Solar trackers provide a technique for homeowners who have solar panels to get as much sunshine on them as feasible. Let’s examine this choice to determine when solar trackers are ideal for home photovoltaic (PV) systems.
A Solar Tracker: What Is It?
A solar tracker or solar software is a piece of mounting equipment that enables solar panels to follow the sun’s rays. This can make sure that a PV array absorbs the most solar energy and converts it into renewable energy to power a building, a company, or an electrical grid.
For the majority of installations, the ideal angle for solar panels to capture light varies as the sun moves during the day.
Solar modules may also receive fewer sun beams due to other variables like the shadows cast by nearby trees or other structures.
A solar tracker can reduce this issue if your property isn’t ideal for a PV array by altering the orientation or angle of the modules.
Solar trackers are typically used with ground-mount solar modules. They might impose too much pressure on a house’s roof due to weight and the panels’ tendency to move about in strong winds.
Solar panel tracking systems types
Solar trackers come in a variety of configurations, from single-axis to multiple axes, manual to motorized. Let’s examine a few of the possibilities.
Trackers for Active Solar
A motor is used by an active solar tracker to move or tilt the PV panel. Active trackers are often seen in business installations because they are more complicated and expensive because of the motor.
Solar trackers with a single axis
A single-axis tracking device rotates in a single arc to track the sun. It can roll or rotate to move from east to west. This one axis alone can increase power production by 25% to 35%. Utility-scale PV projects generally employ single-axis trackers.
Solar trackers with two axes
A module’s energy output can increase by 45% with a dual-axis solar tracking system compared to when it is stationary. Dual-axis tracking can assist in producing the most exposure in the smallest amount of space.
Dual-axis trackers track the location of the sun by season using sensors and software algorithms. The rooftops of huge business buildings are frequently the best places for the two axes.
Tracking passive solar energy
A passive solar tracker rotates solar panels by heating gas with heat from the sun. The gas cools, contracts, and enables the panels to return to their initial position as soon as the sun sets and the temperature drops. In comparison to active systems, passive trackers are less accurate and less suitable for cold climates.
Automatic Trackers
The movement degree for manual trackers and solar software is limited. They are designed to optimize the positioning of solar cells every year rather than tracking the sun all day long. They could be able to increase your system production by 5% to 15%.
Due to the need for owners to personally maintain the panels, they are not very prevalent on residential solar arrays.
Conclusion:
Solar tracking devices are typically too expensive for homes. They might also contain extra moving parts and be too heavy for a residential roof. Using conventional stacking on a roof-mounted system is the superior option for achieving a quicker payback period. Energy storage may be a better use of any additional cash than a roof-mounted device.
