Single-axis trackers

SF7 Bifacial

Bifacial modules collect energy on both the front and rear sides, capturing reflected irradiance from the ground surface under and around the tracker and from other modules. Depending on site conditions, bifacial yield-gain can reach +30 percent.

SF7 standard features provide for drop-in bifacial compatibility with higher mounting height, shadow-free backside, and wide-aisle reflecting surfaces. In addition to intrinsically optimizing bifacial gain, the standard features enable other economic and performance benefits compared to the leading competitors.

SF7 standard features result in a higher mounting height of bifacial modules which reduces shadow projection intensity and maximizes bifacial yield-gain. The features also eliminate the principal bifacial flaw of leading competitors of torque-tube shading, and reduces foundation-pile backside shading. The features also result in the highest and driest location of the motor, electronics, and cabling, and result in the fewest piles-per-MW among leading competitors.

SF7 double-wide service aisles between tracker rows increase bifacial reflected albedo capture from the ground and from solar modules of adjacent tracker rows. This feature also results in double the MW-per-pass rate of array washing and vegetation control, reducing O&M costs.

The cabling management solution DC Harness StringRunner and the absence of dampers not only eliminate bifacial backside shading but also provide the highest-grade cabling protection against environmental conditions, requiring zero maintenance.

Soltec leads with the World’s First Bifacial Tracker Evaluation Center. The mission BiTEC is to perform a rigorous assessment of installation and control parameter influences on bifacial tracker performance compared to other bifacial PV applications. Soltec is investigating some specific factors that are known to influence production, such as module mounting height above grade, rear-side obstructions that cause shading and losses, and varying inter-row spacing distances to measure the effect on albedo.

Soltec and BiTEC are collaborating with the U. S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with engineering, construction and consulting powerhouse Black & Veatch and the world renown certification and bankability laboratory Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC).

SF7 Tandem

Squared efficiency:
The first 2P linked tracker

SF7 Tandem combines the best of a 2-portrait tracker with the best of a 2-row tracker resulting in higher efficency, simplicity and reliability.

1 tracker: 2 Slewing-Drives + 1 Tracker Controller + 1 motor

• Higher MW installation rate

• Easier and faster installation, similarly to the SF7

• Lower material cost, installation and reduced BOP costs

• Fewer components: 46% fewer piles, 60% fewer screw connections, 20% fewer parts-count than other 1P dual-row competitors

• Fewer parts: 50% fewer motors and 50% fewer Tracker Controllers than the conventional SF7

• Near Field Communication (NFC) at tracker level and Full Wireless Network at plant level, provide robust and cost-effective communication and control operations

• Self-Powered with PV Series Power Supply 2.0, for lower cost-operational power supply

A Cardan shaft conveniently located at 1.8 m (5.9 feet) eases O&M and ensures system functionality under any weather or terrain circumstances.

Face-2-Face positioning helps washing vehicles cover twice the array-area per vehicle pass, thus proportionately reducing the hours-per-MW washing rate