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A study from researchers at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar has revealed that bifacial two-in-portrait (2P) horizontal single-axis tracking photovoltaic systems can generate up to 13.5% more electricity than fixed-tilt systems under desert conditions, according to findings published in the journal Renewable Energy.
The source of the information is a report by pv magazine.
The 20-month field experiment, conducted at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), involved a site characterized by very high solar irradiation and classified as a desert climate. The testbed comprised seven rows of SOLTEC-SF7 trackers with varying ground coverage ratios and 13 different commercial PV module technologies. A fixed-tilt system installed at a 22-degree south-facing tilt served as the benchmark, with both arrays operating on a natural gravel surface.
Over the testing period, the tracker-based system achieved an annual average gain of 15.5% in plane-of-array irradiation and a 13.5% gain in specific energy yield compared to the fixed-tilt configuration. Peak performance occurred in early July 2024, when daily energy yield gains reached approximately 36%.
The advantages of tracking were strongly seasonal. The tracker outperformed the fixed-tilt system from February to September under high direct irradiance. However, from October to January, the fixed-tilt array outperformed the tracker by up to 7.2%, due to lower sun angles and reduced tracker effectiveness.
DC power analysis confirmed that the tracker captured early morning and evening irradiance better in summer, while the fixed-tilt system performed better around midday in winter. Under overcast conditions, performance differences diminished as diffuse irradiance dominated.
Among the module technologies tested, silicon heterojunction (HJT) modules generated the highest overall energy yield, especially under high irradiance and elevated ambient temperatures, attributed to their superior temperature coefficients and high bifaciality factors. N-type PERT and high-efficiency bifacial PERC modules also showed strong performance, indicating that a high bifacial response can partially offset less favorable temperature coefficients.
String layout relative to the torque tube had a minimal impact on energy yield, suggesting significant layout flexibility for tracker-based systems in desert installations.
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