Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers

Anderson, Kevin; Mikofski, Mark

doi:10.2172/1660126

Title: Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers

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Abstract

Closed-form equations of the true-tracking angle, backtracking angle, shaded fraction, and orientation angles of single-axis solar trackers installed on arbitrarily oriented slopes are derived. These slope-aware adjustments are necessary to successfully prevent row to row shading in arrays with nonzero cross-axis slope. A tracker rotation modeling procedure comprising these equations is provided.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Det Norske Veritas Group, Oslo (Norway)

Publication Date:: 2020-07-01

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Det Norske Veritas Group, Oslo (Norway)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

OSTI Identifier:: 1660126

Report Number(s):: NREL/TP-5K00-76626
MainId:7307;UUID:469a577f-62a6-4030-8e05-51fcfee6ed4c;MainAdminID:15150

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Technical Report

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; photovoltaics; tracker; backtracking; shading; solar energy; slope; grade

Citation Formats


                    Anderson, Kevin, and Mikofski, Mark. Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers.  United States: N. p., 2020. 
        Web.  doi:10.2172/1660126.

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                    Anderson, Kevin, & Mikofski, Mark. Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/1660126

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                    Anderson, Kevin, and Mikofski, Mark. 2020.  
        "Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/1660126.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1660126.

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@article{osti_1660126,

  title        = {Slope-Aware Backtracking for Single-Axis Trackers},

  author       = {Anderson, Kevin and Mikofski, Mark},

  abstractNote = {Closed-form equations of the true-tracking angle, backtracking angle, shaded fraction, and orientation angles of single-axis solar trackers installed on arbitrarily oriented slopes are derived. These slope-aware adjustments are necessary to successfully prevent row to row shading in arrays with nonzero cross-axis slope. A tracker rotation modeling procedure comprising these equations is provided.},

  doi          = {10.2172/1660126},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1660126},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2020},

  month        = {7}

}

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