Asun Trackers Unveils Game-Changing 2-Axis Solar Tracker with IIT Delhi

The Asun 2 Axis Tracker showed an exponential yield of 20 percent over the fixed-tilt, against an incremental yield of just 7 percent with the single-axis tracker, in an analysis of the real-time data collected for the crucial periods (winter solstice and equinox period) from a single location.

November 18, 2024. By News Bureau

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Asun Trackers

Varun Sachar

Single axis tracker

Agri-voltaic Applications

Bifacial solar modules

Investment

Technology

Solar power

New Delhi based Asun Trackers, with the help of The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), has developed a two-axis solar tracker that offers a yield increase of two to three times over conventional horizontal single-axis trackers (depending upon geographical location), which compares well with that of a dual-axis design but at a significantly lower capital cost.

The live yield data collected by the Asun Trackers team from a location in northern India showed the negative yield of single-axis trackers over fixed-tilt during the winter solstice and equinox periods.

The Asun 2 Axis Tracker showed an exponential yield of 20 percent over the fixed-tilt, against an incremental yield of just 7 percent with the single-axis tracker, in an analysis of the real-time data collected for the crucial periods (winter solstice and equinox period) from a single location.

“Ideally, the yield from the tracker should be positive during all seasons of the year. It should not give a negative or lower yield during the winter solstice period or during vernal and autumnal equinoxes in any location on the globe. The 2 Axis Tracker developed by Asun Trackers addresses the shortcomings of the conventional horizontal single-axis tracker design by providing continuous seasonal movement along the north-south axis, in addition to daily east-west movement, thus tracking the sun optimally at all times.” said Varun Sachar, Founder and CEO, Asun Trackers.

Further, its modular and de-centralized design optimises the structure weight, leading to a direct reduction in capital cost while offering a higher availability than prevalent single or dual-axis designs.

The tracker is also designed for higher terrain adaptability with self-lubricating bushes to minimize the maintenance cost, and a modular design for easy installation, decentralized arrays, and compliance with wind safety norms. Asun Trackers also offers 2 design variants, namely, a tilted single axis and a horizontal single-axis configuration, in addition to the 2-axis design to meet varied project-specific requirements.

The Asun Trackers team intends to pitch the solution to those developers who are already considering either a single-axis tracker or a fixed-tilt installation with seasonal tilt. “In both these scenarios, we are prepared to present project economics from an IRR perspective backed with site-specific simulated yield analysis. Our technology helps developers improve on their CUF by not overloading their plant on the DC side with existing MMS,” added Sachar.

With falling solar power tariffs all over the world, the developers and investors have only one option, to bring about operational and cost efficiencies in their plants which includes improving their LCoE and increasing their project IRRs. Our technology helps the developers achieve exactly that. They can improve on their CUF by not overloading their plant on the DC side (which adds to the cost by increasing the number of panels and BoS).

Effective Across a Wider Band of Locations

Asun 2-Axis Tracker is effective at all locations on the globe between the Arctic and Antarctic circles, whereas the existing single-axis tracker is only effective at locations close to the equator.

Bifacial Module Usage

The innovative design of Asun Tracker also offers greater efficiency with bi-facial modules as compared to any other design owing to its spaced panel array configuration, which allows for more sunlight to bounce off the ground and onto the bi-facial modules. This also enables the capturing of radiation reflected from one panel to the next.

Agri-voltaic Applications

Similarly, in agri-voltaic applications, the Asun Tracker offers greater choice as well as the yield from crops, because its design allows for more sunlight, distributed evenly through the day for the crops below while minimising permanent shadow areas. At the same time, it aids better moisture retention in soil. Thus more sunlight-intensive crops can also be chosen with Asun agri-voltaic models.

Higher yield with lower investment and improved IRR

While designing the 2-Axis Tracker we kept the weight of the steel structure similar to a single axis tracker with an average yield parity of 2.5:1 across the globe (the yield parity will be less close to the equator and higher above the Tropic of Cancer and below the Tropic of Capricorn.)