Big Sun’s Elevated Solar Trackers Play Nicely With Agriculture & Aquaculture Farms
Solar trackers are well known for delivering incremental improvements in solar output by tracking the sun. They range from basic manual angle adjustments across one axis to more complex automated solutions that track the sun across both the horizontal axis and the vertical axis. Big Sun developed its dual axis solar tracker to maximize system output, just like most trackers do, and added springs to the cable adjustment system to allow the system to flex in varying wind conditions, reducing strain on system components.
Big Sun’s trackers follow the sun using a pre-programmed algorithm based on the installation location. There isn’t much magic when it comes to following the position of the sun from the earth, as no matter how much the weather changes down here, that doesn’t really bother the path of the sun relative to the earth. Its trackers are exciting because the company added a new innovation that extends the use cases for solar trackers into agriculture and aquaculture applications by elevating the trackers ~10 feet into the air.
In space-constrained Taiwan, the mandate to install more solar panels is already putting pressure on the precious farming land in the country, which has farmers and solar developers looking for options. Big Sun came onto the scene with its tracker solutions that elevate the solar tracker above the ground about 10 feet up in the air. Elevating the systems, wider spacing, and the fact that the solar systems track the sun throughout the day ensures that the ground can still be used for partial shade agriculture or for raising animals.
Big Sun’s trackers also bring with them the benefits of pre-programmed dual axis tracking via its iPV Tracker solution, which increases solar yields 30-50% vs fixed tilt systems. This can be further increased by utilizing bifacial solar panels when installing systems over landscapes that are optimized for reflecting light up to the backside of the panels as is the case with installations over water and on rooftops that have been painted white.
Speaking of water, Big Sun’s elevated installations have also been customized for use in aquaculture applications. This allows fish farmers to continue operations as usual while bringing in additional revenue and some very welcome shade on Taiwan’s long summers.
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