Would putting solar panels in a jaggid pattern increase the output?
Question:
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wouldnt that increase the overall ouput of the solar cell because of the increased surface area?
PS probably wouldnt be that steep
Answer:
You maximize solar radiance flux into the panels by having the light rays perpendicular to the surface of the panels.
Your idea works only if taken down to a microscopic level, where the surface of the solar cell is "roughened" so as to absorb more light. The cells actually look black, because the surface shape absorbs most of the light, reflecting very little. This is done by etching the surface of the solar cells. This idea was patented in 1975. See the patent abstract below.
If you want your solar panels to absorb light, you want the light hitting them directly. Putting them at angles would be somewhat self defeating.
No it would not. If all are faced the same the sun will hit all of them just the same.
If you are talking about faceing some east some west and some south. That would give you less power because when the sun is in the east the modules faceing west would not be getting any sunlight.
If you put 100 watts faceing east, 100 watts faceing south and 100 watts faceing west.. It would make sure hou had 100 watts of power from morning till night. But you would be wasteing 200 watts of power all day long.
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