Design and implementation of a PV installation to measure the optimal orientation of an horizontal single axis tracker under any radiation conditions

Traditional PV tracking systems aim to orient the surface of the modules as perpendicular as possible to the sun. However, in cloudy sky conditions, this tracking strategy does not maximize radiation capture. Some authors have attempted to quantify by simulation the radiation gain that would be obtained at various locations if the position of the modules were always optimal. However, there is no study in the state of the art that has experimentally measured this optimal position or the associated energy gain. This paper presents both a facility and a test specially designed to experimentally measure the optimal tilt angle of a Horizontal Single Axis Tracker (HSAT) oriented in the north-south direction, for any sky condition, and for both monofacial and bifacial PV modules. This facility will allow the experimental validation of theoretical optimal angle tracking models and calculations derived from them.