The new Sigma Tracker System: Interview with Product Management

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)

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