Solar Trackers

[BigInch]

I've been doing some rough studies concerning the economic feasibility of using solar panels mounted either in a fixed tilt position on close-to-ground supports, or mounted on 1 or 2 axis elevated solar tracking structures. The extra costs of the tracking structures and mechanisms supposedly can be balanced by higher daily energy production and the resulting income from grid power sales, but so far I have not been able to prove there is a positive return on the required incremental investment for the trackers. I think this is curious, since many projects appear to be using trackers. I am wondering if there is something missing in my analysis. I have included some cost reduction for smaller plot plan footprint of the trackers, but even that doesn't seem to be sufficient to justify their use. Is there an increase in generated power due to the elevation of the trackers and their being more exposed to cooling effects and a consequential reduction in operating temperature that I need to consider? Or ...is the use of trackers just a sales gimick of some kind? Has anybody been able to economically justify the use of solar trackers for a ground based pv installation?

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[itsmoked]

Factoid: That if all Walmart stores were covered with PV panels, they could supply a couple % of the US generation demand

30GWhrs/day / 10,500GWhr/day => 3/10ths of 1%.

Answer: Factoid is bogus. [flush]





Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[jraef]

Hey, as they say, you get more for less at WalMart!

 

[itsmoked]

Jeff; Too bad it's not WattMart.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[jghrist]

To be fair, the factoid said a couple % of demand, and we calculated % of energy. Considering that peak summer demand will occur during the afternoon when the sun us out, a couple % of demand is feasible.

 

[itsmoked]

Good point!

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com