Inspenet, March 31, 2023
Canadian company Three Sixty Solar developed a photovoltaic solar tower that uses 90% of the available land and has been shown to withstand Category 1 hurricane winds.
The company manufactures stacked systems from 12 to 36 m high, designed to make the most of the space in height and not in length. With a maximum power of up to 250 kW, the PV tower promises to reduce costs without harming the environment or surrounding habitats.
Each unit has three sides completely covered by vertical photovoltaic panels, so the final production essentially depends on the orientation of the structure, which cannot guarantee the maximum possible production. On the other hand, the chimney effect inside the towers helps dissipate heat, increasing performance.
These days, the company has published a white paper with the results of 16 months of testing. Sixteen months in which the pilot photovoltaic tower built in Kelowna (British Columbia) proved to withstand particularly aggressive weather conditions. From a fierce storm with wind gusts of up to 135 km/h to heavy rain, hail and snow.
In January 2023, tests were carried out on the effect of dirt on the panels and it was found that after one year, the modules had not experienced any change in voltage or current. And the vertical placement of the panels had allowed all the snow to fall off the tower without human intervention.
The design of this tower has more benefits than the possibility of using up to 90% less land. The reduction of maintenance activities lowers operating costs and improves the economics of the project.
Photo : Three Sixty Solar
Don’t miss the Inspenet News at: https://inspenet.com/inspenet-tv/
Loading...
