Abstract
Fixed tilted, single-axis tracking, and dual-axis tracking PV systems are compared for one-way energy meters and net-energy meters. Optimization of the tilt angle and azimuth angle based on the load profile in one-way energy meters enhances the net present value. The higher energy demands of summer can be met by lower tilt angles while the PV energy peak can be shifted towards the higher load hours by adjusting the azimuth angle. The results show that the net-energy system with single-axis tracking outperforms dual-axis tracking and fixed tilted systems for a residential PV system one-way meter, the load curve can be used to optimize the tilt angle and azimuth angle of a fixed tilted system to achieve a higher net present value (NPV) with added advantages of lower building cooling loads and lower self-shading losses of the PV system. The comparison between the base-case PV system and the optimized system of a fixed tilted system on a one-way energy meter in Islamabad and Lahore shows a 15% and 13.7% higher NPV, 3.5%, and 3.6% lower simple payback period respectively. The optimized PV energy system also achieved 28% and 25% more savings in the cooling load of the houses in Islamabad and Lahore, respectively.