Comparison, evaluation and prioritization of solar photovoltaic tracking systems using multi criteria decision making methods

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate and compare solar tracking systems connected to the grid. The solar systems considered were Fixed Tilt (FT), Vertical Continuous Adjustment (VCA), Horizontal adjustment (Monthly Adjustment (HMA), Continuous Adjustment (HCA)) and Two-Axis (TA) tracking system. Technical, economic and environmental assessment for an industrial consumer in southern Iran was performed by HOMER software. Unlike previous studies, multi-criteria approaches have been used to evaluate solar tracking systems. Due to the economic or technical superiority of each tracking system, solar tracking systems were prioritized using multi-criteria decision-making approaches. SWARA was used to weight criteria and WASPAS, EDAS and ARAS methods were used for prioritization of solar tracking systems. Technical evaluation showed that most of the electricity was generated by the TA and it was 31.8 % more than the FT system. Economic evaluation showed that the minimum LCOE was related to FT and the maximum LCOE was related to horizontal tracking systems (8.8 % more than FT system). Environmental assessment also showed that the reduction of CO2 emissions in the TA system is more than the FT system. This evaluation, taking into account all technical, economic and environmental aspects, showed that the priority of systems in the case study was HMA < HCA < FT < VCA < TA.