COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EAST-WEST AND SOUTH-NORTH SINGLE-AXIS SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEMS

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As global energy demand continues to grow, maximizing the efficiency of solar energy as a renewable resource is increasingly critical. Solar tracking systems offer an effective solution by optimizing panel orientation to capture more solar radiation. This study evaluates the annual and seasonal solar radiation gains of single-axis tracking systems, comparing east-west and south-north orientations with fixed-tilt and horizontal surfaces. Daily, monthly, and annual radiation values were calculated based on the average day of each month, and hourly radiation variations were analyzed for June and December. Annually, the east-west tracking system increased radiation capture by approximately 30% compared to a horizontal surface and 19% compared to a fixed-tilt surface, while the south-north system achieved gains of 16% and 6%, respectively. In June, the east-west system outperformed the south-north setup by 2.02 kWh/m² daily (a 29% increase), whereas in December, the south-north system collected 0.43 kWh/m² more per day (a 25% increase) due to better alignment with the sun’s lower southern path. The method used in this study is based on manual, equation-driven modeling, aiming to enhance transparency and provide a cost-effective, software-independent tool. The calculated hourly tracking angles can be applied to future systems in the same region, while the overall procedure can be easily adapted to other locations by incorporating region-specific input parameters.