US 11,914,404 B2
Systems for and methods of positioning solar panels in an array of solar panels with spectrally adjusted irradiance tracking
Yudong Ma, Richmond, CA (US); Francesco Borrelli, Kensington, CA (US); Yang Liu, Mountain View, CA (US); and Allan Daly, Albany, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/268,939
Filed by NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 28, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/048665
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/047167, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 5, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/723,915, filed on Aug. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0341951 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05D 3/10 (2006.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01); H02S 40/38 (2014.01); G01S 3/786 (2006.01); G01W 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 3/105 (2013.01) [G01S 3/7861 (2013.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.12); H02S 40/38 (2014.12); G01W 1/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar tracker system, comprising:
multiple rows of rotatable solar panel modules forming a grid of solar panel modules, wherein the multiple rows of rotatable solar panel modules are movable relative to a solar source independently of each other;
a control system configured to orient each of the multiple rows of solar panel modules to the solar source independently of each other based on a performance model to optimize an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules, wherein the performance model predicts an energy output from the grid of solar panel modules based on an orientation of each of the multiple rows of solar panel modules to the solar source and first data comprising weather conditions local to each of the multiple rows of solar panels;
a DHI-GHI module;
a diffuse angle adjustor; and
a weather look-up module, the weather look-up module in communication with the DHI-GHI module and providing weather data to the DHI-GHI module and the diffuse angle adjustor;
wherein the control system orients each of the multiple rows of solar panel modules also based on data generated by the DHI-GHI module and the diffuse angle adjustor.