How much electricity a balcony power plant produces depends largely on the ideal angle of inclination. Even a few degrees make a big difference. The most important tips for setting up can be found here.
Numerous factors are crucial for the successful production of your own green electricity when using a balcony power plant – including the correct angle of inclination. In addition, solar radiation changes not only depending on the time of day, but also the season. That’s why complete balcony power plant sets that have a flexibly adjustable bracket are best suited. What to pay attention to when adjusting the angle – there is an answer here.
What is the correct tilt angle for a balcony power plant?
The angle of inclination is the angle that the balcony power plant forms relative to the horizontal, i.e. the earth’s surface. Depending on the angle set, different amounts of sunlight fall on the solar modules. If the angle is optimally aligned, the current yield increases. With the correctly set angle, the performance of the balcony power plant can be optimized to the maximum – but of course the location and orientation also depend on this, and the season also plays a decisive role. In the best case scenario, the balcony power plant can be oriented towards the south. The ideal angle of inclination in our latitudes is around 30 to 40 degrees. For shifts of 50 degrees or more towards the north or west, a simple rule of thumb applies: the flatter the solar modules are mounted, the more solar light can be collected and converted into energy.
The balcony power plant provider Kleines Kraftwerk offers complete sets with one or more modules that already include a flexibly adjustable bracket.
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These factors influence the optimal tilt angle
- Geographical location: In the south of Germany the position of the sun is higher than in the north – so the angle of inclination must be different.
- Orientation: Is the balcony completely facing south or more east or west?
- Time of day: Of course, the position of the sun also changes depending on the time of day. If the balcony power plant is permanently installed, an ideal average value should be calculated.
- Shading: The shade from trees and buildings also influences the ideal angle of inclination.
- Season: Last but not least, the time of year is also a crucial factor, because in summer the sun is high, whereas in winter it is rather low. A seasonal adjustment of the angle of inclination would be optimal.
It can be seen from the factors that brackets for balcony power plants are the most flexible and easy to adjust and change. Then, for example, you can readjust depending on the current season. This usually only requires a few tools and manual skills.
The NuaSol terrain mount can be flexibly adjusted to an inclination of 25 to 45 degrees.
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Adjust tilt angle seasonally
In order to get the maximum output from a balcony power plant, balcony power plant owners should adjust the angle of inclination seasonally according to the season so that the sunlight always hits the modules as vertically as possible. The following information depends on the (south) orientation of the balcony and the place of residence (north or south):
- Summer: If the sun is high in the sky in summer, an angle of between 20 and 30 degrees can make sense.
- Winter: Here the sun is quite low in the sky, so the angle of inclination should be the highest, around 45 to 60 degrees.
- Transitional seasons: If the solar radiation increases or decreases, a flatter angle of inclination between 30 and 45 degrees can be sufficient.
The balcony power plant bracket from V-CANT-C offers flexible hole combinations for manually adjusting the solar modules at an angle from zero to 90 degrees. It fits all common modules.
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The advantage of flexibly adjustable brackets
Mounts that can be manually adjusted depending on the season and location are definitely beneficial and help maximize power output. Most complete sets on the market now offer such adjustable brackets. However, if there is no flexible holder on board, balcony power plant users may want to purchase a corresponding model. If you need help calculating the optimal angle of inclination, you can also access online tools or apps that correctly determine the correct angle.
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