Maximum Solar Power Generation through Optimization of Tilt Solar Angles of Solar Panels by Heuristic Technique

Abstract: The optimal power generation from a solar power system for a detailed loading and irradiation scenario prevailing at a specific location in India has been determined. Three different types of loads reflecting economic and residential activity at the location has been considered. Daily global and diffuse solar irradiation data corresponding to two different seasons of the year have been used in the radiation model for the solar panel. The optimal operation is being determined through optimal choice of the tilt angle for the solar panel in order to collect the most concentrated solar irradiation. The mathematical technique used is a modified version of the conventional genetic algorithm (GA) termed Tuned Genetic Algorithm (TGA). TGA is robust against the above discussed variations by virtue of metaheuristic nature and is more reliable in avoiding a local minimum of the objective function than GA. The TGA- evaluated total solar power generations for each loading system in India utilizing different values of tilt angles of solar panel have been compared. The solar power generation is found to exceed demand by the largest margins for all three loads in summer season during optimal power operation. For most economic operation of the solar power system during the summer season, a 60 degree angle of tilt was found to be optimal for residential loads, whereas 50 degree tilt angle was optimal for the other loads studied.

Keywords: Solar Angle,Irradiation, TGA, Optimal Power.