Theme 1: Power generation efficiency in solar photovoltaic power plants.

Power generation efficiency in solar photovoltaic power plants is dependent on the following two inputs:

 

1. The intensity of the sun’s light

 

Since the invention of solar cells, the efficiency of solar photovoltaic power plants has relied solely on the efficiency of the solar cells.

While we cannot control the intensity of the sun’s light at a specific location on Earth, research efforts to increase the efficiency of solar cells have been ongoing for the past 70 decades to increase solar photovoltaic power generation efficiency.

However, progress in increasing the cells’ efficiency has been slow since their invention in 1954. This is evident from the fact that the efficiency of solar cells reached only 23.65% by the year 2024. As a result, the power generation efficiency of solar power plants has also seen only incremental over the past 70 years

 

2. The incident angle of the sun’s ray (light) falling on the solar cell’s top surface

Solar power generation is highest when the sun’s rays fall perpendicular (at a 90° angle) to the top surface of the solar cell. As the angle of incidence deviates from 90° and approaches 0°, the power generation proportionately decreases.

In a fixed-tilt installation system, the sun’s rays rarely fall perpendicular to the solar cell’s surface throughout the year, resulting in lower solar power generation efficiency.

So, the industry evolved towards a single-axis solar tracking system allowing solar modules to track at least in the E-W direction, even though the sun is moving in both E-W and N-S directions. No doubt, this system increased solar power generation efficiency by approximately 15%, over an equivalent fixed-tilt system, but the cost-benefit of a single-axis solar tracker was very marginal.

Subsequently, the industry witnessed a vertical primary dual-axis solar tracker system to track the sun both in E-W and N-S directions. Though this system did increase the solar power generation efficiency to the tune of 45% over an equivalent fixed-tilt system, this system became unviable since the cost-benefit was negative and was far below that of the fixed-tilt and single-axis solar tracking systems.  

Even though it is important to use a dual-axis solar tracker to maximize solar photovoltaic power generation efficiency, in the absence of a viable dual-axis solar tracker system, today the market is contented with a single-axis solar tracker only.

 

At this stage only, Dr. S. K. Radhakrishnan, Founder, M/s. Ezon Energy Solutions P Limited, engaged in research and development of a viable dual-axis solar tracker for over 10 years and successfully invented the World’s first Horizontal Dual Axis Solar Tracker, based on a whole new principle, the Horizontal Primary Dual-Axis Solar Tracker. This invention is covered by 21 patents. Received 10 awards for power generation efficiency at both national and international levels.

The Horizontal Dual Axis Solar Tracker offers the following unparalleled benefits when compared with an equivalent fixed-tilt system. (a) The project cost is reduced by 25%, (b) The land area is reduced by 25%, (c) The payback period is reduced by 42%, (e) The IRR is increased by 40%, (f) The LCoE is reduced by 25%, (g) The CUF is increased by 100%, and (h) post-repayment revenue is increased by 64% in a typical 25-year life period. 

Considering an estimated 5 TW capacity of solar photovoltaic power plant installations are planned all over the world till the year 2035, this breakthrough invention can save worldwide (a) at least 1 trillion USD on solar investments, (b) at least 6 million acres of land, and (c) 2500 GW of solar panels need not be manufactured and consequently avoids salvaging of the 2500 GW solar panels at the end of their lifetime.