Solar – RAYmaps

December 2, 2017December 3, 2017Solar Energy

Calculation of Solar Panel Spacing for India (New Dehli)

I have been asked many times that what is the area required for a solar array with a particular rating (such as 20 KW) and I have given a simple calculation method in one of my earlier post. But real life is never so simple. There are a bunch of inputs that we need to get an exact answer. In particular we want to know what is the required spacing between solar panels so that they are not in shade for a particular part of the day (typically 5 or 6 hours) and for this we need a number of […]

June 11, 2013July 8, 2013Fundamentals, Solar Energy

Calculate Solar Panel Tilt

1. Find the direction of magnetic North and consequently magnetic South. 2. Adjust for magnetic declination to find exact true South. 3. Point solar panels towards true South. 4. Find optimum tilt angle based on the latitude and the season. Enter the value of latitude below to find the panel tilt in degrees. Winter Latitude *+ = Degrees Spring and Fall Latitude *– = Degrees Summer Latitude *– = Degrees Note: 1. The result above is the angle in degrees from the horizontal. 2. If you do not know the latitude of your city you can look it up […]

May 27, 2013April 3, 2022Fundamentals, Solar Energy

How to Calculate the Surface Area Required by Solar Panels

You have estimated the size of the solar system that you need and are ready to get the equipment from the market to install it. But wait, are you sure you have enough space in your garden or your backyard or your rooftop to install the solar panels? How can you do a rough estimate of the area required by the solar panels? Here is a quick and easy way to go about it.

May 25, 2011November 15, 2011Random Thoughts

Solar Analogy

All electromagnetic energy travels in the form of rays. The most obvious example is solar energy that is radiated by the sun in all directions. The further away a body is from the sun the lower the energy that it receives. Objects in the path of these rays cause shadows but not complete darkness as rays reflect from other objects and also diffract around the edges. These rays also have a phase and frequency that determines their behaviour when interacting with objects. The amount of rays that can be collected by a receiver depends upon its size and orientation. Solar […]