In response to global climate change, governments worldwide seek green energy sources. Solar power generation, characterized by its green, low-carbon, and sustainable nature, has become one of the important choices for the development direction of new energy worldwide. LCSC supplier GTL-POWER will introduce the five power supply methods for solar tracker brackets in this article.
Faced with the pressure of the gradual withdrawal of photovoltaic subsidies and the continuous optimization of grid electricity prices, the photovoltaic industry has been striving to find various ways to increase power generation and project profits. One of the important methods found is the use of solar tracker brackets. Compared with fixed brackets, the use of tracking brackets allows the direction of photovoltaic components to be adjusted according to the light exposure, reducing the angle between the components and the direct sunlight, thus obtaining more solar radiation, improving power generation efficiency, increasing power generation, and increasing project profits.
Solar tracker brackets require a rotating mechanism to direct the brackets in the optimal direction as needed. The rotating mechanism typically comprises motors and reduction devices, with the rotation of the motor managed by the control board. This article primarily introduces various power supply methods currently utilized for solar tracker brackets, along with power supply products developed by GTL-POWER Electronics tailored to these power supply schemes.
The main power supply methods for solar tracker brackets are as follows, as shown in Table 1.
| Number | Power supply type | Power | Lithium battery pack | Power source |
| Power supply mode 1 | Low voltage AC/DC | High power | Not configured | Powered by AC mains |
| Power supply mode 2 | High voltage AC/DC | High power | Not configured | Take power from the low voltage side of the step-up grid-connected power frequency transformer |
| Power supply mode 3 | Low voltage DC/DC | Low power | Configuration | Power from independent low-voltage photovoltaic panels |
| Power supply mode 4 | High voltage DC/DC | Low power | Configuration | Power from high voltage photovoltaic panels |
| Power supply mode 5 | High voltage DC/DC | High power | Configuration | Power from high voltage photovoltaic panels |
Table 1: five solar tracker bracket power supply methods
In response to these five power supply methods, GTL-POWER Electronics has developed a range of products to meet the needs of solar tracker systems. Its product range includes the GH150-V3SxxK-S, GH350-V4SxxU-S, and so on, with a rated power of 150W and 350W respectively, and an output voltage of 24/28/32/48VDC, with the option of a customized output voltage.
The aforementioned power supply methods each possess distinct advantages and disadvantages. Methods 1 and 2 are both AC power supplies, necessitating extensive cable installation. The primary benefit is the absence of a lithium battery pack, which is not susceptible to fluctuations in battery life. Methods 3, 4, and 5 are local power supplies, though a lithium battery pack must be configured.
In the field of solar tracker bracket applications, the motor rotates intermittently, for example, it rotates for 10 seconds and then stops for 10 minutes. For power supply methods 3 and 4, during the motor’s downtime, the lithium battery can timely replenish the energy consumption, which is equivalent to always being in a state of shallow charge and shallow discharge, which is very conducive to extending its life. For power supply method 5, since the lithium battery pack is only used as a backup, it may be in a full charge state for a long time, which is not very good, because there are drawbacks to storing lithium batteries at full charge for a long time: it increases safety hazards and accelerates battery aging. Therefore, in the control strategy, it is best to have charge and discharge management to extend the battery life.
Discover GTL-POWER‘s power supply modules and other products on the LCSC brand page today.
