The Influence of Tilt Angle on Output for a Residential 4 kW Solar PV System

The tilt angle of a photovoltaic (PV) module has a significant impact on its energy generation capabilities. This study looks at the influence of monthly tilting versus fixed, one-axis, and two-axis tracking systems on the energy production of a small, residential 4 kW PV system in Texas. System Advisor Model (SAM) was used to simulate and compare each scenario. Just using a manual angle adjustable solar panel mount bracket (ASPVB) to adjust tilt can boost generated electricity by 6% when compared to a fixed rack system with a tilt equal to that of the local latitude.