French Start-up Offers“Manual” Solar Trackers For Residential Photovoltaic Systems

Luciole & Basilic, a French company, has developed a tracking system that can manually orient itself to the zenith every 15 days. The start-up recently launched its first prototype and is looking for a distributor. Luciole & Basilic, a French start-up, has developed a tracker for residential photovoltaic devices that it claims can increase energy productivity by 12 per cent. "The principle is simple," Nicolas Ditleblanc, the company's founder, told French magazine pv. "We have developed an adjustable fixed system, linked to an application called Zenitrack, which will show the solar panel's best tilt towards the zenith throughout the year," says the solar system owner, who can fine-tune their solar panel angles every two weeks, to ensure that you are always facing the sun. They can manually move the device using a telescopic bar. "We used the power grip function, a type of handle used in the maritime industry to precisely adjust the length of the telescopic tube," the inventor said. "By using a scale system, users can adjust the tilt of their solar panel from 15 to 80 degrees depending on the zenith," says Ditleblanc, which claims the system can increase annual power solar panel by 12 per cent. "We compared a 1KW fixed roof photovoltaic system with a 30 ° orientation to a 1KW ZENITRACK system on the garden floor," he explained. "In the summer, the yield difference is very small, but in the winter -- when the yield is very low and the household is using the most electricity -- our adjustable units are 30% to 50% more productive than fixed units," says the system, which can be used in any solar panel smaller than 1.20 metres. Production of the first prototype has begun. "This component is for a small home-use system with one or two, or even three panels, and our target price is $170($186) including tax," Ditleblanc said. "At the moment, we are looking for distributors in Europe."