What is a solar tracking system?

Early tracking systems The early solar TSs were simple and mostly mechanical. These systems were intended to track the movement of the sun across the sky in order to increase the amounts of Solar energy harnessed by PV modules.

Do solar tracking systems improve the efficiency of photovoltaic modules?

Solar tracking systems (TS) improve the efficiency of photovoltaic modules by dynamically adjusting their orientation to follow the path of the sun. The target of this paper is, therefore, to give an extensive review of the technical and economic aspects of the solar TS, covering the design aspects, difficulties, and prospects.

What is a solar PV tracking system?

Trackers that are automatic as well as motorized have also been introduced in the progress of solar PV TS. A new generation of tracking systems appeared in the 1980 s, with the improvement of the sensor equipment in combination with electronics that can automatically turn the placed PV-modules to the right angle.

How to design a solar tracking system?

When designing solar tracking systems, it is necessary to take into account the distance between installations, since when the position of the Sun changes, the size of the trackers' shadow changes. This problem has several solutions. First: you need to install the trackers at a sufficient distance from each other.

How do solar tracking systems compare?

Consequently, the main metrics available in the literature for the comparison of solar tracking systems relate to aspects such as annual energy gain, which can be evaluated in terms of the power output ratio, local latitude, and solar radiation , .

What is the main mechanism of solar tracking system?

The main mechanism of the solar tracking system consists of the tracking device, tracking algorithm, control unit, positioning system, driving mechanism, and sensing devices . The driving mechanism is responsible for moving the tracking device to the position determined by the positioning system.