NiBI's mounting strategy
· If the photovoltaic installation is located on flat ground or on top of a quite flat roof, solar trackers are in principle feasible, due to better flow of energy.
· Make each fragment of the solar collector (or reflector) as small as practical possible. This approach makes solar tracking of the collector more efficient and durable, than using large continuous surfaces. It is of priority to reduce the height of the collector, so that the wind loads are kept on a low level. (The wind load is the main load that complicates the collector design.)
· The lesser movement, the better. Small and light movements can be guided by simpler means, e.g. using the elasticity of the support material.
· One should find an area where the solar collector fragments can be located in high concentration, e.g. on a roof or on even ground. If one spread out the solar collectors that are connected to the same electrical load, the system will be more complicated (e.g. longer cables), hence more expensive. The only exception is when solar cells are used as Building Integrated Solar Panels.
· The collector fragments are best assembled in groups, close to each other, each group can effectively be actuated collectively. One group should include a reasonable amount of collector fragments. The groups should not be too large (which makes the system unstable), and not too small (which makes the system too complicated and gives obsessive precision).
· In case of a heliostat: Glass-mirrors are generally feasible, due to low cost and high durability (no corrosion, smooth surface).