The world is gradually transforming towards utilizing renewable energy sources and solar energy is one of the widely used energy sources that are utilized via solar panels. However, there are several environmental factors that impact the efficiency of the solar panels.

This is why there are several industries that are inclined to invest in the best solar testing equipment UAE for gaining the most out of solar panel usage. Now, among the many equipment that are available in the market, the solar tracker is one of the most popular solutions.

If you are looking forward to investing in solar trackers then continue to read this article till the end.

Solar Tracker

Solar tracker is an effective device that follows the movement of the sun as it rotates from east to west everyday. It is designed to accelerate the energy output from solar receivers and solar panels.

The primary aim of using solar tracker is to keep the orientation of solar panels/keepers directly towards the sun as it moves throughout the sky everyday. With the help of this device, users can significantly increase the amount of solar energy that is received by the solar energy collectors and eventually enhances the energy output of the electricity/heat which is produced.

In fact, the energy output of solar panels increases by 20-30% and also contributes in boosting the economics of the solar panel project.

How Do Solar Trackers Work?

Essentially, there are two types of solar trackers that are available in the market - Single-axis Solar Tracker and Dual-axis Solar Tracker. Depending on the option you choose, the work mechanism of the solar tracker differs.

Single-axis tracker performs tracking of the sun from east to west, rotating on a single point, with movement either in unison by panel row or by section. Dual-axis trackers rotate on both X and Y axes making the solar panels track the sun directly.

According to tech experts, the use of solar trackers makes financial sense when the energy yield gain more than fixed-tilt applications exceeds the capital expenditure of the system. The tracking tech is not new in the solar market but in recent years, the use of single-axis solutions have become standard in utility-scale applications.

As per a survey report, almost 70% of utility-scale solar installations used tracking systems in 2018. Single-axis trackers are designed to collect less energy per unit in comparison to dual-axis trackers.

However, with their shorter racking heights, they do not need much space to get installed and therefore, creating a more concentrated system footprint and a convenient model for maintenance and operations.

A single-axis tracker is divided into centralized and decentralized types. The centralized type uses a single motor for powering the driveline between the rows that will cause an entire segment of panels to move.

Whereas decentralized systems have one motor per tracking row. In fact, there are also examples of trackers that have motors present on every set of racking, therefore, making the rows more flexible during installation and in some cases also enable them to independently track the neighboring modules.

Dual-axis trackers are known to be producing 30-45% more energy yield. Now, the earth’s rotational movement is relative to the sun, it is not the same all round the year. Thus, with an arc that will differ every season, a dual-axis solar tracker will continuously experience greater energy since it is designed to follow that path directly.

This type of solar tracker is commonly seen to be used in commercial and residential applications but slowly they are paving their way into utility-scale deployment. Each one of these trackers are installed on top of a single elevated post to account for a greater angle range that the installed panels shall reach. The dual-axis trackers have the ability to hold 20 panels per unit upwards.

This makes cleaning of the panels a bit challenging as they are not accessible because of the higher elevation. But with more headspace, the tracker can leave open space underneath that can be utilized for other purposes such as carports or even agriculture.

Till today, it is a largely unexplored market segment however, solar tracking solutions for rooftops are beginning to surface as well. These roof-top trackers work somewhat similar to dual-axis solar trackers that rotate on a carousel-design track at the bottom of their racking and the adjustable panel angle for following the sun more precisely than in comparison to single-axis solar trackers.

The Perks of Using Solar Trackers

If you remain undecided whether you need to invest in a solar tracker or not then here are some ultimate perks of using this device that might make up your mind. The solar panels on the quality tracking system are capable of generating more electricity.

If you are on a variable electricity rate plan, the generation of more electricity can be extremely helpful. This also means that you need fewer panels and won’t be requiring much space for the setup of your solar system.

The highlighting advantage of using a solar tracker is that users get a significant boost in electricity production. Depending on the location, users can choose between single-axis and dual-axis solar trackers to get more energy yield.

So, what are you waiting for? Solar trackers are one of the best solar testing equipment UAE options that you cannot miss out on.