STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS TO SOLAR PANELS
INCORPORATING A SOLAR TRACKER SYSTEM
Advantages
Improves solar panel efficiency
Enable solar panels to move so that the panel is always approximately perpendicular to the sun rays
Absorb up to 40% more energy than regular fixed-tilt solar panels
Easy installation
Disadvantages
Increases the costs of producing solar panels
- Typical price for standard solar panel: approximately $14000
Single-axis tracker serving the same size: approximately $22000
Buyers find it hard to justify the high costs of installing solar panels with a tracking system
BUILDING 3D SOLAR TOWERS
Advantages
Improves solar panel efficiency
Power output ranging from double to more than 20 times that of fixed flat panels with the same base area
3D solar towers are highly efficient even in areas where traditional solar panels have low efficiencies
Biggest boosts in efficiency seen in locations far from the equator, in winter months, and on cloudier days
Disadvantages
More experimentation needs to be done (to test reliability) as the concept of building 3D solar towers is new