The year 2021 got off to a perfect start in terms of Mounting Systems' outdoor projects. On January 1, 2021, the Kamianka project in central Ukraine was completed and put into operation. The 32 MWp photovoltaic plant was built in cooperation with the project partner Scatec erected.

The expected annual energy yield is about 37 GWh, and the solar plant will supply more than 11,000 households with green electricity. In addition, CO2 emissions will be reduced by more than 15,000 tons. For the Kamianka project, Mounting Systems supplied its robust and adaptable Sigma II two-post mounting systems, further strengthening its outdoor portfolio.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

New business contacts, networking and sharing with industry peers are topics that have been challenging in recent months due to the Corona pandemic. As a result, many new and innovative digital platforms have been created to fill this void of missed opportunities. However, no matter how well-functioning and great these new innovations may be, there is no complete substitute for face-to-face interaction and direct contact with other people.

The annual conference Forum New Energy World, which usually takes place in November, has been brought forward this year to September 24 and 25. Adhering to all hygiene and distance rules, the congress organization Conexio GmbH will hold the event outdoors this year. The program will include many inspiring keynotes, interactive elements and insightful exchanges between industry peers.

The New Energy World Forum has been the most important meeting place for innovators in the new energy world for more than 20 years. The focus of the Forum is on the exchange of ideas and the expansion of corporate networks. Following the physical event, a digital conference will be held on November 19 and 20. Here, the focus will be on knowledge transfer, information exchange and discussion.

Mounting Systems is one of the "Gold Sponsors" of the event and will have a booth. Join us at the event and come and talk about our Ground-mounted rack solutions for the solar energy turnaround. We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information about the event please click here.

Tickets can be here purchased.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

Interview with Mihir Saoji, Product Manager Tracker

A solar tracker system is a photovoltaic system that optimizes the angle of incidence of sunlight on the PV module by automatically following the sun's path. This, in turn, increases the amount of energy generated. In recent years, improvements in the technologies, performance, and pricing of tracker systems have led to a surge in installed tracker capacity for ground-mounted projects. To create a better understanding of the benefits of our new Sigma Tracker system and how it differs from fixed-tilt ground-mounted systems, we interviewed our product manager, Mihir Saoji, who knows the system inside and out.

What are the main differences between the tracker and the fixed slope systems?

A fixed system that is in a "fixed" position in a particular orientation has the characteristic of providing its peak power at a particular time of day, while a tracking system follows the path of the sun and provides stable power over a longer period of time and thus more energy over the course of the day. This is often the more advantageous solution in terms of grid usage. Depending on various factors, such as project location and configuration, a tracker system can increase energy production by up to 30% compared to a fixed-tilt system.

What are the main advantages of the Mounting Systems tracker system?

The self-locking capability made possible by the toggle mechanism (scissor jack) is the most important and differentiating feature of our Sigma Trackers. It provides static and dynamic stability even under harsh loading conditions. This contributes to high structural reliability at each post of the tracker system. Extreme weather conditions can thus be survived without any problems, which in turn guarantees high reliability of the system and thus ensures the financial viability of the overall system. In addition, pre-assembled components and standard fasteners significantly improve the system's assembly time with minimal tooling required. Another major advantage is the Sigma Tracker's compatibility with bifacial PV modules, which is achieved by avoiding any shading behind the active module areas. All mono-facial and bifacial module configurations are possible in both portrait and landscape orientation, making our tracker system flexible for a wide range of requirements.

For what types of projects is the Mounting Systems tracker system best suited? What natural environments and weather conditions can it withstand?

The system is suitable for ground-mounted projects of all sizes and environmental conditions due to its flexibility and reliability. For example, we supplied the Sigma Tracker for one of the world's largest solar parks in Egypt. The park is located in the middle of a sandy desert, which is of course an interesting but challenging place for a solar park.

Is there a tracker system for every project, or if not, how easily can the system be customized to meet the needs of clients?

The core components of the system always remain the same, but since projects have different requirements, we can adapt the system very flexibly. For example, different foundations, the height and length of the system, the module configuration and the module mounting are just some of the factors that can be adapted at the request of our partners.

As we all know, bifacial solar systems have become very popular in recent years. You have already mentioned bifaciality as one of the advantages of the system, so this means that bifacial modules can also be used with the tracker system?

Absolutely. We have followed the trend and our Sigma Tracker is a fully bifacially optimized system for minimized module shading and optimized bifacial deployment.

What are the options for monitoring the Sigma Tracker solar farm? What can you say about the O&M functions of the system?

Our unique Sigma View® control system is based on robust industrial automation components that are also available from stock at any time. A central data acquisition system provides a real-time overview of the solar farm. Additional user functions such as fault logging, data recording and logging of O&M activities make the monitoring system a holistic tool for on-site personnel. Thanks to a flexible data interface, integration with a wide variety of SCADA systems is also seamless, making park monitoring simple and effortless. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

Monofacial photovoltaic modules, which receive solar radiation only from the front of the module, have long been the prevailing industry standard. In recent years, however, the focus has increasingly been on bifacial PV modules, which offer many new possibilities and advantages to their installers. The biggest difference between mono-facial and bifacial modules in practice is that bifacial modules are able to collect reflected and diffuse solar radiation from the back of the module as well.

Depending on many factors, such as installation height, the reflectivity (albedo) of the subsurface, shading of adjacent rows, and the amount of diffuse radiation, the additional bifacial yield can be as high as 30%. Since 2014, bifacial installations have increased rapidly, and there appears to be no end in sight. Some estimates suggest an increase of up to 60% in the near future, which means that bifacial solar systems could become the new industry standard.

The Sigma II Bifacial System from Mounting Systems

At Mounting Systems, we have optimized our substructures accordingly to respond to the growing demand for bifacial systems. Our excellent bipartite Sigma II Bifacial Ground-mounted system is specially designed to avoid shading on the back of the modules. The fixed mounting system is highly adaptable, allowing for a fully customized design. The ease of installation together with the corrosion resistance make the system a wise investment and guarantees a long life.

In addition, the system allows for multiple module configurations. Depending on the specific requirements of a project, different foundations such as driven piles, grounding bolts or foot plates can be used. Like all our other mounting systems, the Sigma II Bifacial is designed and produced under certified sustainability standards, and the components are easy to disassemble and recycle. In this way, the ecological footprint can be minimized.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.

Hungary - an attractive solar market

As in many other countries in Europe, solar power is becoming more and more popular in Hungary. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Hungary had reached a total of 1.28 GWp of installed solar power by the end of 2019. Solar Future Hungary also notes that 2018 was a record year with an impressive 700 MWp of cumulative photovoltaic capacity installed. The supportive political landscape around renewable energy and solar power continue to support the development.

Mounting Systems GmbH present in Hungary through a new project

We at Mounting Systems Ltd. also had the opportunity to contribute our performance to the development of Hungarian solar energy. We have expanded our project spectrum through a successful Sigma Tracker -expanded project. The ground-mounted project was carried out in Tata, Hungary, about 70 km northwest of Budapest. Mounting Systems GmbH supplied the mounting systems for the solar park of our partner Photon Energy delivered. The park, which was commissioned in March of this year, has a total reading of 4.31 MWp and is equipped with 10,608 half-cell modules. The modules were installed in portrait format. The single-axis Sigma Tracker system was used as the mounting system. The technology of the system is flexible adaptable and reliable. The need for maintenance is low.

As usual, the PV mounting systems were delivered pre-assembled by trucks directly to the construction site. Due to the pre-assembled components, a simple and quick assembly of the mounting system could thus be ensured. The self-locking technology of the Sigma Tracker guarantees excellent stability in difficult weather conditions. As a result, wind speeds of 260 km/h can be withstood. As a monitoring system, our Sigma View online tool provides real-time statistics on the operation of the entire solar farm.

Mounting Systems - More than a system. It's a brand.