How Much Energy Does 1 MW of Solar Trackers Produce? By Site, Month and Hour

BTR Enerji Engineering Team · Published: 1 November 2026 · 6 min read

In our simulations 1 MWp of single-axis trackers produces 1,672–2,404 MWh a year (1.67–2.40 million kWh), depending on the site. In Seville that is 2,232 MWh against 1,829 MWh for fixed tilt. A tracker does not just produce more; it produces at different hours. All figures come from our own simulator: they are calculations, not measurements.

Short answer: annual production of 1 MW of trackers

• 1 MWp (DC): 1,672,000–2,404,000 kWh/yr; Seville 2,232,000 kWh.
• 1 MWac, DC/AC ≈ 1.19: Seville 2,645,000 kWh/yr.
• Strongest and weakest month (Seville): July 278 MWh, February 97 MWh.
• Over 25 years (Seville): about 53.2 GWh/MWp with 0.4% annual module degradation.

Annual production by site

We simulated the same plant at each site with a PVGIS typical meteorological year. The MWac column shows the default design (DC/AC ≈ 1.19):

Do not mix MWp and MWac: module power is DC, grid capacity is AC, and which one "1 MW" means changes the figure by about 18%. More on the ratio: solar tracker DC/AC ratio and clipping.

How does production change month by month?

The annual 22.0% gain is not spread evenly. In Seville the tracker leads by 42% in June and only 1% in November. In winter the sun is low and days are short, and backtracking flattens the modules to avoid row shading. Use a table like this, not the annual average, for monthly cash flow or PPA delivery profiles.

What does hourly production look like?

In July at 09:00 local time, the tracker averages 564 kW/MWp against 148 kW/MWp for fixed tilt; at 20:00 the values are 472 and 86. Around midday the difference closes. Local clock time matters: Seville's solar noon falls after 14:00 in summer, so late afternoon carries far more energy there than in Riyadh:

Why does the hourly profile matter?

In markets with many low-priced solar hours, energy delivered early and late in the day is often worth more than midday energy. Annual MWh alone does not show this. For a PPA or a site with its own load, compare the month-by-hour profile with the price or load curve. The simulator produces this 12×24 map for your site, and it can be exported in the Excel financial model.

What changes these numbers?

• Year-to-year weather: these are typical years; for lender figures see P50 and P90 explained.
• Location: tracker energy gain by location.
• Layout: row spacing changes both yield and MW: land per MW for trackers.
• Operation: stuck rows and soiling cost production directly: tracker operation and maintenance.

Method

Simulations used our pvlib-based tool: PVGIS typical meteorological year, hourly calculation, 710 W bifacial modules, ±55° rotation with backtracking, a plant of about 5 MW, and default temperature, soiling, snow, cable, inverter and transformer losses. Fixed tilt uses the same modules and kWp at its own optimum tilt. Tables are scaled to 1 MWp and show first-year output. Results are simulations, not measurements.

Frequently asked questions

How many kWh does 1 MW of solar trackers produce per year?

In our simulations 1 MWp produced 1,672,000–2,404,000 kWh a year across seven sites, from Bucharest to Riyadh.

Is 1 MWac the same as 1 MWp?

No. Behind 1 MWac there is more module capacity, set by the DC/AC ratio. In Seville at DC/AC ≈ 1.19, 1 MWac produces 2,645 MWh a year and 1 MWp 2,232 MWh.

Which month do trackers produce the most?

In Seville, July (278 MWh/MWp). The weakest is February (97 MWh/MWp). The lead over fixed tilt ranges from 1% to 42% by month.

Do trackers produce more in the morning and evening?

Yes. In Seville 41% of annual tracker output comes before 10:00 or from 16:00 onwards, against 31% for fixed tilt.

The ratios on this page are typical industry ranges and are not binding; exact values are determined by a site-specific analysis.