SunSpec Webinar
Andrew Murray
Array Technologies
Company Profile
Array Technologies is the leading manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective,
reliable and robust solar tracking systems.
A pioneer in the solar industry, the company has been providing customers with
unequaled expertise for over 20 years.
Array’s trackers are manufactured in the USA and shipped worldwide to
customers looking for innovative, yet proven, solutions.
ATI is built on the foundation of a strong technical team, with human capital from
the aerospace, military, solar, aviation and investment fields.
Company History
Wattsun Corporation Established in 1985
•
1985
Develops Silicon “flat-plate” PV concentrator module
•
1989
Dual-axis closed-loop Polar Axis Developed
Array Technologies Inc. purchases the Wattsun Corporation in 1992
•
1992
ATI Tracker controller patent issued.
•
1995
ATI introduces and deploys Dual and Single Azimuth Trackers
– patents filed.
•
2002
ATI introduces and deploys DuraTrack HZ™ Single Row Single
Axis Tracker – patents filed.
•
2007
ATI’s DTHZ™ application in first U.S. Utility Scale project
•
2012
ATI awarded supply contract for a 268MWDC project, largest
solar tracking project in North America to date
DTHZTM Product History
DuraTrack HZ™ Single Row Single Axis Tracker
•
2002
DuraTrack HZ™ Single Row Single Axis Tracker introduced patents filed.
•
2007
DuraTrack HZ™ Gear Drive System introduced. – patents filed.
•
2007
DuraTrack HZ™ deployment at Alamosa, CO - 6.6 MW – first
utility scale system in North America.
•
2012
DuraTrack HZ™ installed in over 800MW of projects in the US
and International markets
2012 – ATI meets 1GW milestone for total DTHZTM solar trackers
deployed!
Section 2
Tracker
Background
Title
Tracker History
• Late 1960s-70s
• First Passive Trackers manufactured
• 1980s
• Primarily sold to residential off-grid market
• First large-scale tracker built in 1983
• Slow but steady growth
Tracker History
• 1990s
• Trackers lacked cost structure to be implemented large
scale
• Programs based on system peak ratings(kWp)
• Feed-in-tariffs (FIT) programs in late 90s
• 2000s
• Tracker industry rapidly growing
• From 2009-2012 racking systems would be used in 80%
of PV sites over 1 MW
Types of Trackers
• Single Axis
• Horizontal
•
Rotate about axis parallel to ground
http://www.homecsp.com/singleaxis
Types of Trackers
• Single Axis
Vertical Single Axis
(Azimuth Tracker)
http://www.homecsp.com/singleaxis
Tilted Axis
Types of Trackers
• Dual Axis
• Azimuth and Horizontal Rotation
http://www.solar-energy-for-homes.com/solar-tracker.html
Why Trackers?
Financial Concerns
• Bankability
• Project’s ability to be financed
• LCOE (Levelized Cost of Energy)
• Analysis that takes in a diverse group of variables
• Compares Apples to Apples
• LCOE evaluations determine if trackers are viable and if
so what kind.
Tracker Benefits
• Shouldering Effect
• Trackers extend production throughout the day and not
just peaking at noon.
Shouldering
Smith, Stephen. “PV Tracker”. SOLARPRO June/July 2011:28-54.
Tracker Benefits
• Shouldering Effect
• Shouldering lines up well with Peak Grid demand hours
Smith, Stephen. “PV Tracker”. SOLARPRO June/July 2011:28-54.
Tracker Benefits
• Peak Power
• Large PV plants have peak power output caps
• Trackers enable 20% more power to be pumped into the
grid with the same peak power output as fixed.
• Net metering
• Electrical Companies pay or give credits to customer for
excess electricity
• Encourages Residential and Commercial trackers
Tracker Benefits
• Increase in performance
• Single Axis- Improve PV plant performance by 24% over
fixed-tilt while costing 3-5% more
• Dual Axis- Improve PV plant performance by 38% over
fixed-tilt while costing 12-14% more
Additional Considerations
• Location
• Geography
• Geometry
• Ground Coverage Ratio (GCR)
• Ratio of land to solar aperture of PV plant
Solar PV Balance of System (BOS) Markets: Technologies, Costs and Leading Companies, 2013-2016
Section 4
Tracker
Monitoring
Title
Tracker Monitoring
• Need for monitoring.
• Remote sites
• Reduce O&M Cost
• Increase Uptime
• Demand to monitor increasing
• No standards
• Monitoring company needs to customize each site
• Time is wasted
Section 5 Proposal
SunSpec
Title
Overview of Proposal
Overview of Proposal
QUESTIONS?
LOCATION: Alamosa, Colorado
GENERATION CAPACITY: 6.6 MW