BTR EnerjiSolar tracker row spacing and GCR calculator
Enter GCR or row pitch and see net land, the shading limit, and how many hours a day the table follows the sun or backtracks at your latitude.
Geometry
Check the values: GCR must be between 0.05 and 0.95 and latitude at most 66°.
How one day splits (hours)
| Day | Daylight | Following the sun | At the angle limit | Backtracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 June | ||||
| 21 March | ||||
| 21 December |
How is it calculated?
- GCR: collector width / row pitch. On a 1P table the width is the module's long side.
- Net land: row pitch × module short side × modules per MWp. Roads, boundary setbacks and inverter areas are not included; for the real requirement see land needed per MW.
- Shading limit: on flat ground, once the sun's tracking angle passes arccos(GCR), rows shade each other and the table switches to backtracking.
- Daily split: sun position is calculated minute by minute for three days at the chosen latitude. Cloud, terrain slope and horizon are not considered.
A higher GCR fits more power on the same land but lengthens backtracking. Geometry alone does not give the right value: our GCR optimisation article shows LCOE and NPV pointing to different GCRs. Sloping land calls for terrain-aware backtracking.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a typical GCR for trackers?
Common values are around 0.30, and our simulator's default is 0.32. When land or grid capacity is limited the best value changes, as our GCR optimisation article shows.
How much does backtracking reduce yield?
The table turns away from the sun, so plane-of-array irradiance falls, but shading loss is avoided. The effect depends on the site; run your site in the simulator to see it.
Does this apply to sloping land?
No, it assumes flat ground. On a slope, height differences between rows change the shading; the simulator handles this from terrain data.
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These calculators are for preliminary design and are not binding; verify final design with equipment datasheets and site data.