What’s the Point of a Dual-Axis Tracker?

When people think of solar, they usually think of stationary solar panels or even ones with single-axis trackers. You know the ones— blue solar panels mounted onto someone’s roof, or those seemingly never-ending rows of ground-mounted solar panels you find when you drive by a solar farm. Yes, just going solar already saves you money, but what most people don’t realize is that dual-axis trackers are an option. They are just as, if not more, efficient than stationary and single-axis trackers.

Single-Axis? Dual-Axis? What’s the difference?

As the name implies, single-axis trackers move on only one axis of movement while dual-axis trackers move on two axes. This means that solar panels with a single-axis tracker can only move from East to West. Having a dual-axis tracker means that the solar panel can move from East to West AND from North to South.

Here’s how a single-axis tracker moves:

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Here’s an example of how our SmartFlower, which uses a dual-axis tracker, moves throughout the day:

So, are dual-axis trackers better?

While single-axis trackers can track the general movement of the sun from East to West and perform better than stationary solar, dual-axis trackers are more precise and efficient than both. Take the dual-axis tracker on the SmartFlower, for example: the dual-axis tracker on the SmartFlower allows for its solar panels to maintain the optimal 90° angle to the sun at all times. The result? A SmartFlower can produce up to 40% more power than other conventional solar systems! Plus, if you live in a region where the sun’s position varies with the seasons, a dual-axis tracking system will be more precise and will help maximize the amount of energy you produce.

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Want to learn more about how SmartFlower differs from traditional solar? Check out our comparison page.

Did you know that going solar actually saves you money? Read last month’s article about the cost of not going solar.