pv magazine Spotlight | Take control of your PV power plant: STI Norland’s new solar tracker control system

Initiative partner: STI Norland

In the race to lower LCOE, improving your PV power plant is key to generating higher energy yields. Solar trackers, which make solar panels follow the sun’s path throughout the day, are a proven way to increase system output. Since their pioneering introduction of a dual-row tracking system to the market in 2017, STI Norland has been listening to its customers’ needs for more control of their trackers. With the launch of the STI Control, the dual-row trackers of STI Norland now incorporate their own controllers, allowing operators to easily program behaviors and perform requested tasks. With adaptability and faster access to customized solutions than through a third party, STI Control aims to give customers the control of their PV power plant and maximize system output.

In this pv magazine Spotlight, Íñigo García Colomo, Electronic Engineer at STI Norland and the leader of the team that developed the STI Control, will walk us through the development of its components and their main features. The system operates in temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius and works with both DC and AC solar power. With the option to power the tracker directly from the PV string, flexibility is gained on the level of plant design.

The STI Control is comprised of the System Network Controller, the Tracker Smart Controller, and the Intelligent Weather Controller. Each System Network Controller manages over 200 solar trackers, and a tracker controller is only needed every two rows of PV panels. With each tracker and weather controller behaving as a communication booster, phenomena like diffuse radiation can be managed from the tracker control, providing robust control against extreme weather events.

pv magazine Spotlight content:
• Launch of STI Norland’s in-house solar tracker control system
• In-depth description of the product development and features
• How the system provides robust control against extreme weather events
• How the system is interconnected via Zigbee communication grid
• Q&A

Join this pv magazine Spotlight for the launch of the STI Control and an exclusive first look. You can submit your questions beforehand, or during the Spotlight through a chat window. Registration for our Spotlights is free of charge.

For more information on pv magazine Spotlights, please visit https://www.pv-magazine.com/spotlights/.

This Spotlight was recorded on 16 September 2021.