Designing for extreme wind: Understanding fatigue loading on solar trackers

Single-axis solar trackers need to be designed with extreme weather conditions in mind for assets to resist damage and perform over the long term. Understanding fatigue loading and how wind can wear down the purlins that support ground-mounted solar installations is an important factor in system design.

In this pv magazine Webinar, we will review fatigue loading from hurricane and high-wind events and their impact on solar trackers. We will review existing code requirements for solar trackers and related best practices. The panelists will highlight shortcomings of current standards and make recommendations for new requirements and testing procedures that more accurately reflect real-world data. We’ll also see some examples of test results performed under the suggested procedures.

Attendees will walk away from the webinar with an improved understanding of how best-in-class design can mitigate the risks of fatigue loading from extreme winds and how to make educated equipment choices for high-wind project sites.

pv magazine Webinar content:

• Review wind fatigue loading impact on solar projects
• Discussion of novel analysis to determine cycle quantity and amplitude of fatigue loading during a hurricane
• Consider shortcomings of current standards and proposed testing best practices for high-wind design
• View lab-tested examples and learn how to select components for high-wind project sites
• Q&A

Questions can be submitted beforehand in the comments window when registering or in the chat during the live webinar. Ryan Kennedy, editor at pv magazine USA, will moderate this webinar.

Registration for this pv magazine Webinar is free of charge.