Abstract

Appropriate tilt angle optimization for bifacial solar panels is essential for optimal energy yield since solar incidence angles in tropical low-latitude regions play a significant role in overall performance. The effects of variations in tilt angles 0°, 5°, 10°, and 15° on the components of solar irradiance and energy production are presented here through a combination of simulations and field studies. The study was carried out at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya, at latitude 1.03°S and longitude 36.98°E to assess the effect of tilt angles on the front side beam irradiance and the rear side ground reflected irradiance. Results indicate that while increasing the tilt angle enhances ground reflected irradiance, it leads to beam irradiance losses due to the cosine effect, with reductions of approximately 5 %, 7 %, and 10 % for tilt angles of 5°, 10°, and 15°, respectively. The optimal tilt angle in this study was found to be 5°. The ideal Height was found to be 2 m, where the bifacial panel experienced around 16.8 % energy gain. These findings highlight the trade-off between optimizing ground reflection and minimizing angular losses, providing critical insights for the strategic deployment of bifacial PV systems in tropical regions.