With the rising global awareness of the negative impacts of power plants based on fossil fuels, nations are shifting their attention to renewable energy. This is in line with the recent advancements in photovoltaic (PV) technology to encourage the construction of more large-scale solar PV plants. Different types of PV tracking technologies are normally used in these plants. However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies to determine which of these PV tracking technologies is the most economically viable. This paper aims to address this issue by assessing actual recorded data from a solar PV plant in Australia as well as simulated data from a PV system design software. The operational performance and economics of the PV systems are studied by calculating and comparing the capacity factors and levelized costs of energy (LCOE). This study can provide insights on the economic feasibility of different PV tracking technologies to allow PV owners and investors to be well-informed in expecting the return on their investments. Index Terms-PV tracking technology, solar PV plant, energy yield, capacity factor, levelized cost of energy (LCOE)I.

With the development of the photovoltaic (PV) technology, more large-scale solar PV plants are integrated to the power grid to relieve the traditional coal-based power plants and reduce the carbon emission. Compared with fixed-tilt (FT) arrays, single-axis tracking (SAT) arrays can produce more power yield. In terms of maintenance fee, SAT arrays are also cheaper than that of dual-axis tracking (DAT) arrays. Thus, SAT systems are becoming a cost-effective option for large-scale PV plant constructions. However, in an Australian PV plant, the power generation of SAT arrays exhibits an unusual phenomenon --"a valley of power generation" during the midday time. This paper aims to provide an insight about this phenomenon through comprehensive theoretical analysis. Three impact factors, i.e., temperature, tilt angle and incidence angle of direct irradiance to the panel are investigated which determine the power generation characteristics of SAT arrays. The findings of this study can provide valuable insights for PV owners/utilities to better understand the SAT operational behaviors and manage the demand response.

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