Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractors Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers

Interesting Sights From SPI

By Steven Bushong | October 23, 2014

Share

Executive Editor Lee Teschler took to the SPI show floor with his camera and captured several sights he found particularly interesting.

A compact way of tracking the sun

Most PV tracking systems use either electric-motor-powered linear actuators or hydraulic cylinders to position panels. Not the NexTracker. The small dc-motor-powered actuation mechanism visible here can handle a single row of panels 80 m long. The system can use the relatively small motor (the black cylinder in the image) because the positioning mechanics pivot the panels on their center of gravity, minimizing the amount of torque needed to rotate the PV surfaces. NexTracker claims its scheme requires 80% less power than conventional tracking actuator systems. The rectangular metal enclosure also visible here contains control electronics and a small back-up battery.

111-nexttracker
Beefy switchgear

SPI had its share of utility-scale equipment on display, including this beefy switchgear enclosure at the Eaton Cooper Power Systems booth. Designed to handle a 20-MW PV installation, the pad-mounted connection system included a vacuum fault interrupter, visible in the upper right-hand corner, as well as space for inverter electronics and Scada equipment isolated on the other side of the  enclosure wall.

111-cooper

Energy storage in focus

One hot topic at SPI was energy storage as a means of implementing load shaving and similar operations aimed at minimizing disruptions of the utility grid. Among the systems shown was this 13.8 kW-h system from Varta Storage GmbH. The Engion family of storage systems combine an inverter and a bank of Lithiuim-iron phosphate batteries. Battery pack modules can slide out for replacement if need be, as shown here by Fred Schellert, General Manager, Marketing & Sales Storage Products and Power Pack Solutions. Each module has about a 415-W-h capacity. Systems hosting lead-acid batteries were in evidence as well, but lead-acid units typically targeted back-up power applications rather than uses in solar arrays.

111-varta
A hybrid electrohydraulic actuator

Most PV panel tracking systems use either an electric actuator or a hydraulic actuator. This unit is a combination of both technologies. Tentatively called an EHA actuator, the unit from Parker Hannifin Corp. is new to the market. The unit shown at SPI consisted of an electric induction motor powering a hydraulic pump and cylinder. The cylinder was laser-etched with bar-code-like markings that let a sensor keep track of the hydraulic cylinder position. Combining the electric and hydraulic components this way minimizes the length of hydraulic hose necessary. Parker says this demo can be scaled up for handling almost any PV array size. A variable-frequency drive powered the electric motor on this unit to vary the cylinder position, but the device could also be simplified to use bang-bang control, Parker personnel say.

111-parker
Don’t try this at home

When a 35 A-hr battery gets a direct short put across its terminals, the results typically include sparks or dangerous arcs. But not with ALM series batteries from NEC Energy Solutions. The devices have silicon MOSFET switches built in that monitor the battery terminals for shorts and shut down the battery in the event of dangerous conditions. NEC personnel shorted the lithium nanophosphate cells with a lug wrench while the batteries were putting out about 7 A. The shutdown was instantaneous. Typical solar applications include places were low-temperature operation high cycling rates are important.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Smart Energy Week 2020: Four sessions you can still view that point to the future
Intersolar North America rescheduled to July 2021
seia
SEIA says organization is strong despite no 2020 in-person SPI
Solar Power International goes completely virtual for 2020

Exclusive SPW Content

Videos Podcasts Webinars Whitepapers

SPW Digital Editions

Solar Power World Digital EditionBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Solar Power World in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading solar construction magazine today.

Solar Policy Snapshot

Solar policy differs across state lines and regions. Click to see our monthly roundup of recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Read More >

Popular Posts See More >

Solar investment tax credit extended at 26% for two additional years
SolarJuice American to take over consumer contracts of bankrupt residential solar installer Petersen-Dean
What the Biden administration could mean for solar and storage
The changing state of retiring solar panels
Solar Power World
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Solar Articles
  • Top Products
  • Leadership
  • WTWH Media
  • About/Contact Us
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Windpower Engineering & Development

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractors Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers