Solar Tracker

Solar Tracker

When designing and installing a solar power system for your property, you have several unique ways to choose. But if you prefer to have a ground-mounted solar panel installation, it would be better to consider a solar tracking system so you can get the maximum amount of sunlight to power your house. For today’s article, we will discuss what a solar tracker is, its type, how this tracking system works, and is it ideal for your solar project.

What are Solar Trackers?

A solar tracker is a device use to direct solar PV modules toward the sun to emit a maximum amount of sunlight. Generally, these solar devices automatically change their orientation throughout the day to follow the sun’s path across the to maximize solar energy capture. Solar trackers are usually used with solar panel systems, particularly ground-mounted solar panels and other large-capacity and free-standing solar power installations like solar farms. 

Through this device, the PV panels can directly follow the sun’s pathway to generate more solar energy, powering your entire commercial and industrial property. It is not common in most small solar projects like in the residential areas since it entails a high price tag, which is not that ideal for homeowners.  

Types of Solar Tracker

Solar trackers are usually categorized based on which direction they move. A solar tracker can be either Single-axis solar tracker or Dual axis solar tracker.

• Single-axis solar tracker 

Single-axis trackers follow the sun’s orientation, moving from east to west. They also have different types, such as horizontal, vertical, tilted, and polar aligned, which move as the names suggest. These solar trackers are typically used in large utility-scale solar projects. A single-axis tracker can increase solar power production between 25% to 35%. 

• Dual-axis solar tracker 

Dual-axis solar tracker does not only moves from east to west but also follows the sun’s movement in the north and south direction. Usually, these solar trackers constantly face the sun and can move in two different directions, namely tip-tilt and azimuth altitude. They are more common among residential and small commercial properties that have limited ground space. 

How Does Solar Tracker Works?

A solar tracking system maximizes your solar panel system’s power production by tracking and moving the PV panels to follow the sun’s orientation throughout the day. They usually optimize the angle at which your solar panels receive solar energy. 

Typically, a solar tracking device is connected to the racking system of the solar panels. From there, it allows the solar PV panels to move along with the movement of the sun. Generally, the solar tracking system movements are dependent on what type of solar tracking equipment is used.

How Much Does a Solar Tracker Cost? 

Solar trackers can greatly increase the cost of a photovoltaic solar installation. Solar tracker costs depend on many factors like its type, solar mounting type, and the number of panels. To give you an estimate the solar tracking equipment can cost around $500 per panel to more than $1,000 per panel. 

Is Solar Tracker Worth your Investment?

In most cases, the solar tracker device is not worth additional investment for your solar projects, particularly for small solar projects like residential ones. Although they help in generating more solar power, their cost can adversely add to the final cost of your solar panels. Solar trackers only become valuable when you have a large utility-scale but have very limited space to install a lot of solar panels. But if you have enough space for additional solar panels, then a solar tracker is not that advisable to have. 

Manufacturers

In the simplest terms, manufacturing is the process of producing actual goods or items/products through the use of raw materials, human labour, use of machinery, tools and other processes such as chemical formulation. This process usually starts with product designing and raw material selection, turning them into an actual product output. 

Solar Products Manufacturers and Factories

In terms of solar, manufacturing encompasses the fabrication or production of materials across the solar market chain. The most common product being manufactured by solar companies are the solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are made with several subcomponents such as solar wafers, cells, glass, back sheets, and frames. Before a solar panel comes into life, it will undergo a lot of processes, from designing, modelling, choosing what raw materials to use and then assembling them all to make the final product.

More Than Just Solar Panels

Aside from the solar panels, solar companies have many other manufactured products that are required to make solar energy systems work smoothly, like solar inverters, batteries, combiner boxes, and racking and tracking structures.

Having a solar manufacturing sector makes a big difference in supplying affordable solar energy in different areas. Aside from maintaining the rising domestic and global demand for cleaner and renewable energy, they also help the economy grow, particularly the solar industry. If you are in search of a reliable solar manufacturing company, checking out our solar outsourcing company, SolarFeeds, would help you get easy access to reliable information, news, data and a list of solar manufacturers that can help you with solar products.

Kenya

Solar Market Outlook in Kenya

There is an ongoing debate in Kenya’s energy sector because of the growing shift towards solar energy. The leading electricity distributor in Kenya has cited a decrease in revenue as more consumers and businesses are shifting towards solar power.

The proponents of solar energy continue to champion the benefits of this renewable energy source and consumers are shifting to solar power generation, which continues to eat further into the traditional electric distributors’ profits. The high cost of electricity and taxes are the primary motivation to consider renewable energy as an alternative source. As of now, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Kenya has reported that solar energy accounts for 1% of the country’s current electricity mix. And yet, the country’s location in the equatorial zone means that it has high potential for solar energy. Solar is, therefore, looked at as a viable energy source and as part of the effort to achieve carbon emission goals. Despite having the highest exposure to the sun, Kenya is the most underdeveloped in terms of solar PV capacity. The wider adoption of solar energy will require education and training to succeed. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Kenya

There is a lack of domestic suppliers and distributors of solar power equipment. They rely on the importation of these supplies from global and online suppliers and distributors. 

Top  Major Seaports & Logistics in Kenya

There are plenty of commercial ports in Kenya wherein solar equipment can be transported. Some of them include

• the Port of Shimoni,
• Kilindini Harbor,
• Port Tudor,
• Port Reitz, Port of Kiunga,
• Port of Lamu,
• Port of Mombasa, 
• Port of Mbaraki.