Calibration of a Single Axis Solar Tracking Mechanism

Single axis trackers have their application in the efficiency improvement process of photovoltaic systems. In spite of large investment costs, their application is necessary in the areas with a low amount of available solar irradiation. This is applicable only if it is required to exploit all available energy sources at any cost. With optimization and improvement of these systems it is possible to increase their efficiency, reduce energy usage for their movement and improve system reliability. Motion parameters are significant for the optimization of the system. It is necessary to set and monitor the right parameters as a prerequisite for system optimization. The process of calibration of single axis tracker prototype is shown in this paper. It is shown that proper calibration and system adjustment could improve efficiency of the system.