Method for predictive control of the orientation of a solar tracker

A controlling method for controlling orientation of a single-axis solar tracker orientable about a single axis of rotation, the controlling method comprising:

• a) observing an evolution over time of cloud coverage above the single-axis solar tracker by observing the cloud coverage at a plurality of consecutive instants using an observation system configured to observe the sky above the solar tracker;
• b) translating each observation of the cloud coverage into a multidimensional mapping of solar luminance and determining an evolution over time of an optimum inclination angle of the single-axis solar tracker corresponding to a maximum solar radiation on the single-axis solar tracker, depending on the observation of the cloud coverage, by calculating for each multidimensional mapping at each instant an optimum inclination angle associated with a maximum solar luminance on the multidimensional mapping;
• c) predicting a future evolution of the cloud coverage based on a prior observed evolution of the cloud coverage, by calculating at each present instant at least a predictive multidimensional mapping of the solar luminance at a future instant, by implementing a predictive calculation taking into account an evolution of a distribution of the solar luminance on multidimensional mappings established at several past instants and a speed of evolution of the solar luminance between the multidimensional mappings established at several past instants;
• d) calculating a future evolution of the optimum inclination angle depending on a prediction of the future evolution of the cloud coverage, by calculating for each predictive multidimensional mapping a predictive optimum inclination angle at a future instant associated with a maximum of the solar luminance on the predictive multidimensional mapping;
• and
• e) servo-controlling the orientation of the single-axis solar tracker depending on a prior evolution of the optimum inclination angle and depending on the future evolution of the optimum inclination angle.