Guidance for solar trackers. SGA Sun has installed an automated guidance system for solar trackers at the El Rincón del Moro solar plant in Hellín, Albacete. SGA Sun is our Inelbo subsidiary’s control software platform for solar power plants. Its mission is to develop photovoltaic management and maintenance systems to obtain real-time information, using technologies that are on the rise in the sector. One of the latest projects was the El Rincón del Moro solar plant, in Hellín, Albacete. A total of 69 panels were installed in this plant, of which 67 control the solar trackers and two are for high wind alarms.
Requirements specified
The project began with an exhaustive study of the solar plant to find the optimal solution. The main requirements in the technical specification were as follows:
- Robust equipment.
- Operation every day of the year.
- Controller with embedded clock.
- Software with extensive programming features.
- Fast and easy firmware reprogramming.
- Simple maintenance.
To achieve optimal performance and motion control, the equipment used for each of the installed panels is from the Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Machine range. This device was selected for its versatility, performance and reliability.
SGA is part of the EcoXpert network of Schneider Electric certified installers
The project continued with assembly and installation of the panels for controlling the trackers, in which shadow sensors were added to eliminate as much as possible the drop in the trackers’ production capacity, as well as astronomical clocks, to accurately know sunrise and sunset times.
Self-learning capability in controllers
One of the most striking innovations implemented is the self-learning capacity of the controllers to be able to adapt to each tracker’s travel times and thereby know which movements are necessary to achieve the best possible performance.
The installed equipment operates fully automatically and independently, with one controller for each tracker
Finally, two high wind alarms were installed which send a signal to warn all the trackers at the solar plant. When they receive the order, the panels position themselves perpendicular to the ground, reducing any possible negative effects that could be caused. The project, completed between February and March 2020, resulted in a 15% increase in the performance of the facilities and improvement in the efficiency of the solar farm after implementation of our SGA Sun control and automation software.
