A subdegree precision sun tracker for 1000X microconcentrator modules

In this paper we present a subdegree precision pedestal sun tracker developed for 1000X microconcentrator modules. Setting a cost target of 100 /spl euro//m/sup 2/, a lightweight structure has been designed that, fully made out of commercially available parts, stays operative for wind speeds which account for at least 95% of the available direct solar radiation. The electronic tracking control unit relies on a strategy which resorts to high accuracy solar ephemeris, parameter fitting for a model of installation and manufacturing errors, an adaptive algorithm for absorbing unforeseen or time varying errors, and automatic calibration of cheap sun pointing sensors against array power output.