Two Major Types of Solar Tracker Systems

Solar trackers are special devices which consist of PV panels, which allow accurate tracking of the path of sun across the sky. These help raise the output of solar energy installations by up to 40% than stationary panels. Since 1980, these have been there. The increasing use of solar trackers in residential as well as commercial-grade solar energy products is due to improved and more efficient solar trapping technology. The rise is mainly pushed by solar energy installations of commercial-scale, but has helped lower expenses and made tracking systems more dependable for small businesses as well as home owners. Find out about the two types of solar trackers.

Single Axis Trackers

These devices are classified as single axis or dual axis. Single axis trackers generally move to the west from the east, and these follow the sun’s direction. These have only one angle which is used as the axis of rotation. Such kinds of trackers are able to raise electricity production by over 30%. These offer an efficient, simple and low-cost way to improve the functioning of solar installations.

Single axis horizontal trackers can follow the sun’s movement from morning to evening across the sky. These can optimize the performance of the sun during summer and spring seasons, when the sun is in a higher position in the sky. But their usefulness drops the farther one moves northwards, given that the variance of the solar angle is higher between the summer and winter seasons. The performance is diminished during the other times of the year by setting of the sun along the horizontal. At higher latitudes, vertical axis trackers operate better. These allow solar arrays or panels to track the position of the sun during winter as well as summer.

Dual Axis Trackers

Dual trackers consist of two rotation axis degrees, referred to as the primary axis and the secondary axis. These can move downwards or upwards to cater to the angles of the sun during winter and summer seasons. These also help in additional rise in the output of energy. The designs and angles of both kinds of trackers can be adjusted by engineers.

Azimuth trackers or Dual axis trackers can solve simultaneously both issues. However, these can be quite costly and add 3,500 – 6,500 USD to the solar installation cost. Those at the lower end of the price range can accommodate Solar PV Panels of around 125 sq. ft and those at the higher can support 225 sq. ft.

Dual axis trackers depend on vertical and horizontal pivots which are controller-guided, just like in solar telescopes. These are very costly and their usage is generally limited to solar energy systems of commercial grade which make use of a parabolic dish along with a Stirling engine which can produce energy in the site itself. This kind of accurate tracking is also utilized in focused solar application, such as mirrors which direct sunlight receivers and transform sun rays into heat. This needs the smallest amount of accuracy in order to be effectual.