity analysis, simulationAbstract
Fixed photovoltaic (PV) tilt influences the distribution of direct, diffuse, and ground-reflected radiation on the module surface. This paper develops a reproducible, deliberately simplified simulation to compare north-facing fixed tilts from 0° to 30° at a tropical reference latitude of 7.2575° S. Twelve synthetic monthly global-horizontal irradiation values, rather than measured meteorological records, drive a solar-position and isotropic-sky transposition model. A 1-kWp PV system with constant performance ratio (0.78) is used to compare monthly and annual electricity proxies. The model identifies an annual optimum within the examined angle range, quantifies the relatively flat response near that optimum, and shows that monthly preferences can differ from annual preferences. Outcomes are conditional on synthetic input profiles, the assumed beam–diffuse split, and omission of thermal and shading effects. This work is intended as a transparent numerical demonstration of the role of geometric tilt, not a site-validated recommendation for a physical installation.
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