PV single axis tracker array tests in the Northeast US with CIGS

Abstract

Single-axis trackers are widely deployed in the southern latitudes of the US, and make up a significant market share for ground mount installations. This wide scale tracker deployment is not currently replicated in higher latitudes, in part, due to a lack of economic analysis for long term return on investments for the increased installation costs of trackers as compared to fixed-tilt arrays. The energy production and initial performance characteristics of a fixed-tilt and co-located horizontal single-axis tracker arrays, installed at 44.5° latitude were evaluated to determine and compare power output variations. DC electrical data was collected for the thin film CIGS based fixed-tilt and horizontal single-axis tracking arrays, and compared with the output from an adjacent fixed-tilt c-Si array to determine the potential benefits of CIGS capacity factor. Results indicate benefits ranging from 17%-22% in power production using a single axis tracker as compared to a fixed tilt array.