The efficiency and performance of solar cells and modules are typically evaluated and reported at normal incidence under peak solar radiation. We present a simple clear-sky model for solar irradiance that can be used to study the angular and annual performance of new photovoltaic materials. Using this model, we study the effect of solar module orientation for fixed-tilt module installations and different types of tracking (seasonal, 1D, and 2D) as a function of latitude. For fixed-tilt modules, the optimum tilt as a fraction of latitude varies from 0.83 at 1 deg to 0.73 at 60 deg. The effect of tilt misorientation for panels at the optimum azimuth is not very strong as the solar irradiance is about 94.5% of its optimum at ±20 deg mistilt. Both azimuth misorientation and tilt misorientation are studied. Optimized tilts and times of year for tilting are also obtained for modules that are seasonally adjusted twice and three times a year. The annual solar insolation of fixed modules is compared with modules that are seasonally adjusted twice and three times a year, continuously tracked in the north/south direction, continuously tracked in the east/west direction, and continuously tracked in two directions. The use of single-axis tracking in the east/west direction is preferable to north/south tracking and potentially improves overall energy collection by 16.2% to 31.0%. Continuous dual-axis tracking enhances overall annual energy collection by 36.0% to 45.5%. The model and provision of open source code provides for a way to assess the performance of new materials.

中文翻译：

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太阳能组件定向和跟踪型性能和优化

太阳能电池和模块的效率和性能通常在太阳辐射峰值下的垂直入射下进行评估和报告。我们提出了一个简单的太阳辐照度晴空模型，可用于研究新型光伏材料的角性能和年性能。使用此模型，我们研究了固定倾斜模块安装的太阳能模块方向和不同类型的跟踪（季节性、一维和二维）作为纬度的函数的影响。对于固定倾斜模块，最佳倾斜度作为纬度的一部分从 1 度时的 0.83 到 60 度时的 0.73 不等。在最佳方位角对面板倾斜错误定向的影响不是很强，因为太阳辐照度在 ±20 度倾斜时约为其最佳值的 94.5%。研究了方位角误差和倾斜误差。对于每年进行两次和三次季节性调整的模块，还可以获得优化的倾斜度和一年中的倾斜次数。固定组件的年日照量与每年两次和三次季节性调整、南北方向连续跟踪、东/西方向连续跟踪、两个方向连续跟踪的组件进行比较。在东/西方向使用单轴跟踪优于北/南跟踪，并有可能将整体能量收集提高 16.2% 至 31.0%。连续双轴跟踪将整体年度能量收集提高了 36.0% 至 45.5%。开源代码的模型和提供提供了一种评估新材料性能的方法。