Webinar: Driving the Standard: Wind Testing, Solar Trackers, and Peer Review

As solar goes mainstream with record utility-scale deployments globally, the importance of comprehensive wind engineering research, testing, and analysis of smart solar tracker design continue to grow. A year after Nextracker publicly shared half a decade of pioneering work developed in collaboration with CPP Wind Engineering Consultants, other solar tracker companies have also begun investing in wind research. However, the absence of well-defined structural codes for PV installations has led to conflicting wind testing methodologies, mitigation features, and strategies across the industry.

Underscoring the scientific rigor behind the state-of-the-art aeroelastic testing process conducted by Nextracker and CPP, the companies have completed the industry’s first peer review of aeroelastic wind tunnel testing of solar trackers. The focus of this webinar will center on the value of the peer-review process conducted by a world-renowned researcher from the University of Western Ontario. We will also discuss best practices for reporting module pressures, and design mandates for 1-in-portrait versus 2-in-portrait tracker architectures gathered from extensive testing of Nextracker’s solar tracker technologies.

Key audience takeaways and questions:

• Understanding the importance of the peer review process in providing independent verification of wind tunnel testing methods and results
• Validated conclusions from Dr. David Banks and Dr. Girma Bitsuamlak around proper aeroelastic wind tunnel testing methodology
• Examination of major dynamic aeroelastic effects that impact tracker structures
• Wind risk mitigation factors for robust 2-in-portrait tracker design