How Design of PV Trackers

Accommodates Large-Format Modules

Presented By:

2/18/2021
Speakers:

Mitch Bowman, Director, Project Engineering, FTC Solar

Matthew Gilliss, CEO & President, Engineered Power Solutions, Inc.
Chengjiang (CJ) Fu, Director of Technical Services, LONGi Solar

Moderator:

Molly Cox, Solar Analyst, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables

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Today’s Speakers

Mitch Bowman Matthew Gilliss Chengjiang Fu Molly Cox

FTC Solar Engineered Power LONGi Solar Wood Mackenzie
Solutions Power & Renewables
Director, Project CEO & President Director of Solar Analyst
Engineering Technical Services

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How Design of PV Trackers Accommodates Large-Format Modules

Molly Cox | February 18, 2021

Trusted Intelligence woodmac.com

How Design of PV Trackers Accommodates Large-Format Modules woodmac.com

Lager wafers increase module power class and reduce PV system costs
Value proposition of large wafers

Less bill of materials

Lower needed per module.
module Lower $/W module
cost costs.

More watts per module Lower

means fewer modules BOS
and BOS parts per
project.
cost

Lower Less hardware

non- means smaller
hardware engineering footprint
cost and project
management scope.

Source: Wood Mackenzie’s Solar PV module technology market report 2020

How Design of PV Trackers Accommodates Large-Format Modules woodmac.com

Large-format modules are expected to yield system cost savings for ground mounts
PV system cost comparison between M4 wafer modules and M6, M10 and G12 wafer modules, 2020*
Cost category
M6 module – 450W M10 module – 540W G12 module – 545W
Structural balance of system -7% -22% -23%
Design & engineering -7% -22% -23%
Civil -7% -22% -23%
Logistics & misc. -6% -21% -22%
Labor -5% -16% -17%
Taxes -5% -16% -16%
Overhead & margin -3% -11% -11%
Electrical balance of system -2% -7% -7%
Developer cost -2% -6% -6%
Module -1% -2% -3%
Inverter -0% -0% -0%
Permitting & inspection -0% -0% -0%
Total capex reduction -3% -10% -11%

*Based on 2020 module power class and national average PV system cost forecast. Baseline for the comparison is a 50 MW PV project
using M4 mono PERC modules of 420W, central inverters and single-axis trackers. The physical and electrical characteristics for all
modules in this analysis remain constant.
Source: Wood Mackenzie’s Solar PV module technology market report 2020
Large Format Modules
Lower Solar Cost

Chengjiang Fu (CJ)
Director of Technical Services
February 18, 2021
 LONGi Solar- Propelling the Transformation

-32% LCOE Y2000

Establishe
d
DW Slicing Mono PERC Bifacial 166mm Wafer

42 GW
Total capacity of
monocrystalline silicon wafers,
ranked No. 1 worldwide in
2019

Data source: ITRPV. Monofacial applications ($ cent/kWh)

9.08 GW
*LCOE calculation: 1500kWh/kWp first-year power generation for monofacial (bifacial gain: 8%); Bifacial applications ($ cent/kWh)
80% debt with 4% interest rate; 2% discount rate; 20-year straight line depreciation. Total shipment of
monocrystalline
cells and modules in 2019

LONGi Solar @ 2021

Large Format Modules Lower Solar Cost

M2 G1 ▪ Multiple wafer sizes after 2018

156.75mm 158.75mm

▪ M6 (166mm) provide the best value to reduce system cost

▪ M6 (166mm) best size selection to upgrade the existing
M6 M4
161.7mm
capacity
166mm

▪ Entire industry value chain from wafer to installation is studied

M10 ▪ Optimum wafer size is 182mm for new capacity
182mm
▪ Future innovation will be around efficiency and field performance

LONGi Solar @ 2021

Large Format Modules offer Higher Power
Power Per Module
Hi-MO4
+20%
Product Hi-MO4
Power 450W 540W
Voc (V) 49.3 49.5

2256mm
2094mm

Imp (A) 10.85 12.97

Dimension (mm) 2094 x 1038 2256 x 1133
Weight (kg) 27.5 32.3

Same Voltage

M6 M10
166mm 182mm

LONGi Solar @ 2021

Low LCOE Solution for large power plants

Product
System Voltage
Hi-MO4
1500V 1500V +20% Power Per String
Power 450W 540W
No. of Module/ String
Power per String
28
12.6kW
28
15.1kW -20% # of Strings Per Site

Lower logistics Reduce material cost Same power

cost generation

Lower racking Cost Save labor cost

 Higher Current Bigger and Heavier
Fully Compatible with Inverters Matched With Trackers

Bifacial gain 15%

The maximum input current range of the new-generation of

inverters 1P 2P
Hi-MO 5 operating current (with bifacial imp gain) Horizontal single axis tracker Horizontal single axis tracker
Hi-MO 5 operating current

LONGi Solar @ 2021

Case Study: Utility Tracker Project

Hi-MO4 -3¢/W
USA; 2P Tracker

Cost saving

Racking -3%

450 540
Combiner box -12%
W W
Cables -6%

Labor -9%

Land -4%

LONGi Solar @ 2021

 en.longi-solar.com
LONGi Solar. All rights reserved.
Engineering Considerations
Matt Gilliss CEO
Building Code vs Wind Tunnel Testing

• Wind tunnel replaces building code

• Shielding effects

• Effective wind area

• Corner and edge vortices vs central zones

Wind Dynamic Effects

• Static and dynamic wind loads

• Natural frequency

• Torsional excitation

Tacoma Bridge
Addressing Aeroelastic Concerns

• Increasing natural frequency

• Preventing torsional rotation

Voyager+ addresses this with

technical solutions including:

Longer Reinforced Mod Rails

Larger Diameter TT
Dampers
Voyager+ Validation Results

• Wind tunnel tested

• Scale modeled dampers

• Dampers met resistance specs

• Full scale components tested

Large-Format Module Impact
on Tracker Design
Mitch Bowman Director, Project Engineering
 FTC Solar Overview
Our People
Global, The deep experience of the
Experienced FTC team - decades spent
Team deploying solar structures to
projects around the world -
is the reason we are here.
Operational Excellence Technology Innovation
Over 1.7GW FTC’s core responsibility is Up to 6% FTC Solar software- SunPath
trackers the customers successful energy gains and SunDAT enhances the
delivered installation and operation of with SunPath efficiency and reliability of
Voyager trackers. its tracker systems.
 What can FTC Solar do for you?

Partner Planning Engineering Construction Software

• Honest, humble, and • Global supply chain • Site layout optimization • Lean construction • SunDAT- 3D PV design
transparent expertise • Structural analysis means and methods software
• Work together on the • International logistics • Foundation analysis • On site training • SunPath- yield
best overall solution to • Dedicated operations • Geotechnical expertise • Continuous hands-on enhancement software
meet your needs program managers to • EOR stamped drawings technical support • Atlas portfolio
• True relationship coordinate each project management software
Voyager to Voyager+
 Industry Shift
Voyager → Voyager+
166mm wafer size 182mm wafer size 210mm wafer size
• Module market shifting to larger
wafer sizes
• Larger, heavier modules, longer
string lengths
• BOS (structures, DC collections,
inverters) updates required to
accommodate these changes
• Voyager+ is FTC Solar’s single
axis tracker solution to
2094x1038
accommodate these changes in 2256x1133 2172x1303
27.5kg
PV modules LR4 32.3kg 35.3kg
LR5
 • Leveraged current W8 design
Foundations • Maintained 7 post solution with LR5
• Strengthened pile to journal connection
 • 150x150mm torque tube
• 60+% higher bending capacity
Torque Tubes • 25+% higher torsional capacity
• Spherical bushings allow up to 10-degree N/S slope
 • Proprietary damper design
Damper • Wind tunnel tested and validated
• Aeroelastic stability up to 135mph
 • Load tested by third parties

Module Rails • Slide and guide module attachment

• Patented industry-leading installation method
 • Increased operating torque
• Strengthened slew drive-to-pile connection
Drive System • Utilizing self-powered solution w/ no parasitic load
• Single drive system per row
 • Same control architecture
• Continuous OTA based s/w enhancements
Controls • Remote access and monitoring
• SunPath yield enhancement software

ZIGBEE
ZIGBE
 Third Party Accredited
RWDI Wind Tunnel
Intertek:
UL 2703 (early March)
UL 3703 (early March)
IEC62817 (April)
135 mph
Degrees of rotation

Mean

Peak

Wind speed in meters/sec

Voyager+
All the benefits of Voyager plus large-format modules

All learning and ease of use from

Lower Installed Designed for
Voyager but with advanced Cost Performance
engineering to handle increased
loads from large-format modules.

• Built on the current design

• Higher energy density per land Optimized
area Design Highly Reliable
Flexibility
• Advanced aeroelastic and
structural design
• More DC power per tracker row
 First North American Large Format Project

• Largest North American 500+W module 2P Tracker Project

• Q3 installation
Request a quote
www.ftcsolar.com/quote
info@ftcsolar.com
FTC Solar integrates industry-leading
engineering, software, and lean construction to
lower the total cost of ownership and deploy
reliable solar tracking solutions.

www.ftcsolar.com
 Thank you!

Please submit your questions below.

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