The optimum pitch value

[Mohamed1298]

Could you please clarify how to calculate the optimum pitch of single axial trucker of horizontal axis N-S project?

[Bruno Wittmer]

The pitch of the trackers has no optimum point in terms of energy yield. The shading losses will always decrease as you increase the pitch.

Therefore the optimal pitch is the result of a financial optimization, that takes into account the decreasing gain with the associated system and land costs that increase if you move to larger spacing.

You can use the 'economic evaluation' in PVsyst to set up a financial model that includes al the expenses and costs. Then you can use the 'batch mode' or the 'optimization tool' to find minimal values for LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) or maximal values for NPV (net present value) or ROI (return on investment).

These tools are describred in the corresponding help pages of PVsyst.

[Mohamed1298]

So may I know what are the losses out of the project performance which shall be affected by changing the pitch for the same capacity other than the near shadow losses?

Thanks

[André Mermoud]

In a fixed planes system (sheds), the only effects of the pitch is the mutual shadings, i.e. the shading calculations.

In tracking systems with backtracking strategy, the pitch also acts on the tracker's orientation when operating in backtracking mode (i.e. in the morning and evening).

[Mohamed1298]

i am using manual calculation to get the PR value and when i compare it with the software it was not matching so i just need you kind explanation about how the PR is calculated in the software to find the difference reasons. or you could please clarify why there is a difference between the below methods cases:

1. Irradinace is 2229 KWh/m2 

2. Appling the losses over the irradiance ( 2229* (100%+22.6%)*(100%-0.4%)*(100%-2.02%)*(100%-0.14)*(100%-0.7%)*(100%+0.52%)*(100%+10.72%)=2534.68KWh/m2)

3. looking to the software here in the below attachment it is coming =  2659 kWh/m².

[André Mermoud]

I don't know how you did your calculation.

In EXCEL, we calculate: