What is the difference between a fixed and a tracking array?
A sun-tracking solar array changes its angle in an east-west direction throughout the course of the day so that it faces directly at the sun at all times. The amount of power produced by a solar module is affected by the angle that the light hits the surface. When light hits the solar cell surface at a low angle, it is more ‘spread out’, so that less light falls on the array’s surface area. A tracker ensures that light always falls on the array at the best angle possible. A fixed array does not adjust its angle dynamically. A fixed array may, however, be angled in a north-south direction towards the sun’s winter or summer path through the sky and adjusted occasionally (2 or 4 times a year) to catch the sun better at these times. Tracked arrays require fewer solar panels to output the same amount of energy over the course of the day compared to a fixed array. This reduces solar panel costs, however there are initial and ongoing costs associated with fitting and maintaining the tracking
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