Techno-economic comparison of fixed and tracking flat plate solar collectors in the northern hemisphere

Thermal energy for water and space heating can be trapped using flat plate solar collectors (FPSC). Several techniques, such as using a polymer as the collector material, nanofluid as the heat transfer fluid, and phase change material (PCM), have been proposed to enhance the thermal performance of the FPSC. The present paper concentrates on utilizing solar trackers (dual and single axis) as an enhancement device to improve the performance of the FPSC. For the single-axis trackers, various tracking orientations such as East-West (EW), North-South (NS), Inclined East-West (IEW), and Vertical-axis (V) are taken into consideration. The considered locations are in the latitude range from 20 to 70°N, hence spread across the African, Asian, European, and North American continents. Unlike prior literature, the more accurate Perez diffuse model with the hourly weather data are utilized in this study. The system performance is assessed and ranked in terms of useful energy from the collector and economic indicators, unlike the previous studies with no economic feasibility analysis as the key practical point for decision making. The study aims to provide a comprehensive outlook for engineers, designers, installers, and policymakers in the adoption of FPSC incorporated with various dual and single-axis trackers in the northern hemisphere.