The Netshield NPVT5 dual-axis solar tracker enables a solar panel array to follow the sun vertically and horizontally so that it is always perpendicular to the sun and collecting the maximum amount of solar power available.

Increasing the energy yield from solar array systems is important, but also increasing the time duration during which the energy is collected is even more important. We live in a world where renewable resources are regularly used as local or regional installations. The investments made in these systems are high and if the return on investment can be reduced by up to 45% by simply adding tracking dual or single axis tracking systems and decrease the dependency and duration of dependency on other resources, like grid feeds and battery backup systems, as energy from the renewable resources become active earlier in the morning and stay active until later in the afternoon.

These trackers use synchronized real time clock based time and date settings to position the solar arrays directly perpendicular to the sun for maximum yield during the time laps of each day, according to the day and month of the year to compensate for the earths seasonal tilt on its axis. Each exact position is then checked and corrected, if needed, by onboard gravitational pull, to calculate the vertical angle (up-down) with reference to the earth’s gravitational pull and an inertia sensors to calculate the horizontal positioning (east-west) according to the earth’s magnetic lines.

The system has an integrated protection that safe guards and automatically detects excessive wind forces by measuring the actual wind-speed and direction and if the structural stress becomes risky the system will park the array in a horizontal position with the smallest side area facing the wind. The system is also fitted with maximum rotation limit switches that automatically stops rotation before over rotation can occur.

The NPVT5 is accurate, high performance, easily installed and can be remotely monitored through SMS’s, positioned and controlled through Netshield’s remote monitoring solutions. Depending on the size of a panel each solar tracker can carry 5.5 Kilowatts (kW) – 7.4kW. All components are pre-drilled and ready to assemble and no sheet metal screws or field welding is required. Its motor runs infrequently and well below load limits and its functional design guarantees at least 25 years’ functioning.

Trackers have a hot-dipped galvanised steel structure and are equipped to work with recommended MPPT’s and inverters. They are programmed to stow at a wind speed of 13m/s with a capability of surviving gust loads of 150km/h. The NPVT5 is well suited to residential and small to medium commercial power plants but with scalable manufacturing Netshield is able to ship trackers for solar power plants ranging in size from 5 kW to Megawatts.