Optimization of Land Use for a Multitracker System Using a Given Geometrical Site Condition

Shading loss of a multitracker concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system can be predicted, and for doing this, geometrical optimization will be useful. The optimum allocation for infinite land will be either rectangular allocation parallel to the N-S and E-W axis or checkerboard allocation. We solve an optimization problem with the introduction of nondimensional parameters in geometry, namely, optimum conditions as a function of space factor and panel aspect ratio. The type of optimum allocation pattern and its aspect ratio depend on latitude, climate pattern, aspect ratio of panels, and space factor. Our calculation results show that, in general, checkerboard allocation is preferred for locations with higher latitude, higher sun irradiation in summer, higher space factor, and horizontally longer rectangular solar panels.