Global automotive supplier Nexteer Automotive recently finalized the commissioning of the largest residential dual axis solar tracking system in the state of Michigan. Located near Holly, the site consists of three SunSteer arrays, two at 7 kW each and one at 6 kW, for a total of 20 kW, which precisely follow the sun’s travel position over the course of the day and provide energy to the entire residence.
“Our vision is to provide the highest quality, most reliable and cost effective solar actuator systems on the market,” said Rafal Wyszomirski, vice president, chief operating officer international division. “SunSteer is a proven technology that has been thoroughly tested and validated, and the results are quite remarkable.”
Utilizing over 100 years of automotive steering technology, Nexteer’s first alternative energy product, SunSteer, is able to track the movement of the sun within less than one degree, optimizing the capture of solar energy and producing up to 50 percent more kilowatts of energy per day than equally sized, stationary solar installations. Under normal operating conditions, SunSteer consumes less than $2.00 of energy per year.
“The system has allowed me to completely meet the energy demands of my entire residence and has exceeded my expectations for power production,” added Ed Wojtkowicz, the residential system owner. “The SunSteer system is amazing in that it allows me to extract optimal energy from every minute of the day – and do so quietly and efficiently. It takes only pennies to run, and increases my power production by thousands of dollars each year.”
“We have entered the residential energy sector with a product that is highly efficient and easily adaptable to individual energy requirements,” said David Westphal, executive director for the SunSteer program. “This residential installment is another in a series projects we’ve launched since brining SunSteer to market nearly two years ago.”
SunSteer uses a precision built, high efficiency ball screw/ball nut combination that provides operating efficiencies up to 95 percent and has been tested for 25 years of field use without failure. It is manufactured at Nexteer’s world headquarters in Saginaw, with more than 90 percent U.S. content produced in the United States and more than 50 percent of its content produced in Michigan.
“Our alternative energy solution is produced, tested and utilized locally,” added Westphal. “Contrary to popular thought, solar installations in northern climates, such as Michigan, can produce just as much energy as those in ‘sunny’ locations, especially when tracked. With heat being a key driver of efficiency loss, our northern climate allows the panels to run at lower operating temperatures, maximizing usable solar energy absorption.”
To accomplish this record setting site installation over the past six months, Nexteer engineers worked with commercial partners at Oak Electric in Waterford, Michigan and the Michigan Detroit Edison System (DTE).
— Solar Builder magazine
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