Episode 135 | Angle Advantage | Array Technologies
Solar energy may be an unlimited resource, but it’s certainly resource-constrained. Since its inception, developers have tried to find ways to wring more megawatts out of each acre.
Solar trackers have proven to be an effective means of increasing energy production. My guest, Array Technologies’ Jon Sharp, says trackers can add up to 25% more energy output. The Albuquerque-based developer has been building trackers since 1989.
Jon says more than 80% of new solar farms in the U.S. are equipment trackers, as opposed to “fixed-tilt,” or stationary configurations.
“The adoption of tracking technology in the U.S. has swamped fixed-tilt for utility-scale power plants,” he says, adding the extra power make financial sense to developers. A tracker typically adds about 10% to the capital costs of a project.
The key is how to keep operations and maintenance (O&M) low. A tracker is by definition a moving, mechanical device. It needs to run—period. Jon says Array’s trackers require no scheduled upkeep. They also have the fewest number of components, per megawatt, of any tracker on the market.
I was curious about site-specific factors that might affect a tracker’s behavior. Solar farms can be built at different latitudes, elevations, and climates. While historical data can pinpoint where the sun will be any given day, other conditions may affect what a tracker does that day.
Take cloudy days, for instance. “It may be beneficial to go flatter, where you see the whole sky,” says Jon.
Snow, hail or excessive wind will trigger a “full-tilt,” or safe setting (about 52 degrees). Whereas many trackers on the market rely on anemometers to gauge excessive wind (“active stowe”), Array’s “passive wind mitigation” system senses excessive pressure on the panels.
Jon expects trackers to evolve with ever-larger solar modules. He also expects trackers will find new ways to drive down costs, and new algorithms to make solar panels more efficient even with existing trackers.
“I think we’re just seeing the beginning of what we can do with tracking and solar technology.”
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