A Comparative Experimental Study between a Fixed, One, and Two-Axis Tracker Solar Panels in the Sidikhouiled Region (Southern Algeria)

Abstract

Photovoltaic modules or panels are made up of semiconductors that allow sunlight to be directly transformed into electricity. These modules can prove to be a source of energy that is safe, reliable, maintenance-free, and non-polluting for a very long time.

The majority of modules on the market today come with warranties longer than 20 years, and they will perform well beyond that time. In this paper, an experimental study of different solar trackers and their impact on the performances of a photovoltaic module was investigated in SidiKhouiled region, South-East of Algeria,

The results showed that the marginal temperature difference between the one- and two-axis trackers suggests a potential preference for the cost-effective monopolar option. During the period from 12:00 to 13:00, the presence of light, high-type clouds is observed.

Notably, the curves for the one- and two-axis trackers closely align, suggesting the potential exclusion of the more expensive bipolar tracker in favor of the cost-effective monopolar tracker. This decision is based on an economic assessment (LCOE) using SAM software.