Solar cells above the arctic circle - A comparison between a two-axis tracking system and simulations

A two-axis solar tracking system with eight PV modules has been installed at Narvik University College in Norway. Narvik is situated at 68^o26^,N, north of the Arctic Circle. There are special challenges with shading from surrounding mountains, cold climate, yearly variations in solar irradiation etc. It is however at high latitudes the largest gain from a two-axis solar tracking system compared to fixed modules is to be found. The aim of the project is to use the setup as an outdoor PV lab for measurements of PV module performance under real conditions and to investigate the potential of two-axis solar tracking at high latitudes. The conclusion is that the two-axis tracking system increases the potential energy output from the mudules significantly, especially during the summer months. The simulations are made complicated by the fact that the local weather conditions can vary much and the metrological stations used for the irradiation weather models are situated far away. This also shows the importance of collecting our own weather data for the use in simulations in the future.