Soltec, a manufacturer of single-axis trackers, says it has adapted its SF Utility solar tracker to handle the extreme conditions of the continental climate, including hot summers, cold winters, high winds, high snowfall and frost heave.
The company says it has increased the product’s control electronics temperature to -40° F, cut down its stow response, boosted its structural loading capacity up to 50 psf and added snow removal smart controls.
“It is always a challenge to face extreme climatic conditions,” states José Alfonso Teruel, research and development (R&D) manager at Soltec, adding that the company previously adapted the tracker for the desert climate.
“Our R&D team has re-designed the control electronics, and a new high-speed motor design moves the tracker from the maximum tilt (60˚) to the horizontal position (0˚) in less than three minutes for rapid stowing against high winds,” he adds.
To deal with higher snow loads structurally, Soltec says it specified a higher grade of steel and modified tracker dimensions. In addition, SF Utility incorporates a new snow removal control to move the tracker and manage accumulating snow with less personnel labor.
