Operation Of Solar Power Plants Research Articles

Benchmarking of six cloud segmentation algorithms for ground-based all-sky imagers

The detection and segmentation of clouds in images taken by ground based cameras is of utmost importance for a large number of applications including all-sky imager based nowcasting systems which optimize solar power plant operation, calculation of the global irradiance, estimation of the cloud base height and support of optical satellite downlink operations.Many approaches to segment clouds in camera images are published. However, comparisons of different approaches are not frequently conducted. Here, we address this question by benchmarking six different cloud segmentation algorithms on images taken by an off-the-shelf surveillance camera. The six different algorithms include (1) a color-channel threshold-based algorithm, (2) a Clear Sky Library (CSL) based approach, (3) a region growing algorithm, (4) the Hybrid thresholding algorithm (HYTA), and a (5) novel, HYTA-based development named HYTA+. Furthermore, (6) a deep convolutional neural network (FCN) is adapted via transfer learning to this problem. The segmentation results of algorithms (1) to (5) are compared to 829 manually segmented reference images.The segmentation algorithms are benchmarked on a test dataset which is divided into 16 meteorological categories. These categories cover different Linke turbidity values, solar positions and cloud cover situations. Results show that three out of the six presented segmentation methods (CSL, HYTA+ and FCN) achieve overall accuracy values above 90%. These approaches outperform the other methods and correctly segment images with a higher consistency. Fixed threshold based methods, as the multicolor criterion, HYTA or the region growing algorithm fail under certain meteorological conditions. The FCN based segmentation (6) is tested on 160 images where it delivers the best overall pixel-by-pixel accuracy of 97.0%.

Are We Still Overestimating Costs for Wind and Solar?

In this issue of Joule, Steffen et al. tackle a challenging topic to quantify and project costs for operation and maintenance (O&M) of solar and wind power plants in Germany. They note that O&M costs can be 20%–25% of overall costs and find that such costs have decreased, resulting in common overestimates of O&M costs.

FACTORS OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS MANAGEMENT IN THE UKRAINIAN ENERGY SECTOR

The article considers the preconditions for sustainable development of the energy sector from the standpoint of political and economic basis of energy transitions, actualizes and reveals the scientific problem of the impact of socio-technical transitions, in particular energy, on economic sustainability. It is determined that the task of assessing the efficiency of the energy system as a set of criteria for achieving a compromise of interests, stability and reliability of energy markets is best solved by assessing energy sustainability. Problems and ways to intensify the use of energy policy levers to promote sustainable energy transitions have been identified. It is determined that with the help of sustainable energy transitions the state is able to overcome its own inefficiency of energy conversion and consumption and to demonstrate the phenomenon of decoupling (economic growth without significant growth of energy consumption). Energy policies and strategies as means of energy transition management are considered: creation of preconditions for their occurrence; acceleration / deceleration, support of current transittions; minimization of negative external factors and social factors of vulnerability to changes in socio-technical regimes; maintaining an optimal energy balance. A deeper understanding of the process of energy transition management, vulnerability of energy systems under their influence has been achieved. Three key factors of energy transition management in order to strengthen the level of energy sustainability and ensure sustainable development of the economy: the course (flow) of transitions, the vulnerability of the economic system under their influence and the level of sustainability of energy transitions. Effective management of such transitions with the help of these factors can be a guarantee of sustainable development not only of the energy sector but also of the economy as a whole and create the conditions for its transition to a sustainable and circular type of development. The management of energy transitions in the energy sector of Ukraine is analyzed on the example of diversification of electricity supply through the operation of small solar power plants in private households.

Перспективи та проблеми розвиту об’єднаної енергосистеми України в умовах її приєднання до енергосистеми Євросоюзу і гіпертрофованого використання у її складі вітрових та сонячних електростанцій

We investigated the key problems of the operation of wind farms within the Ukrainian Integrated Power System (IPS): determination of the type and capacity of regulators capable of ensuring frequency stability in the power system with large wind farms; determination of the competitiveness of wind farms in the electricity market operating in power systems with the provision of frequency requirements. We studied possibilities of technological base and presence of economic basis for the hypertrophied development of wind farms and solar power plants in the Ukrainian IPS, which is taking place now. Using the author's problem-oriented computer software, the processes of frequency and power regulation in the IPS of Ukraine with large wind farms were studied and it was found that their reliable operation is possible due to the use of powerful batteries. Based on this fact, with the use of a progressive methodology for determining the weighted average cost of electricity production during the life cycle based on market relations, it was established that none of the configuration options for the complexes in the wind farm - the regulator - the backup station can compete economically with traditional technologies even with high payment for greenhouse gas emissions. Using the results obtained, an analysis of the law "On alternative energy sources" (hereinafter - the law on "green" tariff) in the conditions of the IPS of Ukraine regarding wind and solar power plants was conducted. This law was not economically and environmentally sound as early as at the moment of its adoption (2003) and, at the same time, created large preferences for owners of wind and solar power plants (extremely high tariffs for their power plants; charging costs for regulating capacities to the account of the consumer, the principle of "take or pay" in relations between owners of wind and solar power plants and the electricity market; obligations of the energy system to give permissions for connection of wind and solar power plants without limitations, etc.). As a consequence, as of the end of October 2019, the total capacity of functioning and declared to be commissioned WPPs and SPPs was about 12.55 GW, and according to existing forecasts by the end of this year this indicator will increase to 18 GW. IPS of Ukraine will not be able to accept such capacity of WPPs and SPPs (sources with zero guaranteed capacity) (the autumn maximum in the specified period was 21.3 GW). To analyze the effect of the law on the “green” tariff for the future state of Ukrainian energy system and the electricity market, the total costs were calculated, which the consumer will have to compensate in the situation when 7.75 GW of WPSs and 4.8 GW of SPPs work in the power system (volumes, stated as of the end of October 2019). At the same time, consumer expenditures will annually amount to 3.565 billion US dollars for the received 18.166 billion kWh of electricity. An alternative is calculated when the same amount of electricity is produced at coal-fired power plants. To do this, only 3.45 GW of their capacities is needed, and the total consumer expenses will amount to 286 million US dollars, that is 12.47 times less than in the case with the use of wind farms and solar power plants. It is shown that in the current state of all the profits that the electricity market in Ukraine receives, it will not be enough for settlements with the owners of wind farms and solar power plants. Therefore, it is urgent to adopt a law that repeals all the preferences for the construction and operation of wind farms and solar power plants in the Ukrainian energy system. Otherwise, the energy market in Ukraine will go bankrupt, and the country's economy will default.

Improvement of Methods for Predicting the Generation Capacity of Solar Power Plants: the Case of the Power Systems in the Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol

The construction and operation of large solar power plants (SPPs) and the dependence of their production on light and other meteorological factors leads to a strong dependence of the operation modes of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol power system on meteorological factors. Today, given that the share of solar power plants is about 30% of the total installed capacity, it is necessary to solve the problems that have a great impact on the power system operating modes. With large output capacity of the solar power plant, the operator has to give commands to turn off the generating equipment of thermal power plants. In power systems with a large share of solar generation, it is necessary to solve this problem by improving the generated power predicting methods, as it will reduce the dependence of operating modes on weather factors and increase the reliability of the power system. The paper discusses the use of hybrid predicting methods that imply taking into account the possibility of the weather scenarios simulation, advanced cloud-based image processing technology, and close-to-real-time cloud motion surveillance cameras. There was an experimental software created that selects coefficients of set configuration time series. In combination with the conservative methods, it makes predicting the SPP Perovo output more accurate. Taken together, the chosen methods of predicting solar power generation capacity in the power system of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol ensure not only stability of the power system as a whole, but also the maximum efficiency of power plants, allow to accelerate the integration of solar power plants into the power system, and have positive effects on the environment.

A Device for Remote Monitoring of Solar Power Plant Parameters

The need for application of a device for online remote monitoring of electrical parameters and the operability of photovoltaic converters of solar power plants is justified in the context of the problems encountered in the Sevastopol Solar Power Plant (S. Energy Sevastopol LLC) operation. A structural diagram of the device showing the connection and purpose of its main functional components is presented. The circuit is based on an ATmega 328p microcontroller, which transfers processed data from the sensors to the server by sending a GET request using a W5100 Wiznet Ethernet controller. Such a solution allows for a high data transfer rate—up to 25 Mbps—and provides a simple connection to the Internet independently from operating systems and external computers. The characteristics and performance analysis of galvanically isolated sensors used in the device are presented, such as a current sensor based on an Allegro ACS712 integrated current sensor, and a voltage sensor based on the transistor optocoupler. The results of the device operation illustrating the photovoltaic plant daily operation on a sunny fall day are provided. The device provides for continuous monitoring of the operation of the photovoltaic converters with long-term storage of measured values in graphical and numerical form, which makes it possible for operational and dispatching personnel to visually analyze the plant operation, monitor its performance, compare key performance indicators of various sections, and obtain production reports by periods with plotting of curves, as well as receive alarm signals.

Inverse heat problem of determining unknown surface heat flux in a molten salt loop

Inverse heat transfer problems typically rely on temperature measurements for estimating unknown boundary heat flux, such as that in the water tubes of steam boilers or central receivers in solar tower power plants. In this work, an experimental facility consisting of a molten salt loop that simulates a tube of a solar tower receiver is presented to obtain the outer tube surface temperatures under solar tower power plant operating conditions. The external surface f the pipe in the test section is heated in a controlled manner with an induction heater, which provides a very high nonuniform heat flux. An inverse thermal method has been applied to obtain the incident heat flux onto the receiver tube from the outer surface temperature measurements. To solve the inverse problem, a transient two-dimensional numerical model of a circular pipe flowing molten nitrate salt and subjected to a nonhomogeneous circumferential heat flux has been developed. The heat flux calculation with the inverse method is in accordance with the heat flux estimation based on the calibration of the induction heater. A good agreement between the experimental and calculated temperatures is observed. Furthermore, the deflection of the tube caused by the nonhomogeneous heat flux is measured and is compared to the deflection calculated from the radial temperature profile from the inverse problem solution, and a good agreement between both results is observed.

A comparative study on short-term PV power forecasting using decomposition based optimized extreme learning machine algorithm

Solar irradiance fluctuates within a very short period of time that creates a lot of hindrances to estimate the injection of output power into the grid. During the operation of solar power plant, short-term PV power forecasting supports load dispatching, planning, and also the regulatory actions. But this short term PV power forecasting is a very complicated problem in order to solve it. This paper represents short-term PV power forecasting by constructing a 3-stage approach which is formed by combining empirical mode decomposition (EMD) technique, sine cosine algorithm (SCA), and extreme learning machine (ELM) technique. At the initial phase of the proposed technique, a de-noised series is obtained by adopting a signal filtering strategy based on EMD decomposition technique. Next three different time interval data series are opted for the training and forecasting stage. The selected sets of data are quarterly, half-hourly and hourly PV data observations. The simulation results signify that the recommended technique performs in an out-standing manner than the conventional ones while addressing short term PV power forecasting.

Effect of electric vehicle parking lots equipped with roof mounted photovoltaic panels on the distribution network

In this paper, the integration of a solar power plant to an electric vehicle (EV) Parking Lot is analyzed in terms of reduction of power consumption and losses for various scenarios and operating conditions in a distribution system. The parking lot is designed for EVs and is fed by both grid and roof mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels. The energy management system is designed for charging EVs for various scenarios combined with solar radiation data varying during daytime and the seasons. The energy transactions are simulated in accordance with daytime Solar Power Plant (SPP) generation and EV energy response on Electrical Power System Analysis Software (ETAP) environment. EVs based power consumption is calculated by considering the variation of charging sequences of different car brands. The study represents the results for daily change of power consumption for summer and winter conditions along with the reduction of power consumption, reduction of power losses, decreased main feeder ampacity, restoration of voltage level during SPP operation, and comparison of different scenarios and operation sequences. Finally, the effect of the SPP is presented in terms of reducing the peak and continuous power demand of the parking lot for various EV operations.

Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Hybrid Solar Thermal Power Plant

A solar thermal power plant presents an environmentally friendly process for producing power. However, due to diurnal and seasonal variations in the availability of solar radiation, as well as uncertainty caused by factors such as cloud cover, efficient operation of a solar thermal power plant is a challenging task. Availability of a dynamic model which represents the process behavior in face of these inevitable variations is a prerequisite for efficiently operating the plant. In this work, we develop a dynamic model for a hybrid solar thermal power plant operating in India. The plant uses two different technologies for solar power collection, namely, a Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) for heating oil and a Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) for generating direct steam. Superheated steam, generated using heat exchangers, drives the turbine-generator block to generate electricity. The dynamic model is based on first-principles models of various components in the plant, such as PTC, LFR, heat exchangers, and storage tanks, and captures the integrated nature of plant. The model also incorporates heat losses to quantify night time cooling. A preliminary validation of the developed plant model is also presented using routine field data. The model is then used to simulate the dynamic operation of the plant for two case studies: (i) a two day simulation with field solar insolation profiles corresponding to summer days and (ii) a single day case study with cloud cover. The performances of the PTC and LFR fields as well as the overall plant were quantified and compared using various metrics. The case studies involved cold and warm startup scenarios and highlighted the impact of these initial conditions on the plant performance. The proposed dynamic model can be used for designing optimal operation and advanced control strategies.

An analysis of wind and solar power variability to assess its implications for power grid

The paper discusses the problem of parallel operation of wind and solar power plants with the power system associated with the influence of power fluctuations on the power quality and stability. A brief assessment of the prospects for the commissioning of the wind and solar power plants in Russia and a description of the associated negative impacts on the power system is given. A methodology for assessing the possible energy production of wind and solar power plants using raw data from weather stations is presented. Based on the methodology, an assessment of some regions of Russia in relation to the variability of wind speed and cloudiness is made. The wind power duration curves are given. An analysis of possible deviations of solar power under the influence of cloudiness is carried out. The effect of geographical aggregation of wind or solar power output to increase the guaranteed power generation and reduce the negative impact on the stability of the energy system is shown.

Mathematical modeling of parameters of solar modules for a solar power plant 2.5 MW in the climatic conditions of the Republic of Cuba

Today, the problem of increasing the efficiency of solar panels is relevant. The parameters and characteristics of solar modules are analyzed using computer modeling methods. Many contemporary scientists are busy with the problem of modeling different solar modules in different conditions. This paper presents the results of mathematical modeling in the Matlab software environment of photoelectric modules of the DSM-240-C model. Based on the obtained simulation results, it seems possible to study the characteristics of solar modules depending on various external and internal factors – temperature and illumination. Also in this paper, we present the results of a full-scale experiment of photovoltaic modules that are part of a 2.5 MW solar power plant operating in the Republic of Cuba. The results of the experiment confirm the effectiveness of the simulation.

Performance evaluation of hybrid solar chimney for uninterrupted power generation

Solar chimneys have the drawback of being unproductive at night. This study proposed a hybrid solar chimney integrated with an external heat source to complement solar energy for uninterrupted power generation. Flue-gas channels were utilized to supply air into the collector passage. The hybrid arrangement was investigated experimentally and numerically. An experimental model comprising a 6 m-diameter solar air collector, 6.65 m-height chimney, and four flue thermal channels was designed and fabricated. The hybrid system was further simulated using ANSYS-Fluent. The numerical procedure was validated by comparing with experimental measurements for a conventional solar chimney with mean differences of 8.7% and 7.8% in air flow velocity and air temperature rise, respectively. Results showed that the hybrid approach considerably enhanced the plant performance. The insertion of flue channels, even with no flue-gas flow, enhanced the velocity and temperature by 6.87% and 6.3%, respectively measured at the chimney base. Simulation results with 0.0015 kg/s at 116 °C flue gas in the thermal channels demonstrated that the air-mass flow rate and collector efficiency enhanced by 12.0%, and 64.0%, respectively. This study proved that the proposed technique can resolve the setback of night operation of solar chimney power plants and enable 24/7 power production.

Kajian Kualitas Lingkungan Fisik-Kimia Akibat Pengoperasian Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Surya Terpusat Di Desa Oelpuah Kecamatan Kupang Tengah Kabupaten Kupang

The utilization of renewable electric power plants (non-fossil) in friendly environment needs to be done by using of solar energy for electricity generation. PT. LEN Industry built solar power Plant on Oelpuah Village, Kupang Tengah Subdistrict, Kupang Regency, with a total capacity of 5 megawatts Peak, which currently operates and the biggest Solar Power Plant in Indonesian. As a result of the operation of these solar power, it can be expected to have environmental impacts. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Physical Chemistry like air quality, water quality and noise, inside and outside of solar power plant operation. The results showed, because of PLTS Operation, it has an impact to physical chemistry environmental quality, but the impaCT STILL below the threshold of environmental quality standards.

Experience of operating a solar parabolic trough direct steam generation power plant with superheating

TSE1 is the first solar thermal power plant operating in Southeast Asia. It was planned by Solarlite GmbH with support of Tiede- & Niemann GmbH, both German based. It is the first power plant with direct steam generation (DSG) concept and superheating in parabolic troughs. The solar field has a nominal power of 19 MWth driving a 5 MWel turbine by superheated steam at 30 bar and 330 °C. During 2010/2011 Solarlite built the solar field, while the later owner and operator Thai Solar Energy (TSE) from Bangkok built the power block, in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. TSE1 is being operated by TSE since January 2012 (Krüger et al., 2012).This publication is based on a study within the KanDis project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, in which an extensive database of records of almost 500 sensors installed in the power plant (solar field and power block) has been investigated. The data have been provided by Solarlite with a time resolution of about 1 min.Within the KanDis project, a stable operation could be demonstrated (Khenissi et al., 2015; Krüger et al., 2016). Even under the fluctuating irradiance conditions in the rainy season of Thailand, the turbine could be operated well and generate electricity. Evaluation of the operation data has helped to learn more about DSG behaviour. The TSE1 layout and the implemented control strategies were evaluated and strategies for improvement of TSE1 are suggested within this paper. From the experiences with the TSE1 power plant, conclusions could be drawn to improve the layout and control of future DSG plants.

AN ANALYSIS OF SOLAR POWER PLANTS OPERATION IN THE OFF-GRID AREA OF THE REPUBLIC OF SAKHA (YAKUTIA)

The paper describes the specific features of power supply to the off-grid consumers in the northern territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Territorial zoning is made by the indices of total solar radiation received on horizontal surface and annual sunshine duration. Retrospective data on the solar power plants construction are presented for the offgrid area of the Republic which despite its northern location is a pioneer in this field of energy. The design differences of some power plants are described. This allows the experts of the local company to substantiate the priority solutions for the climatic conditions of the Republic based on the experimental data. A list of the populated settlements is presented with indication of the total capacity of solar power plants by area of the Republic. The paper demonstrates the dynamics of the total indices of electricity generation, the saving of diesel fuel and cost for its purchase in 2011–2016. Based on the analysis of solar power plant operation in the settlement of Dzhargalakh located beyond the Polar circle, we make a conclusion on the advantages of monocrystalline modules for the arctic conditions compared to the thin-film and polycrystalline ones. Actual data on electricity generation by month of the year are indicative of its typical pronounced summer maximum and virtual absence in winter. The paper shows the dynamics of electricity generation for a five-year period for each of the seven solar power plants constructed before 2015, and cost saving by fuel substitution at diesel power plants. Considerable changes in electricity generation are connected only with additional equipment to be placed into service. Increase in the cost saving is caused by growth of diesel fuel price. Actual data on the cost of the construction projects and cost saving are used to determine payback periods for seven solar power plants located in different areas of the Republic. Research has revealed that the latitudinal location does not affect payback periods of the projects while the diesel fuel price is the most decisive factor. In this context, even in the arctic areas of the Republic with winter polar night period, the payback period of the projects for construction of solar power plants is comparable with the power plants located in much more southerly areas and does not exceed 10 years.

Integrated Computational Materials Engineering in Solar Plants: The Virtual Materials Design Project

The high temperatures required for efficient operation of solar thermal power plants constitutes one of the major challenges of this technology. Gaining insight into materials behavior at very high temperatures is critical to improve their techno-economic feasibility. Standard material characterization approaches become inefficient, as extensive testing campaigns are required. We propose a multiscale–multiphysical approach that accounts for materials composition to (1) predict the behavior of both Inconel 625 and new solar salts, and (2) assess the thermomechanical performance of key components. We carried out a complete thermoelastic multiscale analysis that spans six time and length scales in a single simulation platform, combining discrete and continuum tools (from quantum to continuum mechanics). These applications show the substantial economic benefits that may be achieved by an ICME approach in the energy sector, reducing the cost of prototypes while decreasing development times and maintenance costs due to a better understanding of materials behavior.

Is floating photovoltaic better than conventional photovoltaic? Assessing environmental impacts

ABSTRACTPhotovoltaic (PV) solar energy installations are growing all over the world as a promising renewable alternative to generate electricity. However, many studies have highlighted some drawbacks associated with the installation and operation of conventional solar energy power plants. Thus, floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems have been emerging as a new concept in solar energy to lessen negative environmental impacts caused by allocation of conventional PV facilities. This paper is an overview of the potential negative and positive environmental impacts caused by photovoltaic systems with particular interest on large-scale conventional and floating photovoltaic. This study addresses and compares the impacts at all phases of project implementation, which covers planning, construction, and operation and decommissioning, focusing on ambient located in the tropics. The overall impacts associated with project allocation such as deforestation (for the project implementation and site accessing), bird mortality, erosion, runoff, and change in microclimate are expected to have higher magnitudes for the implementation of conventional PV facilities. The results highlight advantages of FPV over conventional PV during the operational and decommissioning phases as well. Though, further studies are required to assess both qualitative and quantitative aspects of installations in similar areas.

Short-term forecasts of GHI and DNI for solar energy systems operation: assessment of the ECMWF integrated forecasting system in southern Portugal

Solar energy is key factor in the demand for clean energy development and management. In particular, global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and direct normal irradiance (DNI) are the foremost important solar resource components that need to be well characterized in order to seek an efficient operation of photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plants, respectively. The objective of the present work is to assess the quality of short-term (24 h) forecasts from a global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model regarding the GHI and DNI components for solar energy applications. Forecast accuracy for the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS), the global model of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), was verified through the comparison of the predicted hourly values with the corresponding ground-based measurements in southern Portugal. In this study, results from one year of IFS data are analysed, yielding a general good agreement between model and four ground-based measuring stations. High correlations occur particularly for GHI whilst DNI simulations are predominantly hindered by cloud and aerosol representation (i.e. the radiative effects of clouds tend to be underestimated by the model and the radiative effects of the aerosols are overestimated by the model under very clear atmospheric conditions), being closely linked to the parameterization of absorption and scattering phenomena as function of cloud and aerosol type and dimension. Relative differences of annual availabilities for GHI are found between ∼0.16% to ∼2.12% whilst for DNI values ranging from ∼7% to ∼12% are found. The respective correlations coefficients are around 0.95 for GHI and between 0.65 and 0.77 for DNI. Regional irradiation maps of GHI and DNI are presented, showing that NWP predictions are an important tool for the operation of electricity generation systems based on solar energy.

PRIMARY TESTING OF AUTOMATED DUAL-AXIS SOLAR TRACKER IN THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE ORENBURG REGION AS THE PROSPECTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HARDWARE-SOFTWARE COMPLEX

One of the reasons for the high cost of electricity generated by statically located solar power plants is the low efficiency of photoelectric converters. Using high-precision solar tracking system will solve this problem. The paper provides a detailed description of the developed modernized structure of an autonomous solar power station with statically and dynamically located modules of solar batteries and a physical model of an automated dual-axis solar tracker. The presented development allows us to increase energy efficiency of solar batteries by precision pointing dynamically located solar modules on the Sun in two coordinates (azimuth and declination angle) during the day. In addition, it is shown that another feature of this photovoltaic system is that statically and dynamically located photoelectric modules are equipped with two types of solar cells – monocrystalline and polycrystalline that leads to an additional gain in the generation of electrical power regardless of the clouds. The ways of increasing the reliability of the autonomous solar power plant operation are mentioned. We have considered the solar tracking systems in the Russian Federation (Orenburg, Tomsk, Chelyabinsk regions) and abroad (United States of America, India, Iran, Turkey, Taiwan), and have justified the necessity of using photovoltaic systems with solar trackers. Moreover, we have successfully tested the developed autonomous solar power plant; the essence of the tests is in an experimental comparison of power generation using statically and dynamically located solar cell modules. The results of the experiments have showed that the use of a solar module with a precision dual-axis solar tracking system, in comparison with a statically located module, makes it possible to increase the efficiency of a photovoltaic installation by 50 %. Thus, experimental evidence of the effectiveness of the automate d tracking system application has been obtained. The work can be useful in the design of energy-efficient photovoltaic installations with the solar tracking system.