Single-axis Tracking Research Articles

Holographic low concentration optical system increasing light collection efficiency of regular solar panels

Conventional photovoltaic (PV) modules (exclude interdigitated back contact modules) with silicon or gallium arsenide PV cells often have significant inactive module surface area. This results from wafer cutting techniques and metal contacts that reduce the module’s collection area and the resultant power conversion efficiency. A holographic light collector (HLC) combining a low-cost holographic optical element and a diffuser into conventional PV modules is proposed and evaluated to collect the solar illumination over the inactive module area. The angular tolerance and extra annual energy yield (EY) of the HLC are analyzed. It is found that improvements in EY of 4.5%, 4.1%, and 3.8% can be obtained when PV panels are deployed with two-axis tracking systems, single-axis tracking systems, and without tracking systems, respectively.

Performance analysis of a floating photovoltaic covering system in an Indian reservoir

Abstract Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems are one of the globally emerging technologies of renewable energy production that tend to balance the water–energy demand by effectively saving the evaporated water from reservoirs while generating electrical power. This study presents the performance analysis of a model FPV plant in an Indian reservoir. The Mettur dam reservoir located in Tamil Nadu, India with a hydroelectric power plant of 150-MW capacity is considered as a test case. The preliminary design of the FPV plant is proposed based on a detailed study of the key design elements and their suitability for Indian reservoirs. The proposed plant is numerically analysed for various tilt angles, mounting systems and tracking mechanisms in order to assess its potential power generation. A flat-mount system in landscape orientation was found to exhibit a high performance ratio. Further, a fixed-tilt FPV system with a panel slope of 10° and an FPV system with single-axis tracking were found to be suitable for the Mettur reservoir. Further, cost analysis of the FPV system is also presented along with the carbon-footprint estimation to establish the economic and environmental benefits of the system. The results show that the total potential CO2 saving by a FPV system with tracking is 135 918.87 t CO2 and it is 12.5% higher than that of a fixed-mount FPV system.

Dual Axis Solar Tracking System using LDR Senors

At present, the dual axis solar system is not being used properly. A single axis of solar energy system is more compact and more widely used than a double axis. However, a single axis tracking system is less effective but more efficient due to its economic viability. Therefore, we are analysing a double axis tracking system preferred tosingle axis tracking system. We use an independent method using a dummy solar tracker to check whether the sun’s rays reflected on the solar panel at a specific point at any given time based on the elevation calculations and azimuth angles of sunrays. To simulate the processes a simulation using the Borland C ++ builder is created. Here, azimuth-elevation angles are calculated accurately and precisely in any location and time.

Experimental Investigation on Novel Parabolic Trough Collector

With the increase in demand of the cleaner energy, the use of renewablesources of energy is increasing day by day and solar energy is the answerto it. Several methods are used to harness solar thermal energy among themConcentrating Parabolic Collectors (CPC) are widely used. In this paper,A novel CPC is made, and an experimental study is carried out to findout its efficiency in manual and automated single axis tracking mode usingwater as working fluid. It was observed that the automated tracking methodoutperforms the manual tracking method with efficiency reaching up to 48%as compared to 42% in the later. Methods to improve efficiency of the CPCare not used in this study. CPC was found suitable for domestic use.

The effect of the pitch angle, two-axis tracking system, and wind velocity on the parabolic trough solar collector thermal performance

In this study, heat transfer and airfield around a parabolic trough solar collector are simulated. The effect of the pitch angle, two-axis tracking system, and wind speed on the collector thermal performance is evaluated. Three-dimensional and turbulent flow equations are used. Simulations are performed at noon, for the 45th day of summer, for the geographical location of Isfahan. The effects of wind velocities from V = 1 to 3 m/s are studied. The results of this study are investigated for a single-axis tracking system at pitch angles 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°, and for a two-axis tracking system for the angles of 45°–35°, 45°–25°, and 45°–15°, respectively. The results indicate that factors such as the change in the heat transfer coefficient, collector pitch angles, and amount of flow deviation between the upper and lower dome of the collector resulting in a distinction between the absorption of maximum radiation fluxes or the maximum heat transfer (heat loss) rate. Moreover, the higher the pitch angle, the higher the amount of received sunlight, but on the other hand, it causes the wind to affect all the collector surfaces (more heat loss). The drag force applied to the two-axis collector is lower than the one-axis collector. Therefore, using a two-axis system not only does not increase the structure size but also can decrease it, too.

Intelligence Solar Power System with Mobile Power Analysis

The renewable energies, solar energy is the only energy gained its popularity and importance quickly. Through the solar tracking system, we can produce an abundant amount of energy which makes the solar panel’s workability much more efficient. Perpendicular proportionality of the solar panel with the sun rays is the reason lying behind its efficiency. Pecuniary, its installation charge is high provided cheaper options are also available. The main control circuit is based upon NodeMcu microcontroller. Programming of this device is done in the manner that the LDR sensor, in accordance with the detection of the sun rays, will provide direction to the DC Motor that in which way the solar panel is going to revolve. Through this, the solar panel is positioned in such a manner that the maximum amount of sun rays could be received. Though a hike in the efficiency of the solar panel had a handsome increase still perfection was a far-fetched goal for it. Below 40%, most of the panels still hover to operate. Consequently, peoples are compelled to purchase a number of panels in order to meet their energy demands or purchase single systems with large outputs. Availability of the solar cells types with higher efficiencies is on provided they are too costly to purchase. Ways to be accessed for increasing solar panel efficiencies are a plethora in number still one of the ways to be availed for accomplishing the said purpose while reducing costs, is tracking. Tracking helps in the wider projection of the panel to the Sun with increased power output. It could be dual or single axis tracker

Bifacial Photovoltaics 2021: Status, Opportunities and Challenges

In this paper we summarize the status of bifacial photovoltaics (PV) and explain why the move to bifaciality is unavoidable when it comes to e.g., lowest electricity generation costs or agricultural PV (AgriPV). Bifacial modules—those that are sensitive to light incident from both sides—are finally available at the same price per watt peak as their standard monofacial equivalents. The reason for this is that bifacial solar cells are the result of an evolution of crystalline Si PV cell technology and, at the same time, module producers are increasingly switching to double glass modules anyway due to the improved module lifetimes, which allows them to offer longer product warrantees. We describe the general properties of the state-of-the-art bifacial module, review the different bifacial solar cells and module technologies available on the market, and summarize their average costs. Adding complexity to a module comes with the increase of possible degradation mechanisms, requiring more thorough testing, e.g., for rear side PID (Potential Induced Degradation). We show that with the use of bifacial modules in fixed tilt systems, gains in annual energy yield of up to 30% can be expected compared to the monofacial equivalent. With the combination of bifacial modules in simple single axis tracking systems, energy yield increases of more than 40% can be expected compared to fixed tilt monofacial installations. Rudimentary simulations of bifacial systems can be performed with commercially available programs. However, when more detailed and precise simulations are required, it is necessary to use more advanced programs such as those developed at several institutes. All in all, as bifacial PV—being the most cost-effective PV solution—is now becoming also bankable, it is becoming the overall best technology for electricity generation.

Technoeconomic Performance Analysis of Solar Tracking Methods for Roof-Type Solar Power Plants and Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

In building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar energy projects, cost effectiveness, durability, and long-term reliability are among the criteria that should be taken into consideration as well as the gain in electricity generation efficiency. Also, in a study, it is stated that a dual-axis solar tracking system occupies approximately 100% more space than a single-axis system and 160% more than a fixed-angle system. It has been observed that most of the studies that are mounted on the building and include a tracking system are small-scale experimental studies. The aim of this article is to present a systematic analysis with a low investment cost, a low operating cost, and high reliability, in a real application especially for roof applications in buildings. Three buildings in the same location and with the same roof area were selected. Photovoltaic power plants with 23.68 kW power were installed; these panels had three types: fixed-angle, manually controlled, and single-axis solar tracking systems. The energy generation system is connected to the network with a double-sided meter, and there is a double-sided energy flow. The energy produced is used to meet the energy needs of the vehicle charging station and common areas of the buildings. Although the single-axis tracking system is 27.85% more efficient than other energy generation methods, the manually adjusted method has proven to have the shortest amortization time. The study also presents shading, which is a serious problem in large-scale roof projects, and the area covered by the module per unit watt produced.

Techno-economic potential assessment of mega scale grid-connected PV power plant in five climate zones of Pakistan

The industrial sector is of great importance for the economic development of any country. The current energy crisis in Pakistan is the major obstacle to its economic growth. Diesel generator is used as reliable backup power source in many industrial and commercial applications during load shedding hours, which increases the cost of energy per kWh and environmental emissions. The grid-connected PV plants increase the share of solar energy in the power grid toreduceenvironmental emissions. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the techno-economic assessment of mega-scale grid-connected PV plants for the industrial sector in Pakistan's five climate zones. Based on energy injected into the gird, payback period and GHG emission reduction, a detailed technical, economic, and environmental analysis is conducted by using the PVsyst software. This study concludes that PV plants for all five climatic zones are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible but Quetta (Zone-C) is the most feasible location with the highest annual generation 4441 MWh, highest capacity utilization factor 20.3%, lowest cost of energy 0.026 USD/kWh and lowest payback period 3.2 years for fixed tilt orientation. The designed system has the potential to reduce 39442.5 tCO2 emissions over its lifetime, resulting in a green environment. When compared to a fixed tilt system, the energy produced yearly by a single axis tracking system is 5.7% higher, while the energy produced yearly by a dual axis tracking system is 34.3% higher. Moreover, the validation of simulation results with actual results collected from an installed 2.5 MW solar plant at a cement factory in Fateh Jang (Zone-B), shows that actual plant performance is closely matched with simulation results. This study provides guidelines for researchers and policymakers to identify acceptable location-based PV technologies for the industrial sector.

Agrophotovoltaic Designs : Irradiation Analysis on and under PV Modules

To secure agricultural benefits and PV power generation from an agrophotovoltaic system, it is vital that the PV modules and the crop are both irradiated by light. The configuration and design of PV modules have a practical effect on the irradiation uniformity in an agrophotovoltaic system. Irradiation non-uniformity can cause crop growth delays and quality deterioration during different cultivation periods. This paper proposes the design considerations and parameters of an agrophotovoltaic system to optimize crop yield and power energy production. The design parameters are the PV module installation height, ground coverage ratio, tilt angle, azimuth angle, and PV module installation type. The PV module installation type is classified into dual-axis tracking, single-axis tracking, south fixed, and horizontal fixed. We configured a 3D modeling simulation platform to visualize and analyze irradiation under the PV module. Finally, we suggest three evaluation parameters: The overall mean under PV modules, the overall standard irradiation deviation under PV modules, and the transposition factor of the agrophotovoltaic designs.

Adaptive fuzzy PID cross coupled control for multi-axis motion system based on sliding mode disturbance observation.

Multi-axis motion system is widely applied in commercial industrial machines such as precision CNC machine tools, Robot manipulator and laser cutting machines, etc. Contour accuracy plays a major role for the multi-axis servo motion system. The contour machining accuracy is related to the synthesis of single-axis position accuracy and multi-axis linkage accuracy. Only improving the single-axis tracking performance cannot effectively guarantee the machining accuracy of multi-axis system. The primary objective of this study was to design a contour control method to improve single-axis tracking accuracy and multi-axis contour accuracy. A control strategy that combines a sliding mode tracking controller, a disturbance observer and an adaptive fuzzy PID cross coupled controller is proposed. Sliding mode control is simple and has strong robustness to parameter changes and disturbance, which is especially suitable for control of such as non-linear multi-axis motion system. Besides, disturbance is inevitable in practical application, which degrades the motion accuracy. In order to eliminate the influence of external disturbance and uncertainty, disturbance observer is adopted to accurately estimate external disturbance and reduce the chattering phenomenon of sliding mode control, then improve the single-axis tracking accuracy. In order to further consider the coordination between different motion axes and improve the contour accuracy, the PID cross coupled control is used. Owing to conventional PID control cannot satisfy the multi-axis servo motion system with nonlinearity and uncertainty, an adaptive fuzzy method with on-line real-time PID parameters adjustment is proposed. The three-axis motion platform driven by PMLSM is used as the control object, to analysis the influence of disturbance observer on sliding mode control signal and analysis adaptive fuzzy PID cross coupled control performance respectively. The disturbance observer is used to observe the disturbance signal and estimate the disturbance well. The chattering of the sliding mode control signal is obviously improved. Next, compared with the conventional PID-CCC control, adaptive fuzzy PID- CCC control can significantly reduce the tracking error, the contour accuracy is also obviously improved. The disturbance observer can effectively eliminate the influence of external disturbance, reduce the chattering of sliding mode control, and ensure the single-axis accurate tracking. The self-adaptive fuzzy PID cross coupled controller can eliminate the influence of the dynamic characteristics mismatching and parameter difference of each axis, and improve contour accuracy. The simulation results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

Impact of angular irradiance distributions on coupling gains and energy yield of cell interconnection designs in silicon solar modules in tracking and fixed systems

Cell interconnector designs such as light redirecting films (LRFs) and various geometric ribbon layouts are all aimed at improving the performance of crystalline silicon solar modules. However, due to the usually specular reflecting surface, the angular-dependent module performance, which is typically quantified with an incidence angle modifier, depends on the rotation of the module. We find that typical power measurements under standard test conditions at 1000 W m−2 and 25 °C cell temperature are not suited to identify the best performing design in real-world conditions. In this work, we therefore determine the optimum ribbon geometry based on its simulated energy yield in common installation configurations for solar modules based on industry-standard full and half-cut solar cells. We compare the effects of planar, triangular, LRFs, pentagonal and wire ribbon geometries, as well as fixed optimal inclination, building-integrated (façade), and single-axis tracking installation scenarios of modules in portrait and landscape orientation. Energy yield gains of 1.8% can be achieved for full cell modules with LRFs or pentagonal ribbons in single-axis tracking installation compared to a reference module with five planar ribbons. Critically, we find that changing the module orientation to landscape reduces this energy yield gain by nearly 50% for the modules with LRFs. This directional dependence is significantly reduced with the pentagonal ribbon structure. The installation scenario can have a similarly dramatic impact. The expectation of power gains for certain designs inferred from standard test conditions may not only show significantly lower gains in annual energy yield, but may even lead to yield losses, especially for building-integrated photovoltaic systems. For a typical full-cell module, for example, we have found that LRFs perform 2.5% better than standard planar ribbons under standard test conditions but can result in a 0.2% lower annual yield in a façade installation. Therefore, to fully evaluate the effectiveness of a specific ribbon design, the annual energy yield must consider the angular irradiance distribution and weather conditions at a specific location, the installation scenario, and the module orientation.

Flat Plate Based- Solar System With a Tracking System

Water heating in Libyan domestic sector represents over 29% of the total electrical consumption. There is a great potential of hot water usage in the industrial and other sectors. Solar energy can play vital role in providing hot water to the residential and industrial sectors. In this paper, numerical simulation and experimental investigation are undertaken to study the enhancement of thermosyphon solar water heater with flat plate collector system through design, manufacturing and implementation of a single axis tracking. The collector tracks the sun in a band angle equal to 70° from east to west with surface tilted angle of 45° from the horizontal. The design and manufacturing processes of the tracking system and assembling to the thermosyphon systems are presented. Numerical simulations are carried out using TRNSYS software where several cases of one axis and two axis tracking systems are simulated and presented in this paper. TRNSYS simulation results indicate that 38% extra energy can be harnessed in case of single-axis tracking system over stationary one. Experimental testing of designed tracking system are performed along with stationary identical system for several months, substantial amount of data are. The results show that the performance is enhanced by an average value of 21.17% over stationary one. This result is considered to be very reasonable compared with the theoretical one. The additional cost incurred due to the inclusion of the tracking system is estimated to be 20.4%.

A novel mechanical solar tracking mechanism with single axis of tracking for developing countries

This study presents a novel mechanical technique for solar concentration system that integrated with single-axis tracking mechanism without needs of electricity, electronic components, nor special materials. The presented mechanism aimed basically the small-sized solar Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) to spread it in fields that limited by the disadvantage of the commercial tacking systems. The presented tracking mechanism utilizes the wind energy at the night time by stored-in potential energy to be its actuated energy. In addition, the same wind energy system could a circulate the Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) along the day hours with automatically shifting. A 3-D model has been designed and a practical model has been fabricated and constructed from cheap materials then tested experimentally. The results showed that the accuracy of the tracking mechanism has maximum deviation at the early and lately hours of the day. It was in the range of (−3.36°–1.65°) with arithmetic average less than 0.5° and standard deviation less than 0.75° for its absolute values along the year. Experimental thermal results of small PTC with 91 cm width, 148 cm length and one-inch absorber tube showed 185.5 C stagnation temperature of a synthetic oil in fall season weather.

Optimization of Photovoltaic Array Orientation and Performance Evaluation of Solar Tracking Systems

In recent years, solar energy has received tremendous attention in accordance with the global efforts in moving towards clean energy generation. A solar tracking system shifts the position of solar panel following the Sun's movement, allowing more energy to be harvested. This paper aims to evaluate the performance of solar tracking system in Malaysia, including the east-west single-axis tracking system, north-south single-axis tracking system, vertical axis tracking system, and dual-axis tracking system. The periodical tilt angle adjustment of fixed-tilt photovoltaic system is also investigated to optimize its performance. A mathematical model is formulated to compute the amount of solar radiation collected in a photovoltaic system and the optimization model is solved using genetic algorithm to determine the optimal tilt and azimuth angles for maximum solar radiation yield. Based on the results, PV system with dual-axis solar tracker has 22.14 % more solar radiation collected compared to the fixed-tilt system, while monthly tilt angle adjustment improves the yield by 2.15 %.

Economic Assessment of Photovoltaic-Based Microgrid Incorporated with Solar Tracking System

Solar energy is a major renewable energy source as it is clean and abundant. The solar radiation yield of a PV system can be enhanced by fixing the solar panel at optimal orientation or coupling with a solar tracking system. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of incorporating solar trackers into microgrid to improve the energy gain. A mathematical model is formulated for the optimal sizing of microgrid and the model is implemented on a case study with 500 households. The study outcome suggests the feasibility of solar tracking system is greatly dependent on its cost. When the cost of solar tracker is low, east-west single-axis tracking system is the most feasible option, but the fixed-tilt system becomes more feasible when the cost of solar tracker is high. The threshold for east-west single-axis tracking system investment is found to be

A feasibility study of the 1.5-axis tracking model in utility-scale solar PV plants

Many solar tracking technologies have been developed with the aim of improving the energy performance of solar PV installations. Among these, single-axis tracking (SAT) systems give good economic prospect for ground-mounted PV plants but experience inevitable power loss when the trackers diverge from the incident solar irradiance during winter. The 1.5-axis tracking (1.5AT) model is developed in recent years to achieve a balance between the benefits and shortcomings of the SAT and dual-axis tracking (DAT) systems. Despite the anticipated superiority of the 1.5AT, there is a lack of literature on the methodology to analytically study the potential and feasibility of the 1.5AT model, especially from a global perspective. In this paper, a comprehensive feasibility study has been conducted to evaluate the energy performance and shading analysis of the 1.5AT model. The developed methodology serves as a general benchmark to explore the prospects of the 1.5AT model at different geographical locations and seasons. This encourages further research and deployment of the 1.5AT model as a potential alternative to improve the return of investment for various PV system stakeholders.

Preliminary Evaluation of a Rooftop Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System Installation under the Climatic Conditions of Texas (USA)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have demonstrated growing competitiveness as a viable alternative to fossil fuel-based power plants to mitigate the negative impact of fossil energy sources on the environment. Notwithstanding, solar PV technology has not made yet a meaningful contribution in most countries globally. This study aims to encourage the adoption of solar PV systems on rooftop buildings in countries which have a good solar energy potential, and even if they are oil or gas producers, based on the obtained results of a proposed PV system. The performance of a rooftop grid-tied 3360 kWp PV system was analyzed by considering technical, economic, and environmental criteria, solar irradiance intensity, two modes of single-axis tracking, shadow effect, PV cell temperature impact on system efficiency, and Texas A&M University as a case study. The evaluated parameters of the proposed system include energy output, array yield, final yield, array and system losses, capacity factor, performance ratio, return on investment, payback period, Levelized cost of energy, and carbon emission. According to the overall performance results of the proposed PV system, it is found to be a technically, economically, and environmentally feasible solution for electricity generation and would play a significant role in the future energy mix of Texas.

Performance Comparison of Solar Single-Axis Tracking Low-Concentrating Photovoltaic/Thermal System With Different Axes

The study focuses on the performance comparison of solar single-axis tracking low-concentration photovoltaic/thermal (LCPV/T) system with different axes. The axes of the single-axis tracking LCPV/T systems are arranged along the east-west (EW) axis, north-south (NS) axis, and south-east 18° (SE-18°) axis, respectively. The thermal performance of the single-axis tracking system with different axes is discussed through simulated and experimental methods. Simulation study shows that the EW tracking system receives the highest amount of radiation and produced highest electrical energy throughout the year. The experimental research demonstrates that low-concentrating technology significantly improves the performance of the system. Chiefly, the overall thermal efficiency maintains between 50%-70%, and the maximum thermal efficiency achieved in the experiment reaches 68%. The average overall efficiency and exergy efficiency of the NS axis, EW axis and SE-18° axis are 59% and 20%, 64% and 23%, 59% and 20%, respectively. Both the energy and exergy performance of the EW axis is better than the other two axes. The placement of the axis has a significant impact on the thermal and electrical performance of the LCPV/T system. Consequently, the combination of low-concentrating and single-axis tracking technologies has an excellent prospect in practical application.

Performance comparison of fixed and single axis tracker photovoltaic system in large scale solar power plants in Malaysia

<span>Malaysia is rapidly expanding the generation capacity of solar power through large scale solar (LSS) projects with the aim to achieve 20% renewable energy mix by 2025. This has motivated many solar industry players to explore the usage of solar PV with single axis tracker (SAT) system. However, many are still hesitant due to the lack of understanding on the comparative performance between fixed mounted solar PV with solar PV with SAT system. This paper aims to provide a comparative analysis on the performance of both systems. Simulation using PVSyst 6.83 was performed in five potential LSS sites spread across Peninsular Malaysia in Perlis, Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor and Johor with the same installed capacity of 10.32MWp. The energy yield and capacity factor for 21 years were simulated. On the average, it was found that SAT outperforms fixed mounted solar PV system by 15.08% based on their performance on their first year operation. </span>