Construction and evaluation of a tensile-based elevated ganged PV array in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories.

A tensile based PV tracking system is proposed. Substantial groundwork has been completed at Sandia National Laboratories in collaboration with Skysun, LLC through a Department of Energy Small Business Voucher, (SBV). The ground work evaluated the tracking system which has applications to both CSP, CPV and PV. The SBV program explored tensile based ganged heliostat design for use in Power Tower applications with substantive cost savings as compared to the current art. Similar tensile support and alignment structures promise cost effective PV infrastructure. The tensile based PV method eliminates most support racking and foundations/ballast associated with current art PV deployment. The method will not have any issues with any destructive natural frequency vibrations as demonstrated within the SAND report and the collaboration with NASA Glenn Research Center findings.This elevated method is well suited for deployment over varied and rough terrain, as well as, utilizing geotechnical advantage. Additionally, the reduction in ground use and penetration increases available area both below and adjacent to the PV spans for agricultural or multiuse projects. Wind survivability and motion dampening for this type of cable supported system has been explored in Mechanical and Optical Performance Evaluation of the Skysun Tensile Ganged Heliostat Concept SANDIA REPORT SAND2017-7101 Printed July 2017, Julius Yellowhair (8823), Kenneth M. Armijo (8823), Charles E. Andraka (8823), Jesus D. Ortega (8823), Jim Clair (Skysun, LLC). This tensile based system has already demonstrated survivability and accuracy adequate for CSP applications. The current prototype has nearly 3 years of operation in an exterior environment, surviving wind gusts in excess of 60 mph without damage and demonstrated accuracy of 5 mrad. Skysun, LLC, with collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, looks forward to describing its concepts ability to achieve both complementary land use and provide PV hybrid single and dual axis tracking at the current cost of fixed racking.