Patent ID: 8193477

Claim:
A method of adjusting a photovoltaic solar cell array of a terrestrial solar cell system that tracks the sun, the system comprising two motors each of which is operable to adjust a position of the array along a different respective axis with respect to the sun, the method comprising: (a) using a software algorithm to predict a position of the sun during the course of the day based, at least in part, on latitude, longitude and elevation; (b) using a computer model to determine respective actuations for the motors corresponding to the solar cell array being substantially aligned with the sun during the course of the day, based upon the software algorithm in step (a); and (c) actuating the motors so that the solar cell array is positioned in accordance with the software algorithm; (d) at predetermined times measuring an output parameter of the solar cell array, and adjusting the position of the solar cell array so that the solar cell array is more accurately aligned with the sun than as determined in step (c).