Article,
Energy Payback Time of Grid Connected PV Systems: comparison between tracking and fixed systems
Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, (2009)
DOI: 10.1002/pip.871
Abstract
A review of existing studies about LCA of PV systems has been carried
out. The data from this review have been completed with our own figures
in order to calculate the Energy Payback Time of double and horizontal
axis tracking and fixed systems. The results of this metric span
from 2 to 5 years for the latitude and global irradiation ranges
of the geographical area comprised between -10º to 10º of longitude,
and 30º to 45º of latitude. With the caution due to the uncertainty
of the sources of information, these results mean that a GCPVS is
able to produce back the energy required for its existence from 6
to 15 times during a life cycle of 30 years. Abstract When comparing
tracking and fixed systems, the great importance of the PV generator
makes advisable to dedicate more energy to some components of the
system in order to increase the productivity and to obtain a higher
performance of the component with the highest energy requirement.
Both double axis and horizontal axis trackers follow this way, requiring
more energy in metallic structure, foundations and wiring, but this
higher contribution is widely compensated by the improved productivity
of the system.
