PV plants with trackers are a very popular choice in utility scale operations. This is mainly because they offer an attractive business case, especially in sunnier parts of the world. However, tracker suppliers often claim availability of up to 99%.
At 3E, in collaboration with Statkraft, we wanted to verify how accurate such claims are and what real operational data tells us.
We analysed a dataset covering 2 GWp of PV tracker plants, including more than 50 utility scale sites that have been operating for around five years. The analysis focused on data from the most recent operational year. This is one of the first large scale studies of tracker plants during operation.
One key conclusion from the analysis, depending on data filtering considerations, is that the median tracker availability ranged between 66% and 88%, which is far below the industry claims of 99%.
Why do you need to know this information? Mainly because you should use a more realistic number for tracker availability. It will help create higher confidence in your investment. The second reason is that, as you are aware, tracker availability issues are not so uncommon during operation. This makes it even more important to detect them accurately. That is exactly what we help to do in 3E with SynaptiQ.
As solar PV plants grow larger and more complex, every percentage of availability counts. Yet, one critical component of plant performance has been consistently overlooked: the single-axis tracker.
In our latest peer-reviewed paper, “Assessing Tracker Availability in Solar PV Power Plants: Methods & Insights,” 3E, together with academic partners, takes a closer look at tracker performance, proposing a clear and measurable Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to evaluate tracker availability.
Why tracker availability is the missing piece in solar plant performance
Single-axis trackers are used in the majority of new utility-scale PV projects. They can boost annual energy yield by 20–35%, depending on site conditions. However, despite their widespread use, tracker systems are rarely covered by contractual guarantees, meaning performance issues often go unnoticed or unquantified.
As competition increases and profit margins tighten, this lack of visibility can translate into significant financial risk. Trackers directly influence production and, therefore, the overall performance ratio of a plant. Understanding their actual operational availability is essential for ensuring bankability and long-term reliability.
What 2 GW of real-world solar data taught us about tracker reliability
The study analysed over 2 GWp of operational data from utility-scale PV plants, one of the largest datasets of its kind, and revealed striking results:
- Median tracker availability ranged between 66% and 88%, far below industry claims of 99%.
- The research identified systematic data quality issues, particularly with tracker angle measurements and missing data.
- The team proposed a new KPI framework to help asset managers, O&M teams, and developers evaluate tracker uptime more transparently.
These insights underline the need for data-driven methods and independent benchmarking to assess tracker reliability and integrate it into plant-level performance guarantees.
Read the full study: the first large-scale assessment of tracker availability in utility-scale PV plants
This work is among the first to systematically evaluate tracker availability across such a broad portfolio of PV plants.
By introducing a simple yet robust KPI methodology, the study aims to enable better communication between manufacturers, EPCs, and asset owners and ultimately to enhance operational transparency in the solar industry.
As the sector moves toward tighter margins and higher performance expectations, understanding and quantifying tracker performance becomes a key element in reducing uncertainty, improving energy yield, and ensuring bankable assets.
Download the full journal paper to dive into our methodology, benchmark results from over 2 GWp of PV assets, and new strategies to standardize tracker performance evaluation.
