Spanish mine engineers José Luis Peón González and José Raúl González Ruiánchez have developed a new solar mounting system for applications in areas with limited space.
"Our system uses the third dimension (Z) to escape the limitations imposed by the terrain: not only derived from its scarcity, but also from the orography, or the visual impact of a solar plant on the landscape," Peón González
The engineers claim that their solution arose from the fusion of two mature technologies – the construction of suspended cable structures as PV Mounting Systems and PV panel.
"We created a new way of deploying projects that can reach places where no one had thought of," they said.
In their proposed system configuration, the solar panels are mounted on a metal structure, which is suspended on at least two steel load-bearing cables whose ends are supported by a structure, metal or concrete, and anchored to a rocky slope or to the ground.
"In addition to requiring fewer earthworks, our system makes it possible to take advantage of the existing large surfaces, for example, in the port system to generate energy near consumption points and would make the construction of new high-voltage lines less necessary," González Ruiánchez said. "Our installation can also be adapted to help reduce dust emissions in the handling of solid bulk, and could also generate shaded areas."
The system could also serve as an alternative to floating PV system in complex areas, as it would not be affected by waves, and it does not need intermediate supports.
In addition to the minimal impact on flora and fauna and the possibility of its deployment in mountainous areas, the fact that the installation is elevated means that no fencing or surveillance is necessary. It can facilitate the recovery of areas affected by mining operations, while reducing restoration costs.
