TÜV Rheinland confirms that Soltec’s algorithm increases PV plant yields by 5.3% on cloudy days

From pv magazine Spain

Spanish solar tracker provider Soltec and Germany’s TÜV Rheinland have published a technical report stating that Soltec's TeamTrack system and Diffuse Booster algorithm can increase the yield of a photovoltaic solar plant by up to 5.3% on regular Mediterranean latitude land.

The objective of the Soltec Diffuse Booster algorithm is to increase the production of PV plants on cloudy days, that is, when there is more diffuse than direct irradiation. The algorithm, which uses both sensors and weather forecasts, moves the trackers to the optimal position in order to capture the maximum solar irradiation.

TÜV Rheinland has observed that activating this algorithm increases Basic TeamTrack's energy performance by 5.3% at Mediterranean and equatorial sites, achieving a gain of 6.9% at northern latitudes. The Diffuse Booster is also claimed to optimize performance during totally cloudy days, with increases in power generation of up to 12.4% for a single day.

In the Mediterranean, Equatorial and Northern regions the gains compared to standard trackers are 2.5%, 1.3% and 3.8%, respectively. Specifically, taking into account the different climates and energy prices, the implementation of TeamTrack in a 100 MWp photovoltaic plant should mean an increase in annual income of about €1.8 million in Spain, where the price of the energy is €32/MWh; and €668,000 in Brazil, with an energy price of €30/MWh. In northern latitudes, such as Germany, where the price of energy is €48.8/MWh, these revenues can reach more than €2 million, Soltec said in a statement.