Solar trackers are more beneficial in specific regions based on latitude, climate, solar irradiance, and electricity rate structures:
- High Latitude Regions: Solar trackers are particularly advantageous in areas with high latitudes, where there are significant annual shifts in the sun’s position. Trackers can optimize sunlight capture throughout the day and year, improving performance by harvesting more energy during early mornings and late afternoons when the sun’s angle changes considerably.
- Regions with High Direct Solar Radiation: Solar tracking technologies are most effective at capturing direct solar radiation by following the sun’s path. Areas with abundant direct sunlight—such as the western United States, parts of Australia, China, India, and the Middle East—benefit significantly from trackers. In contrast, regions with more diffuse radiation due to higher cloud cover, like the eastern United States, see less benefit, leading to a preference for fixed-tilt solar panels.
- Hot, Dry Climates: Elevated solar trackers offer particular efficiency improvements in hot, dry regions such as the American Southwest by potentially providing shading benefits and reducing panel temperature, which enhances energy output.
- Regions with Time-of-Use Electricity Rates: In places where electricity pricing varies throughout the day, solar trackers help generate more energy during peak price hours, increasing economic savings and value from the solar investment.
- Areas with Land Constraints: Single-axis trackers allow for more compact installations by increasing energy yield per panel, which is beneficial where land costs are high or space is limited.
In summary, solar trackers provide the greatest benefits in regions with high direct solar irradiance, variable sun angles (such as high latitudes), hot and dry climates, locations with variable electricity pricing, and where land use efficiency is important. Regions like the western U.S., parts of Europe, Asia-Pacific (China, India, Australia), Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East are prime candidates for solar tracking technology adoption due to these factors.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/are-there-specific-regions-where-solar-trackers-are-more-beneficial/
