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The way track the movement of the sun and focus the sunlight at panels/ films by liquids or CIGS consists of long parallel rows of modular solar collectors. Tracking the sun from east to west by rotation on one axis, the high precision reflector panels concentrate the solar radiation coming directly from the sun onto an absorber board located along the focal line of the collector. Same like the oil in car engines, is circulated through the absorber at temperatures up to 400 degree and generates live steam to drive the steam turbine generator of a conventional power block.

Solar power level during day time at solar cells with two axis trackers, single axis trackers. The efficiency of silicon solar cells is in the range of 13-18%. The average of sun light power or solar power covering all the spectrum is about 1KW/sq.m peak, that is in the direction of the sun and when the sun has reached its peak power, not early in the morning or late in the evening, the average solar power with no tracking between 6am to 6pm is about half the peak power. For this reason, usually the day time is considered to start at 8am and ends at 4pm. By using good tracking system, the average solar power between 8am and 4pm is about more than 90% of the peak. But that depends on the location of the area, how far it is from the equator and seasonal timing. Solar cells made of 1sq.m , produce about 140-170W peak, for the reason mentioned above, but in the condition with no tracking facilities, the average solar power produced within the 8hours mentioned above is about 70-85W/sq.m. As CIGS technology is advancing, efficiency of most systems is going up and thereby the cost is coming down. CIGS panel heat storage enables better utilization of leads to the former plants and larger solar field.

Mounting solar panels and tracking

An array consists of two or more photovoltaic panels wired to achieve a desired voltage and current. An array is usually mounted at a fixed angle from the horizontal, facing due south. Because the sun’s position changes throughout the day and year, the array will receive varying amounts of sunlight. Mounting system types can maximize the received solar power. The types of mounts are:

Pole mount: this system uses a mounting hardware bolted directly to a vertical pole that is securely cemented in the ground. Pole mounts can be used to mount arrays of up to twenty-four modest sized modules, that is about four solar panels.

Ground mount: this system uses a ground mounted array support structure with a frame bolted directly to prepared footings. Standard support frames are commercially available or may be fabricated on site.

Roof mount: there are four types:

• Rack mount：It is supported by a metal framework at a predetermined angle.
• Direct mount: The panels are mounted directly to the conventional roof covering.
• Materials with no frame and mounting rails.
• Integrated mount: In this system, the solar panels replace the conventional roof.

Tracking mounts:

• Single axis: most single axis trackers passively follow the sun’s azimuth but not altitude. They are cost effective, with no motors or gears but use changing weight of a gaseous refrigerant sealed within tubes to track the sun. sunlight heats the refrigerant on one side causing the refrigerant to boil, expand as a gas and condense on the other side which results in a weight shift and causes the tracker to move. When the tracker faces the sun, both sides are evenly heated and remains in its position until the sun’s position changes, causing the tracker to shift again.
• Dual axis: track the sun’s azimuth and altitude using a linear actuator for each axis, the motors of which are controlled by a sensor for each axis. The power of these motors comes from one of the arrays.