WHY IS A SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM ESSENTIAL IN A SOLAR SYSTEM?

Sun flower

\"\"

Solar power in India is a fast-developing industry with the country getting around 300 days of excellent solar radiation a year. However, one major problem with using solar energy is that its availability varies widely with time. Due to the sun’s day-night cycle and the Earth’s orbit around the sun, solar power generation can sometimes be limited. This is where solar trackers are gaining ground in the solar system industry. 

Solar developers are becoming increasingly aware of the enhanced Capacity Utilization Factors (CUF) that tracker implementation could bring about. This technological implementation allows more energy to be produced since the trackers move solar panels to catch up to the sun every minute of every hour during daylight. As a result, the angle of the solar panel, relative to the sun is constantly optimized, increasing the actual generation.

What is a solar tracker?

A solar tracker is a tool that moves with the sun as it crosses the sky. When solar trackers are used in conjunction with solar panels, the panels may track the sun\’s course and generate additional sustainable energy for your usage.

Solar trackers are often used in conjunction with solar panels that are fixed on the ground, but recently rooftop-mounted trackers have entered the market.

Usually, solar panel racking will have solar tracking equipment attached to it. The solar panels will then be able to follow the sun\’s path as it moves from there.

When the sun shines overhead at a less-than-ideal angle, stationary solar panel mounts that keep the panels in place might reduce their efficiency. Solar trackers can automatically shift the mounting of the photovoltaic panels to follow the sun\’s path across the sky to make up for this and increase output. According to estimates, switching from a stationary array to a single-axis tracking system will increase production by 15–25%.

Types of solar trackers

Single and dual-axis solar trackers are the two types available. While dual-axis tracking provides two degrees of freedom, single-axis trackers track in a single direction, i.e., they follow the Sun\’s movement from east to west or north to south. This indicates that they have a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, or an east-west axis and a north-south axis, respectively, and can thus monitor the sun\’s sweeping motion in the sky. By positioning the panels in direct sunlight for the most hours during the day, these trackers can increase the total power output.

Although it costs 100% more and requires more maintenance, a dual-axis solar panel can produce up to 40% more electricity than a static model. To appropriately estimate the energy produced by the panels, the energy used to align the solar panel from the outside must be subtracted from the overall amount of energy produced.

Pros of solar tracking

  • As a result of increased exposure to solar radiation, trackers produce more electricity than their stationary counterparts. Depending on the geographic location of the tracking system, this increase could range from 30 to 40%.
  • In places with Time of Use electricity pricing, solar trackers are extremely advantageous. You won\’t have to pay for grid energy during peak hours because more energy can be produced during those times.
  • Solar trackers come in a wide variety of forms, including single-axis and dual-axis trackers, any of which can be the ideal fit for a particular job site. The sort of solar tracker that is most appropriate for a particular solar installation might depend on several factors, including installation size, local weather, degree of latitude, and power needs.

Cons of solar trackers

  • Solar trackers are quite expensive and can potentially raise project expenses.
  • However, the quality of the solar tracker might influence how much and how frequently this maintenance is required. Despite improvements in reliability, there is still generally more maintenance needed than a traditional fixed rack.
  • Compared to fixed racking, trackers are a more complicated solution. This indicates that normally more site preparation is required, including additional grading and trenching for wiring.

The importance of solar tracking system

Particularly in high latitude settings where there is a significant change in the path of the sun between summer and winter, solar trackers offer the strongest value proposition in big ground-mounted solar installations. In these huge commercial projects, the improved productivity will last long enough to make up for the initial investment and upkeep expenditures.

Given the correct location and site conditions, solar trackers may be installed in a highly efficient manner and are a fantastic fit for both large and small project sites. As a result, the amount of space that may be used to build a solar plant directly affects how economically viable solar trackers are.

Technological development by some companies

Companies that make solar trackers, like NEXTracker, AllEarth Renewables, L&T, Ganges International, and Vikram Solar, have made some incredible technological advancements recently.

\”Compared to a fixed mounted PV system, the use of tracker technology can give an incremental power output of 15-25 per cent, depending upon the location being installed. It is the nature of the system to track the sun at every point of time (based on the algorithm) from dawn to dusk, hence helping in generating maximum generation from the same solar panel used for fixed ground mounts.”

Vinay Goyal
Chief Executive Officer, Ganges International (P) Ltd

Vikram solar’s HELITRAC is an advanced solar tracker equipped with an IP65 robust weatherproof mechanism and multi-mode intelligent operations. The tracker is capable of changing its orientation throughout the day to follow the sun’s path to maximize PV efficiencies. Highlighting its importance, the President of Engineering of the company said,

“In large scale MW projects, utilization of sun tracking systems is becoming increasingly prevalent as it enables developers to make maximum utilization of available land by generating more electricity even from a shredded down DC capacity.”

Siddhartha Sengupta,
Vikram Solar

NEXTracker which has recently achieved 1 GW of solar tracking in India has incorporated control systems into their trackers which monitor the angle of each row of solar panels in real-time and report back on tracking accuracy to keep panels facing directly into the sun all the time.

AllEarth Renewables’ Dual-axis Solar Tracker seems like an amazing new development in the solar segment. AllEarth’s tracker uses GPS and wireless technology to track the sun’s arc in the sky throughout the day. The result? Soaking up 45% more energy than traditional rooftop solar. Over 4,000 trackers have already been installed, and AllEarth is poised to take the rest of the solar market by storm. The trackers are designed for residential, commercial, and industrial operations, along with small and large utility-scale installations.

The solar tracker market in the country is still evolving with an installed capacity of under 2 GW, but a steep fall in the tariff, localization of technology, and government policies are major factors behind the drive towards tracker technology. Two third of the current installed capacity has come up in the past three years with a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 65%. However, land constraints, weather and latitude, and electric rates are some of the limitations that developers who opt for trackers have to overcome. As the tracker technologies improve, the associated maintenance costs will come down, creating additional incentives for the project owners.

Over the long term, significant growth in the use of tracking systems is expected. With the rise of PV installations across the world, the future of solar trackers looks quite hopeful. Installations of solar trackers are predicted to reach 3-4 GW by the end of 2020 and the global solar tracker market is expected to reach $6.83 billion by 2022.

Our online marketplace at SafEarth has made buying solar as easy as buying a phone online. Our customers can get the best quality system at the best possible price, without going through any hassles. We automate the entire procurement process for you and ensure that you only follow the best practices. In the past, we have reduced customer cost by nearly 10%, time by 40%, and improved customer experience many folds. Connect with us today to see what solar and SafEarth can do for you.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top