HOW TO INCREASE PV PLANT OUTPUT AND EFFICIENCY WITH SOLAR TRACKERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59627/cbens.2016.1404Keywords:
Solar energy, Solar tracker, Solar plant efficiencyAbstract
Maximizing return on investment is the primary goal for ground-mounted solar plant developers, owners and IPPs. Achieving these objectives requires a combination of intelligent energy yield optimization, smart plant configuration and perfected industrial design. Implementing solar trackers - motorized structures that orient photovoltaic panels toward the sun in order to collect more direct sunlight throughout the day -, solar plant output can be increased up to 30% in high solar radiation areas, such as some areas in Brazil. Through a case study on a PV plant project in the state of Pernambuco and best practices carried out by solar tracker expert Exosun, the article demonstrates the benefits of solar trackers in comparison with fixed-tilt installations. After proving that solar trackers considerably increase the output and revenue of a PV plant, the article then outlines how to configure a tracker-equipped plant in the best possible way in order to reduce capital expenditure and further boost output, by considering the GCR (Ground Coverage Ratio) and tracker orientation.
Downloads
References
Appelbaum, J., Bany, J., 1979, Shadow effect of adjacent solar collectors in large scale systems, Solar Energy, Vol 23, pp. 497-507.
Deline, C., 2009, Partially shaded operation of a grid-tied PV system, 34th IEEE Conference.
Deline, C., et al, 2013, A simplified model of uniform shading in large photovoltaic arrays, Solar Energy vol 96, pp. 274-282.
De Soto, W., 2004, MSc Thesis, Improvement and validation of a model for photovoltaic array performance, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mermoud, A., Lejeune, T., 2010, Performance assessment of a simulation model for PV modules of any available technology, 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference. Meteonorm 7, www.meteotest.com
Perez, R., et al, 1987, A new simplified version of the Perez diffuse irradiance model for tilted surfaces. PVSyst 6, www.pvsyst.com
