Solar Wings a New Lightweight PV Tracking System

Solar tracking systems increase the electricity production by about 30% relative to fixed installations. A robust design of the mechanical system requiring less material than 100kg steel per kW nominal PV module power is essential to further improve the economics of PV tracker plants. The Solar Wings approach reaches this goal by using steel cables as a mounting system for the PV modules and benefits by the long-time experience of project partner BMF using steel cables in transportation systems such as ski-lift, funicular, aerial passenger lines. Tests with the first Solar Wings prototype in Switzerland passed successfully. The first 600 kW PV plant powered by the one axis Solar Wings tracking system will put into operation in December 2008 in Southern Germany. To maximize reliability and reduce maintenance costs only one electrical three-phase asynchronous motor is used to track 100kW PV modules. A two-axis tracking Solar Wings system will be available next year. Further development targets are low optical concentration by the use of planar mirrors mounted on a parallel axis to the PV module axis. PV modules and mirrors track individually and thus an increase of the electricity production of higher than 60% relative to fixed mounted installation is expected. First results of the measured increase of performance by individual tracking of the planar mirrors and the PV modules, performed on a small scale dish model, are reported.