Image courtesy Array Technologies.
Bifacial solar cells and panels are moving more seriously into play now thanks to cost drops and efficiency improvements. A bifacial solar panel is essentially a solar panel that can collect energy from the front side and the rear side (a normal monofacial module only collects energy from one side). Array Technologies boosts that technology even further with solar tracking technology, capturing much more sunlight than a normal solar array.
The desire for optimal energy production in large solar power plants has engineers using an invention created in the latter 1960s. Ron Corio, leading the solar engineers at Array Technologies, was at the beginning of this wise change.
Image used with permission Array Technologies.
A press release announces that Lightsource BP has selected Array Technologies to supply single-axis solar tracking technology to the 200MW Wellington bifacial solar farm: Specifically, “DuraTrack HZ v3 single-axis solar trackers were selected for the 200MW Wellington solar farm, which will utilize cutting-edge bifacial modules.
“This will be one of the first local projects to deploy bifacial solar at utility-scale. Once operational, the solar farm will produce 435,000MWh of clean, renewable electricity a year. The farm will generate power equivalent to the consumption of 72,500 homes, displacing 350,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. This is the equivalent of taking 121,580 cars off the road.” That would be 121,580 gasoline cars, not much cleaner and more efficient electric cars, which can even drive on sunlight.
“With decades of innovation and experience under our belt, we’re excited to see a continued commitment to solar asset reliability as global development firms and EPCs recognize Array’s DuraTrack HZ v3 as the tracker-of-choice for milestone projects such as these,” stated Jeff Krantz, chief commercial officer at Array Technologies. “Bifacial projects require not only the lowest levelized cost of energy from their tracking foundation but also the most advanced technology to pair with bifacial modules to stack up economically.”
“As long-term owners and operators of our solar assets, we always look for the best technological and equipment solutions for the life of the solar farm and we are very pleased to have selected Array Technologies for Wellington solar farm,” said Adam Pegg, country manager, Australia of Lightsource BP. Array Technologies has established itself as a market leader in Australia, supplying 2GW of its tracker technology to solar farms across the country.”
Array has already supplied enough tracking tech for 2 gigawatts of solar power capacity across Australia. It is enthusiastically helping the country reach its target of 23.5% renewable electricity by 2020.
Related stories:
Ron Corio & The Solar Engineers Leading Array Technologies (#CleanTechnica Exclusive, Part 1)
Bifacial Solar Panels + Solar Trackers — Do They Have A Future? (#CleanTechnica Exclusive, Part 2)
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