STP - Solar tackers are planned and built for European extreme weather developments

From an insurance perspective, increasing extreme weather in Europe is defined as an unusual, intense weather event that actually occurs rarely but can cause significant damage to infrastructure, property and people. But it is precisely these rare manifestations that have been on the increase recently.

The definition and categorization of extreme weather situations often depends on the specific geographical circumstances and the type of insurance, but generally includes the following aspects:

1. frequency and intensity

Extreme weather events were actually rare in Europe compared to normal weather conditions. They are characterized by their above-average intensity. Examples of this are

Storms and hurricanes: strong winds that are well above the typical wind speed of the region.

Floods: Floods caused by intense rainfall, snowmelt or river overflows that greatly exceed normal water levels.

Heat waves: Unusually high temperatures over an extended period of time that significantly exceed the normal heat for a region.

Cold waves: Unusually low temperatures that are not typical for a region and season.

Hail: Large hailstones that cause damage to cars, buildings and plants.

2. economic damage

Insurers often also consider extreme weather events in terms of the damage they can cause to insured property. An extreme weather event is therefore also defined by the fact that it results in significant economic losses, for example due to:

Damage to buildings and infrastructure

Destruction of crops or agricultural land

Damage to vehicles or other movable goods

3. unpredictability

Extreme weather events are often difficult to predict or occur on a scale that exceeds normal forecasts. They often come as a surprise or on an unforeseen scale, giving the affected areas little time to prepare.

4 Insurance definitions

Specific extreme weather events are often explicitly named in insurance policies, and there are certain categories of risks that are covered or excluded by insurance by default. These include:

Natural hazards: In Germany and other countries, there are special insurance policies against so-called "natural hazards" caused by natural events such as floods, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides, heavy rainfall or volcanic eruptions.

Storm and hail damage: Many building or car insurance policies cover storm damage, whereby "storm" is often defined as wind force 8 (62-74 km/h) or higher.

Unforeseen weather disasters: For many insurers, rare or particularly severe natural events (e.g. a "flood of the century") are classified in a different risk profile and require additional insurance.

5. examples of extreme weather events from an insurance perspective

Hurricanes and tornadoes: These destructive storms can cause significant property damage and high costs and often require special insurance clauses.

Lightning strikes: These are considered sudden, unpredictable events and are often covered by building insurance policies.

Droughts: In agricultural insurance, droughts can be defined as an extreme weather event as they can cause significant crop losses.

In summary, extreme weather is defined from an insurance perspective by its rarity, intensity, the damage caused and the coverage in insurance policies. The focus is often on the specific risk and the amount of damage in order to determine whether and to what extent an insurance claim exists.

Our STP solar trackers, which are optimized for use in extreme weather areas, therefore have specific technical features to withstand the particular stresses and requirements.

STP-Solartracker plans and builds tracker-based photovoltaic parks and always carries out shading analyses at the intended tracker installation sites on the basis of 3D photometry and Scanifly software.

Here are some technical specifications and features that our STP solar trackers have:

6. structure and material

Material: Corrosion-resistant steel (galvanized) or aluminium with a reinforced protective layer against salty air and high humidity.

Wind resistance: Designed for wind speeds of up to 160 km/h (wind load zone 4 or higher), depending on the region.

Foundation: Deep piles, concrete foundations or earth claws for anchoring to prevent soil erosion and movement due to wind or flooding.

Snow load capacity: Load-bearing capacity for a snow load of at least 500-800 kg/m² (depending on local snow volumes).

7. movement system

Type: One-axis tracking system STP SA 20 or dual-axis tracking system STP DSO 400) for maximum sun exposure, even in changing weather conditions.

Wind protection: Automatic safety mechanism that brings the solar panels into a horizontal or protective position in strong winds.

Tilt angle: Adjustable from 0° to 60° or higher to adapt optimally to low sun angles or snow accumulations.

Positioning speed: Movable axes with an adjustment time of < 1 minute per position change to react quickly to weather changes.

8. electronics and control

Sensors: Solar radiation sensors are standard; additional integrated weather stations with wind, temperature, humidity and solar radiation sensors can be installed at extra cost.

Protection against lightning strikes: Lightning protection systems for electrical components and earthed structures.

Control system: Weather-adaptive control software that automatically brings our trackers into a safe position in the event of extreme weather events.

Monitoring: Remote monitoring and control system (SCADA) that sends real-time alerts of potential damage.

9. resilience to natural hazards

Hail protection: Tempered glass panels that can withstand hailstones up to 25-30 mm in diameter.

Temperature resistance: Functionality in a temperature range from -15°C to +65°C (single-axis STP tracker SA-20) -20°C to +70°C (dual-axis STP tracker DSO 400) to withstand extreme cold or heat periods.

Waterproof electronics: Electronic controls and sensors in weatherproof housings (at least protection class IP65 or higher) to protect against moisture, rain and snow.

10. performance optimization

Increased efficiency: Optimization of the tracker to increase the energy yield by 50% (STP SA-20) to 60% (STP DSO 400) compared to permanently installed solar panels, even under changing weather conditions.

Automatic shutdown: Protective mechanism that automatically shuts down our tracker in the event of extreme weather conditions (storms, lightning strikes) and switches to safe mode.

11. maintenance and operational safety

Self-cleaning surfaces: Anti-reflective and anti-dirt coatings on the solar modules to minimize the accumulation of dust, snow and dirt.

Service interval: Low maintenance requirements with scheduled inspections only every 12 - 24 months.

Modular design: Easy repair and replacement options for damaged modules or drive components after extreme weather events.

12. technical service life

Service life: Minimum service life of 25-30 years, even under extreme weather conditions.

Warranty: EU standard warranties on our structure and tracking system to ensure reliability and durability.

These technical specifications ensure that an STP solar tracker works efficiently in extreme weather conditions while providing the necessary protection against harsh environmental conditions.

Solar Tracker Polska Sp.z o.o
ul. Mickiewicza 22/3
58-500 Jelenia Gora
Polen

htpps://www.solar-tracker.pl

Herr Michael Ilgner
++49 - (0) 152 900 67 673

m.ilgner@solar-tracker.pl

About STP Solar Tracker Polska Sp.z o.o

The Polish company STP Solar Tracker Polska Sp.z. o.o. (https://solar-tracker.pl/) was taken over on 01.01.2024 50% by the Dutch Intraco Holding B.V. and 50% by a German investor. Since its foundation in 1990, the founder of Solar Tracker Polska, Mr. Gwalbert Stefanski, has built the company into a successful producer of single- and dual-axis solar trackers for a wide range of applications.
STP Solar Tracker Polska Sp.z o.o builds on this experience and technology and develops new innovative ideas.

This release was published on openPR.