So a 57% increase in daily power, in theory, near the equator.
But - I have ignored atmospheric absorption - at sunrise, the light goes through more atmosphere to get to your panels - I don't know how much this matters. On slightly overcast days, this is presumably very important - how cloudy is it where you are, in theory? :)
Also, you get power from scattered sunlight. Very roughly it is 10% of your panel's rated power, even when it has no direct sunlight falling on it. These 2 effects reduce the benefit of tracking vs static.
When I was looking at making my own tracking system, I found a Canadian company that claimed (iirc) "30% gain" for their tracking system. I thought 'only 30%, it seems hardly worth it?' (Except for load-balancing reasons).
Other stuff: Most domestic panels are on roofs - they are often not 'ideally sited' - e.g. do not face due south, roofs not steep enough.
That's true for a single panel, but you are overstates the gain for a panel farm because it ignores shadows cast from one panel into the others, that are extremely relevant early in the morning and late in the evening (exactly the times that tracking gains are biggest).
Sunlight per m^2 of static solar panel is Cos[x] - x=0 at midday, x=-pi/2 at sunrise.
Static panel total daily sunlight: Integrate[ Cos[x] ,{x, -pi/2, pi/2}] = 2.
Moving panel total daily sunlight: Integrate[ Cos[0] ,{x, -pi/2, pi/2}] = pi.
Ratio = pi/2 = 1.57.
So a 57% increase in daily power, in theory, near the equator.
But - I have ignored atmospheric absorption - at sunrise, the light goes through more atmosphere to get to your panels - I don't know how much this matters. On slightly overcast days, this is presumably very important - how cloudy is it where you are, in theory? :)
Also, you get power from scattered sunlight. Very roughly it is 10% of your panel's rated power, even when it has no direct sunlight falling on it. These 2 effects reduce the benefit of tracking vs static.
When I was looking at making my own tracking system, I found a Canadian company that claimed (iirc) "30% gain" for their tracking system. I thought 'only 30%, it seems hardly worth it?' (Except for load-balancing reasons).
Other stuff: Most domestic panels are on roofs - they are often not 'ideally sited' - e.g. do not face due south, roofs not steep enough.