No other single component can increase solar performance as dramatically as solar tracking can (Green Tech Media, 2012) [Solar Balance-of-System: To Track or Not to Track, Part I]. The advantages of trackers are well-established at lower latitudes, such as in the southern USA, where 94% of all new utility-scale solar capacity uses trackers.
Yet, fixed solar panels remain the standard across most of Europe because traditional trackers struggle to perform effectively above 40 degrees latitude because the sun is lower in the sky. Our Latitude40 design is specifically designed to adapt to the low angles of sunlight at European and northern US latitudes, boosting output by up to 30%. It moves in both axes – East to West and North to South – to maximise generation throughout the day and across the seasons. The graphic – recording actual generation on a sunny day – shows that tracking extends generation by about an hour earlier and later each day; with the most significant gains occurring in the early morning and late afternoon.
This extended generation aligns more closely with electricity demand, this is a big deal for behind-the-meter (BtM) projects, where solar energy is used on site – it means offsetting more electricity imports and saving money. For grid connected projects exporting electricity to the grid, timing of generation is key as extra generation in the morning and afternoon fetches a higher price in the market. Independent analysis shows the Latitude40 benefits from up to 5% additional price benefit, on top of the volume gain.
It’s obvious why we believe our Latitude40 tracker can create substantial new opportunities, filling the market gap for a robust, high latitude tracker. Designed for longevity and low lifetime costs, our tracker reshapes the tracking market and can move the needle for your solar project.