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SINGLE AXIS TRACKER VERSUS FIXED TILT PV: EXPERIMENTAL AND

SIMULATED RESULTS

Conference Paper · September 2014

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 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

SINGLE AXIS TRACKER VERSUS FIXED TILT PV: EXPERIMENTAL AND SIMULATED RESULTS

V.Perraki, and L. Megas

Department οf Electrical αnd Computer Engineering, University of Patras, 26110 Patras, Greece,
Tel: ++30 2610 996467, Fax: ++30 2610 996811.
Email perraki@ece.upatras.gr; megas.labros@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: This work deals with the comparison between the photovoltaic properties as well as the energy
provided by a Photovoltaic module installed in fixed tilt angle and an identical one adapted on a tracker. The modules
have been installed on the roof of Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Patras,
Greece (latitude 380) and operated under real weather conditions. The PV properties of the tested modules which are
experimentally measured during a long period are compared with those extracted from simulation through the PVSol
software. The excess of the energy produced by the PV module installed on single axis tracker with 380 tilt angle,
relative to the PV module installed with constant inclination has been found experimentally equal to 23% and
theoretically equal to 24.6%.
Keywords: tracking, tilt angle, simulation

1 INTRODUCTION been compared to the outcome of PV Sol program, where

The performance of PV modules is affected by their
orientation and tilt angle with respect to the horizontal
plane. Solar Tracking Systems based on predefined sun
paths ensure a significant increase in the percentage of
the received solar radiation as well as the maximization
of the tracking efficiency, due to the optimal incidence
angle and to the collection of diffused solar radiations in
case that this is the prevalent amount of the total energy
received by the surface of the PV modules. This, results
in the increase of the PV module conversion efficiency.
The tracking efficiency is referred [1] to the ratio
between the energy of the solar direct radiation normally
incident on the PV module and the energy of the solar
direct radiation available on the site. The tracking
energetic gain is hundreds of Wh/day, while the daily
consumption of the linear actuators has been found from
the field tests equal or less than 0.5 Wh/day [2], which is
not in fact taken into account in industrial systems. The
tracking system thus plays a key role in increasing the
efficiency of the PV systems.
At the beginning of the application of PV, although
solar trackers were considered as a necessity to
maximizing the energy production from very costly solar
panels, they were technically complicated, unreliable and
with expensive control systems. As solar module pricing
declined, developments in the mechanical design of
trackers continued, clever installation techniques and
system layouts were designed, and control systems were
improved in sensors, software and cheap electronics. As a
result, even with solar module pricing in the $0.50-$1.00
range, PV trackers make good financial sense for
extended photovoltaic parks [3]. These gains are even
more valuable in geographic areas with high direct
irradiance, because in these areas there is a lot of
cloudness early in the morning or late in the afternoon,
compensating thus the extra cost of trackers.
From a practical standpoint, knowledge of the
outdoor performance of the PV modules working under
real operating conditions on a fixed or tracked mode, is
an essential requirement for their successful application
and their reliability, stability and degradation and
constitutes crucial parameters [4].
Detailed experimental results relative to the
annual/monthly energy yield from fixed and variable
orientation modules operating in real conditions have
irradiation, temperature and more weather parameters for
any place on Earth are offered by “Meteonorm”, a global
Meteorological accurate Database.
2 EXPERIMENTAL SET UP
We have plotted hundreds of current-voltage
characteristic curves (with an increased number of active
tracking steps) by performing experiments over a period
of one year. Monocrystalline silicon solar modules (with
similar electric characteristics), have been installed one in
380 fixed tilt angle facing south and the other on a single
axis tracker with 380 inclination. We have analyzed
several electric characteristics, and made our experiments
under different weather conditions. The measuring
station, Fig.1, consists of a pyranometer, module
temperature sensors, a PVPM measuring devices and a
personal computer, connected to each one of the
modules. In addition we have made a comparison of
experimental results with theoretical results obtained
from the program PVSol Expert.
Figure 1: Photovoltaic outdoor measuring setup
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on data gathered by scientific instruments of
high precision, records concerning the PV properties of
the modules installed on a fixed orientation as well as on
a single axis tracker are presented. The results provided
show that the modules which are installed on trackers
have superior properties than those installed on constant
inclination, due to the almost perpendicular incidence of

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 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
sunlight, resulting thus to the superiority of these devices
in kilowatt hours per kilowatt of installed power and
efficiency.
In this work we present the results between two
similar modules, a (Conergy) fixed south facing module
with 380 tilt angle and a (Five Stars) module mounted on
a single axis Tracker with 380 inclination. We have
chosen to present the variation of their PV properties
during a summer sunny day where the irradiation and the
temperatures are high and their influence will be obvious.
The difference in substantial properties observed
between the two modules, is due to the fact that the
Tracker is rotated around its vertical axis during the day
"following" the sun. This retains the solar module
perpendicular to the sun early and late in the day, while
collecting significantly more energy than the fixed
module facing south.
The variation of the solar radiation, G, incident on the
two modules as well as the maximum power they deliver
during the presented day, are shown in Fig.2. As the
Tracked module is rotated around the vertical axis
according to the movement of the sun it receives greater
amount of solar radiation, specifically the morning and
afternoon hours resulting in particularly noticeable
difference in solar radiation between the two modules.
Those hours the fixed module forms large azimuth angle
with the sun, as it is oriented towards the south, while the
sun is east or west respectively. On the contrary at solar
noon, when both panels are facing south, the solar
radiation incident on them is the same. Natural
consequences of the difference in solar radiation received
by the two modules are the different maximum power
they deliver. Especially in the morning and afternoon
hours, the difference in power output is large, as the
Tracker receives more solar radiation than the fixed
module. This difference in power and energy delivered is
less at midday since both modules are facing south.
G (W/m2) Tracked G (W/m2) Fixed
P (W) Tracked P(W) Fixed
1200
65
1000
55
800
G (W/m2)
Pmax (W)
45
600
400 35
200 25
0 15
9:07 11:31 13:55 16:19 18:43
Time (h)
Figure 2: Variation of the incident radiation G (W/m2) as
well as the maximum output power P max (W) during a
sunny day of June for the fixed facing south PV module
and the one axis tracked module.
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Figure 3 indicates that the temperature does not differ as
the maximum power Pmax, although both modules receive
different amount of solar radiation during the day.
Theoretically the temperature of the modules, Tmod,
increases with the illumination (due to the partial
conversion into those of the solar radiation into thermal
energy) wich changes during the day. However the
modules do not exhibit a significant difference in
temperature, because this parameter depends also on
other factors such as ambient temperature.
The ratio Pmax / PSTC for the two modules is shown in
the same figure. As expected these diagrams are similar
in form with the corresponding ones to the maximum
power Pmax of the modules. However, what is interesting
is that this ratio for the Tracked module is larger
throughout the day in relation to the fixed module, which
is interpreted as a function of modules closer to the
standard conditions.
T (oC) Tracked T (oC) Fixed
Pmax/Pstc Tracked Pmax/Pstc Fixed
80 0,8
75 0,7
70
0,6
65
0,5
Tmod (0C)
Pmax / P stc
60
55 0,4
50 0,3
45
0,2
40
0,1
35
30 0
9:07 11:31 13:55 16:19 18:43
Time (h)
Figure 3: Variation of the modules temperature as well as
the ratio of Pmax to Pstc during a sunny day of June for the
fixed facing south PV module and the one axis tracked
module.
For the fill factor, Fig. 4, one can observe that during
the most part of the day FF provided from the fixed
module ranges between 63-66%. The tracked module
presents an almost constant FF of about 66 % during the
day, due to the almost flat curve of P max for the tracker
during the day. The efficiency of the modules, presented
in the same figure, is higher in the case of the tracked
modules especially around solar noon, due to the higher
values of Pmax.
Figure 5 presents the Power-Voltage plots, which
were obtained from experiments at different times during
a summer day. The graphs have been extracted using the
program PVPMdisp adapted to the PVPM device.
It has been observed that early in the morning, the
maximum power output of the tracked module is about
80% higher than that given by the fixed. This superiority
decreases approaching to solar noon, when it falls almost
to zero, while the maximum power is assigned later.
 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

Fig. 6 illustrates the monthly output energy which is

FF (%) Tracked FF (%) Fixed produced from a fixed south facing PV module with 38 0
η (%) Tracked η (%) Fixed tilt angle as well as from a similar module, installed on
single axis tracker with inclination 380. In the same figure
80 11,5
is presented the energy which can be monthly produced
78 11 from the same modules, by applying the PVSol software.
76 The module which is installed on the single axis tracker
10,5
generates about 23.9% more energy than the one south
74 facing, which is installed on a yearly fixed tilt angle, and
10

Efficiency (%)
Fill Factor (%)

72 24,7% more when it is calculated by the Pvsol program.

9,5 The yearly energy gain of the calculated energy, to the
70
9 experimental is about 2,37% for the fixed and 2,97% for
68 the tracked module.
8,5
66
64 8
7,5 E(kWh)SimFixd E(kWh)SimTracked
62
60 7 E(kWh)ExpTracked E(kWh)ExpFixed
9:07 11:31 13:55 16:19 18:43 17
Time (h)

15
Figure 4: Fill factor and efficiency variation during a
sunny day of June for the fixed facing south PV module 13
and the one axis tracked module.
E(kWh)

11
8:28h,Fixed 8:28h,Tracked
10:34h,Fixed 10:34h,Tracked
11:36h,Fixed 11:36h,Tracked 9
12:58h,Fixed 12:58h,Tracked
15:08h,Fixed 15:08h,Tracked
16:24h,Fixed 16:24h,Tracked 7
90

80 5

70

60

50
Pout (W)

Figure 6: Graphical representation of (experimentaly

measured and simulated) monthly energy output
40 delivered by the fixed south facing module with 380 tilt
angle as well as by the module installed on single axis
30 tracker with 380 inclination.

20 Figure 7 shows that the mean value of the monthly

10
0 seasonal variations ranging from about 10% in summer to
0 5 10
V out (V)
Figure 5: Output power (Pout) versus output voltage (Vout)
of a fixed facing south PV module (under optimal tilt
angle) and a tracked module at different hours during a
day.
Furthermore, comparative plots of the energy yield,
in each case, were obtained using the PV*Sol expert 4.5 -
VALENTIN software. This program gives the
opportunity to design and simulate PV systems by
introducing the meteorological parameters for the sites
representing the mean values over twenty years.
PV module temperature throughout a year, ranged
between 18 0C in January to 480C in August. It
demonstrates in addition that the efficiency exhibits small
15 20 11.7% in March, as has also been previously published
[5]. The same figure presents the monthly mean produced
energy per kilowatt peak (kWh/kWp) from the tracked
module which is about 24.6% higher compared to the one
from the fixed module.
The module which was installed on the fixed base has
produced 1397 kWh/kWp annualy, (with a mean annual
efficiency of 10.98% which is significantly lower than
the one of 12.4 % provided by the manufacturer), while
the module on the single axis tracker 1717 kWh/kWp,
energy yield 23% above than the fixed one.
The calculated value of the energy yearly delivered by
the tracking system is 1768 kWh/kWp, which is 24.68%
higher than the corresponding to the energy delivered by
the fixed south facing module. Experimental results have

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 29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

also shown that the electric energy consumed by the Engineering, London, CRC Press, 2000
linear actuators is small enough and may be ignored [2] V. Popa, I. Visa, D. Diaconescu, 24th EUPVSEC
when compared to the energy gain resulting from the Hamburg, Germany 2009, p3680.
implementation of the PV tracking system. [3]
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/arti
Tmod(0C) kWh/kWpExpFixed cle/2014/08/listen-up-whats-the-deal-with-solar-trackers
[4] Makrides G, et al, Ren2ewable and Sustainable
kWh/kWp,ExpTracked η(%)Exp.Fixed Energy Reviews, February 2010, pp.4.
175 15 [5] V. Perraki and V. Georgitsas, 25th EUPVSEC
14 Valencia 2010, 4AV 3.92
155
135
Tmod (0C), kWh/kWpExp

13

ηexp(%)
115 12
95
11
75
10
55
35 9
15 8

Figure 7: Graphical representation of the experimentaly

measured and simulated monthly output energy kWh/
kWp delivered by the fixed south facing module with 380
tilt angle and by the module installed on single axis
trackers with 380 tilt angle, as well as module
temperature and efficiency.

4 CONCLUSIONS

We have realized experiments outdoors during a long

period and theoretical calculations, using a module
installed in fixed tilt angle and in tracking mode, in a
geographic area of the North hemisphere (380 latitude).
The incident radiation G, the output power P out, Tmod, the
ratio Pmax /Pstc, , FF and efficiency during a sunny day, as
well as the output power (Pout) versus output voltage
(Vout) have been presented for the fixed facing south PV
module and the one axis tracked module. In addition
monthly energy output experimental and simulated
(kWh/ kWp) delivered by fixed south facing modules
with 380 tilt angle as well as by modules installed on
single axis trackers with 380 inclination, as well as
module temperature and efficiency are presented.
Importantly, as a conclusive remark it may be highlighted
that the main advantage of a tracking system is the
superiority of the photovoltaic properties and the energy
yield, in comparison to this delivered from modules
installed in fixed slope. Our experimental results agree
with the simulated ones when applying the PVsol
program which presents the corresponding records of the
the energy delivered by the PV modules for each case.

AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks must be addressed to Mr K. Kidoniatis,
graduate of the Department of Electrical & Computer
Engineering, for providing certain measurements.

References

[1] R. Messenger, J. Ventre, Photovoltaic System

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