130MW Wasteland-based PV Tracking System | Ningxia, China

1. Project Overview

•Project Background：The project is located in Zhongwei City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, at the edge of the Tengger Desert, characterized by desertified hilly terrain. As one of the first large-scale PV sand-control projects in China to deploy multi-drive linkage tracking technology, it represents not only a key component of regional clean energy base development but also a pioneering model for the innovative “PV + ecological restoration” approach. With a total installed capacity of 130MW, the project is equipped with a full intelligent tracking mounting solution provided by antaisolar.

•Project Requirements: The site features an arid climate, loose sandy soil, and undulating terrain. The client required a large-scale tracking PV plant capable of stable long-term operation under extreme environmental conditions, maximizing energy yield while delivering ecological restoration benefits. Specifically, the mounting solution needed to:（1）Deliver outstanding resistance to wind, sand, and snow loads, ensuring structural safety and operational stability under harsh climate conditions.（2）Adapt flexibly to terrain slopes of up to 20%, maximizing land utilization.（3）Reduce construction and O&M costs through innovative design, improving lifecycle economics.

2. Project Challenges

2.1 Harsh Wind, Sand, and Climatic Conditions
•Located in a northwestern inland desert zone, the site experiences frequent sandstorms, arid conditions, and winter snow loads. These factors pose severe challenges to mechanical transmission components, structural fatigue resistance, and electrical system reliability. The tracking system must demonstrate superior wind and sand resistance, as well as wind and snow load performance.

2.2 Stability of Tracking Systems under Extreme Conditions
•Under strong wind and sand exposure, conventional tracking systems may experience oscillation, resonance, or even module damage. The system therefore requires exceptionally high structural rigidity and damping characteristics to suppress dynamic response and ensure operational safety.

2.3 Multi-Dimensional Construction and Cost Control in Complex Desert Terrain
•The project site consists of hilly desert land with slopes up to 20%. Traditional large-scale land leveling would be costly and environmentally disruptive. The mounting system must therefore provide excellent terrain adaptability. In addition, the remote location imposes logistical constraints on material transport and construction conditions. Long-distance cable laying, trench excavation, and system commissioning introduce significant investment and scheduling pressures, creating systemic challenges for cost control and construction efficiency.
3.Solution
Antaisolar delivered a integrated solution centered on a 2P single-axis intelligent tracking mounting system.

3.1 Addressing Harsh Climate: Multi-Rotation Linkage Transmission and Redundant Damping
•The system adopts a multi-drive mechanical linkage transmission design, with multiple rotational drive units operating synchronously. This significantly enhances overall torsional rigidity and wind resistance, effectively reducing operational stress under strong wind and heavy snow conditions.
•An integrated redundant damping system increases structural damping characteristics, ensuring no oscillation or resonance under strong wind events, thereby maintaining tracking accuracy and module safety. The entire system is engineered in strict accordance with local meteorological conditions and load requirements.

3.2 Structural Stability: Patented Clamp Connection and High-Strength Structure
•A patented dual-clamp connection structure is applied to achieve fast and reliable connection between columns and main beams. This design improves installation efficiency while enhancing node rigidity and fatigue resistance, preventing loosening under long-term wind-induced vibration.
•The primary structure is manufactured from high-strength steel with enhanced anti-corrosion treatment to withstand prolonged desert exposure.

3.3 Complex Terrain Adaptation and Economic Optimization
•Based on high-precision topographic surveying data, the project implemented a “one-site-one-strategy” customized layout approach. Each tracker row was individually designed with dedicated pile coordinates and column heights, allowing the PV array to closely follow the natural terrain.
•The deployment of MESH wireless self-organizing network technology enables stable, cable-free communication between trackers and the monitoring center. This increased on-site commissioning efficiency by more than 50% and provides a robust platform for future intelligent remote O&M.
4. Project Results

•The 130MW tracking photovoltaic power plant has been successfully grid-connected and is operating reliably. As China’s first large-scale application of multi-rotation linkage tracking mounting technology, the project validates the system’s high adaptability and outstanding reliability in extreme desert environments.
•The power plant delivers substantial annual clean electricity generation, significantly enhancing regional renewable energy supply. Through the “PV sand-control” model, the PV arrays effectively reduce near-surface wind speed and moisture evaporation, creating favorable conditions for vegetation restoration beneath the modules. The project achieves an integrated outcome of clean energy development and desert ecological rehabilitation, demonstrating a scalable pathway for sustainable desert utilization.
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