Optimal Tilt Angle for Fixed PV Panels for Annual Maximum Energy Output in Cyprus Condition

Solar panel technology system utilizes solar radiation to generate electricity, and it is very important to absorb and capture maximum energy output. This study aims to find the yearly optimal tilt angle to maximize the cumulative energy output. This study was conducted in Cyprus, and the solar panel true in the south, because Cyprus is in the Northern Hemisphere, and the solar panel should be in the south. During the research, several methods considering different conditions such as clearness index, extraterrestrial radiation on a tilted surface, ground reflection were discussed, and then the results of each method based on Cyprus latitude is observed. The Rhino 3D program and the Grasshopper plug-in program have been used to find maximum solar radiation and the optimum tilt angle. The data for this study were collected from the Energy Plus Weather data website. The data are used to calculate and evaluate the beam and diffuse and ground-reflected solar radiation and total solar radiation for different tilt angles between 0 º and 90º and the value of 180º for azimuth angle by Tilt and Orientation Factor component inside the Grasshopper. By using the program, the total maximum solar radiation is about 2075 kWh/m2, and the optimum tilt angle is approximately 29º Keywords: Solar Panels, Optimum Tilt Angle, Solar Radiation, Azimuth