Mike Grzesiek
12th October 2014, 19:39
I have a 10,000 watt wind system, and am thinking about adding about 2500 watts of solar. Until today, I was planning a tracker for the system. However someone I have a lot of respect for suggested the money would be better spent on additional panels rather than a tracker system.
Here's what I came up with...
In my location we receive an average of 4.5 hours of sunlight per day. A 2500 watt system without a tracker should produce about 11.25 kWh/day and 4100 kWh per year. With a tracker (assuming 30% increase in production) I should get 14.63 kWh per day and 5330 kWh per year. I pay $0.15(US)/kWh, so the tracker system would give me about an additional $200/year in electricity.
I am not in a position (Physically) to be able to build a tracking system, so I would have to buy it 'off the shelf'. I'm guessing the cost would be about $1500. If that $1500 were put into additional solar capacity, I would guess it would buy about an additional 1000 Watts (more or less). That would make about $245 more electricity per year.
With the additional maintenance of the tracker, It seems like 'Not to track' makes sense.
So my question...
What is your opinion of having a tracker? I'd like to know what others think.
Mike
Here's what I came up with...
In my location we receive an average of 4.5 hours of sunlight per day. A 2500 watt system without a tracker should produce about 11.25 kWh/day and 4100 kWh per year. With a tracker (assuming 30% increase in production) I should get 14.63 kWh per day and 5330 kWh per year. I pay $0.15(US)/kWh, so the tracker system would give me about an additional $200/year in electricity.
I am not in a position (Physically) to be able to build a tracking system, so I would have to buy it 'off the shelf'. I'm guessing the cost would be about $1500. If that $1500 were put into additional solar capacity, I would guess it would buy about an additional 1000 Watts (more or less). That would make about $245 more electricity per year.
With the additional maintenance of the tracker, It seems like 'Not to track' makes sense.
So my question...
What is your opinion of having a tracker? I'd like to know what others think.
Mike