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WisconSUN Case Study:
Lake Michigan Wind and Sun Ltd.
- Renewable Energy Technologies: 2.2 kW tracking PV (shown), 56 ft 2 flat plate solar hot water, 30 tube evacuated heat pipe solar thermal, 20 kW and 1 kW wind turbines
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PV Technologies Include:
Modules: single crystalline, poly-crystalline and amorphous
Racks: dual-axis motor driven, and single-axis passive trackers - Designed and Installed by: Lake Michigan Wind and Sun Ltd.
- Location: Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin
Lake Michigan Wind and Sun (LMW&S) is a renewable energy system design and build engineering firm specializing in wind, solar electric, and solar thermal systems. The photovoltaic (PV) systems, cofunded by WisconSUN, supports LMW&S marketing activities by demonstrating a variety PV technologies to prospective customers.
The PV system includes three panel types and two tracking rack types. The PV systems allows LMW&S to better understand the performance of the different solar technologies in Wisconsin's climate, and shows prospective system owners several options. The PV system is metered to measure production from each panel and rack type.
The PV panels are all silicon but have different crystal morphologies: Siemens single crystalline, Solarex polycrystalline and UniSolar amorphous (or glass like). Crystalline panels have the highest efficiency, work better in cold weather, and cost most per square foot. Amorphous panels have the lowest efficiency, work well in warm weather, and cost least per square foot.
The panels are mounted on two types of tracking racks. Trackers reposition the PV panels so that they are perpendicular to the sun throughout the day. A dual axis tracker goes both east and west and up down, while single axis track moves east to west. The active dual-axis tracker uses a motor controlled by light sensors, and PV power for tracking. The Zomeworks passive single-axis tracker uses the sun's heat to move liquid from side to side, allowing gravity to turn the tracker and follow the sun.
For more information about the renewable energy systems at Lake Michigan Wind and Sun,
contact
John Hippensteel
e-mail: info@windandsun.com
phone 920.743.0456
Internet site: www.windandsun.com
Photo credit
John Hippensteel
copyright © 2000 WisconSUN
