Kyocera solar tracking systems ensure high solar yield in any weather
A strong performance: British solar installation exceeds expectations
27 March 2013
Kyoto / Neuss − Solar modules from Kyocera, one of the leading manufacturers in the photovoltaics field, offer high output even in adverse weather conditions. Despite it being a very rainy year, one British holiday resort to the north-east of Bristol was able to operate virtually independent of the main power grid in 2012, thanks to Kyocera modules. The special thing about this case is that the modules in this 50 kWp installation are not fixed on a rooftop but rather can be positioned to face the sunlight with the aid of a dual-axis tracking system. This provides the site with a 35% higher energy yield than comparably-sized static systems.
The solar modules from Kyocera impressively demonstrate that high performance modules enable profitable energy production, even in areas with less sunshine. The most recent proof of this is shown by a solar installation which has been supplying solar power to the Log House Holidays site in the Cotswold Water Park in Gloucestershire, Great Britain, since December 2011. Located on the banks of a lake, this site comprises a total of five dual-axis solar tracking systems of 10 kWp each. Each of these is fitted with 42 Kyocera solar modules with an output of 240 watts each.
Despite 2012 being the rainiest year in England since records began, the system produced more than 62,250 kilowatt hours of electricity during its first 12 months thanks to the exceptional performance of the Kyocera modules in low-lighting conditions – thereby exceeding all expectations. The energy yield of 1,245 kilowatt hours per kilowatt peak (kWh/kWp) is around 35% higher than a comparable roof-mounted installation in the same area.
The owner of the holiday park, Anthony Edmondson, is very pleased: “I am enthusiastic about the efficiency of this system – it benefits both the environment and our holiday village”. The five individual tracking systems were installed by Anthony’s own staff working with London based installer Williams Renewables against a very tight deadline before the feed-in tariff (FIT) cut-off date in early December 2011.
Despite this reliable energy yield, solar tracking systems are still rare in Great Britain. Fixed rooftop and ground-mounted systems are much more common. According to details from the British Department of Energy, the total output from all solar systems on the British islands in 2012 exceeded the 1 gigawatt mark for the first time.
For more information about Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu
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