AllEarth Renewables: Dual-axis tracking systems for solar

AllEarth Renewables, a solar company based in Williston, Vermont, specializes in manufacturing dual-axis tracker systems for solar installations. Read on to learn about the company and its products that help maximize solar electricity output.

AllEarth Renewables has been manufacturing tracking equipment for ground-mounted solar installations since 2008. Specifically, their product employs dual-axis tracking technology, meaning solar panels mounted using their trackers can pivot vertically and horizontally to follow the sun throughout the day, thus increasing overall energy output. Ground mounts with trackers are most commonly used in large or commercial-scale solar panel installations. That said, it is possible to install dual-axis trackers with a residential solar panel system if you'd prefer not to install them on your roof and have sufficient land space.

This type of system will likely be more expensive than a comparably-sized rooftop or traditional ground-mounted solar energy system. That said, dual-axis trackers allow you to produce more solar electricity per panel, requiring fewer panels overall to meet your energy needs. Over the system's lifetime, this added production can equate to an overall lower cost of solar energy.

Every property and solar installation differs, but the extra upfront cost of a tracking mount may not be worth the benefits for some. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of solar trackers.

AllEarth has a single product: the AllEarth Solar Tracker. Unlike some solar tracking solutions that operate on a single-axis, the AllEarth Solar Tracker is a dual-axis tracker that can more accurately follow the sun throughout the day to capture as much energy as possible. Dual-axis trackers can tilt horizontally instead of only tilting along a vertical axis.

Warranties

When it comes to warranties, the AllEarth Solar Tracker has you covered. They offer a 10-year full-system product warranty and a 35-year design life warranty. The tracker is rated to withstand winds of up to 120 miles per hour and is advertised as effective in any climate, from heat to severe cold.

Technical capabilities and size

The AllEarth Solar Tracker uses GPS and a sensor system to properly orient itself towards the sun at any hour. According to the AllEarth website, the average system size per tracker is 6 kilowatts (kW), about the average residential solar energy system size installed in the U.S.

How does a dual-axis tracker setup from AllEarth compare to standard rooftop solar panels? Aside from the physical differences between a rooftop solar panel array and a ground-mounted setup, your energy production is the biggest difference with an AllEarth tracker. Compared to rooftop solar, a single-axis tracker can produce about 30% more energy, while a dual-axis tracker might produce up to 45% more power.

Below is a table illustrating the annual energy production differences between rooftop, single-axis tracker systems, and dual-axis tracker systems.

AllEarth dual-axis trackers vs. rooftop solar and single-axis trackers

*Note: these calculations assume a production ratio of 1.00 for simplicity, which is not realistic in most places.

Because it follows the sun throughout the day, a dual-axis solar tracker can produce more energy than fixed and single-axis solar panel installations. According to the AllEarth website, their dual-axis system produces up to 45% more energy than a rooftop system.

Here's an example from the table above: If a rooftop system produces 10,000 kWh of electricity per year (roughly the average household yearly electricity consumption in the U.S.), a system with the same panels mounted on AllEarth's Solar Tracker would produce 14,500 kWh of electricity.

A dual-axis solar tracker from AllEarth Renewables might make sense for some property owners. If you have plenty of open land space and don't mind the added upfront cost of dual-axis technology, an AllEarth tracker may be the right investment for your solar project. However, for many property owners, a rooftop solar energy system can provide the right balance of costs and long-term benefits.

To understand which type of solar energy system is right for you, head to the EnergySage Marketplace to compare solar quotes from local, reputable solar installers, all online. If you are specifically interested in a ground-mounted system, leave a note in your profile so installers can quote according to your preference.