Compare Fixed Panel And Tracking Panel Solar Panel

By emily paris senior associate product manager for sunlink.

Compare fixed panel and tracking panel solar panel.

In many cases it is cheaper to install more solar panels to increase the system s energy output than it is to install a solar tracker. Typical land use for fixed pv can be 4 to 5 acres per megawatt while a. Tracking systems have a larger area footprint per megawatt so space constrained areas will be less attractive for trackers. A solar tracker will cost more money up front than a fixed solar panel system because it is a more complex technology and has moving parts.

While solar trackers will increase the solar panel system s energy production they are very expensive and can potentially double the cost of installing solar panels. And keith beisner field services manager and geotechnical testing expert for sunlink powercare. On the other hand it s also possible to produce more energy with the same quantity pv panels and inverters. Lastly tracking systems are more expensive to maintain over the 25 year life of a system.

Single axis trackers follow the sun over the course of a day typically tilting from east to west and dual axis. With a more complex system comes more maintenance which can add up in cost over time. Tracker systems are the alternative of standard installation with a different variety. The maximum output of the panels is achieved when the panels are perpendicular to the sun s rays.

An additional 20 of acreage for tracking systems is a good rule of thumb for checking the economics. This research is an empirical financial assessment of the benefit of using a dual axis sun tracker versus a fixed flat position as well as a comparison of the performance of the two panels under such settings. In addition to a fixed tilt two types of solar panel exist that can track the sun. Tracked fixed pole top ground mount it is well known that if you compare identical arrays one fixed and the other tracked that the tracked array will annually outperform the fixed array.

In the battle for ground mount market share many would argue that single axis trackers now rule the day relegating the less sophisticated fixed tilt technology to second best. In a fixed form their efficiency is low since the panels will be tilted in a particular angle whereas in a tracking system the panel is made to move either in single axis or dual axis. This also leads to the second area of increased cost for solar tracking systems.