Solar tracking is an effective tool utilized by many solar installations to improve the power output of installed photovoltaic (PV) modules over the course of the day. As the sun moves across the sky, the tracker adjusts the angle of the modules to maximize the absorbed sunlight. This adjustment can be made by a mechanical actuator that extends and retracts to tilt the panel relative to the sun’s position. Typically, most solar installations have a design life of 20 to 25 years and thus require components with long term reliability. Some challenges with using solar trackers in a PV installation include the design, materials selection, and reliability testing of the mechanical actuators to achieve the required performance over the design life while minimizing maintenance costs. This talk provides a case study where these challenges were not adequately met leading to premature failure of the tracking system. The key takeaway will be a discussion of design and material selection choices which led to corrosion of the actuators, and simple testing strategies which would have highlighted these issues prior to their installation.
