Comparison of tracking algorithms for photovoltaic systems on irregular terrains

J. Robledo, P. Sánchez-Friera, J. Leloux, R. Fernández, A.I. Suárez, L. Pérez, Proceedings of 40th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, 2023.

New solar tracking algorithms which account for sloped terrains are necessary to avoid significant energy generation losses, as well as potential reliability issues associated with partial shading, and enable a wider solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment including irregular terrains. To develop and validate these novel tracking algorithms, advanced system simulations are essential. For the first time, a tool which enables accurate estimations of the components of the irradiance with spatial resolution at cell level or higher has been employed to assess the benefits of employing advanced tracking algorithms. A novel tracking algorithm which considers the irregularities of the terrain has been compared to a reference backtracking algorithm, and generation gains of up to 2.5% have been estimated for specific days in the year.