Explanations of Variables and Calculation Parameters

This section provides detailed descriptions of the variables and parameters used in the calculations:

• Latitude (degrees): The geographical latitude of the location where the solar panel is installed. Latitude affects the angle of the sun's rays relative to the Earth's surface.
• Date (dd.mm): The specific day of the year for which the calculation is performed. The date determines the solar declination angle and the length of daylight.
• Panel Tilt Angle (degrees): The angle of the solar panel relative to the horizontal plane. Optimal tilt depends on the latitude and season.
• Azimuth Angle (degrees): The orientation of the solar panel relative to true south (or north in the southern hemisphere). A value of 0° indicates a south-facing panel.
• Panel Rated Power (W): The maximum power output of the solar panel under standard test conditions (STC).
• Panel Efficiency (0-1): The efficiency of the solar panel in converting sunlight into electricity. Typical values range from 0.15 to 0.22.
• Atmospheric Transmittance Coefficient (τ): A measure of how much sunlight passes through the atmosphere. Lower values indicate higher atmospheric absorption or scattering.
• Solar Declination Angle: The angle between the sun's rays and the equatorial plane of the Earth. It varies throughout the year due to the Earth's axial tilt.
• Solar Elevation Angle: The angle of the sun above the horizon. It determines the intensity of sunlight reaching the panel.
• Air Mass (AM): A measure of the path length of sunlight through the atmosphere. Higher air mass values correspond to lower solar irradiance.
• cos(theta): The cosine of the angle of incidence between the sun's rays and the normal to the solar panel surface. It accounts for the panel's tilt and orientation.
• Effective Irradiance: The amount of solar energy reaching the panel after accounting for atmospheric effects and panel orientation.