Proposal:Solar Panel Trackers
Solar Panel Trackers | |
---|---|
Proposal status: | Voting (under way) |
Proposed by: | Clorox |
Tagging: | generator:solar:tracking=* |
Applies to: | node, area |
Definition: | The solar tracker on a photovoltaic panel or thermal collector |
Statistics: |
|
Draft started: | 2023-07-26 |
RFC start: | 2023-08-03 |
Vote start: | 2023-08-18 |
Vote end: | 2023-09-01 |
Proposal
Some solar panels use a solar tracker to periodically rotate and reorient themselves towards the Sun, while others are permanently fixed at one angle. This is a relevant detail when computing estimates of the power output capacity of solar panels, and can often be determined by survey or by aerial imagery. Both thermal collectors (generator:type=solar_thermal_collector) and photovoltaic panels (generator:type=solar_photovoltaic_panel) may have solar trackers.
This proposal defines tags for different types of solar trackers, as well as more generic fallback values for when limited information is available. Existing values of solar:tracking=* will be migrated to the new tagging scheme. The generator:
prefix was chosen to match other aspects of solar panels and thermal collectors, which are tagged power=generator. The redundant value 2-axis
and dual
are deprecated in favor of the more descriptive dual_axis
, and fixed
is deprecated in favor of the more semantically useful no
. The related tag generator:orientation=sun_following is to be deprecated as well, and replaced with generator:solar:tracking=yes.
Rationale
Global Energy Monitor and TransitionZero are nonprofit organizations collaborating on a solar panel mapping project in select locations worldwide on OpenStreetMap. Before our project began in July 2023, there were about 2000 instances of solar:tracking=dual and 100 instances of solar:tracking=2-axis, which appears to refer to the same thing. Since then, we've added thousands of instances of solar:tracking=fixed and solar:tracking=single, though none of these tags have any documentation and there has been little discussion. We would like to solidify a tagging scheme for solar trackers so that mappers can capture these details as they locate and trace each solar panel.
Tagging
This tag applies to solar panels and thermal collectors, which share the existing tagging:
The following tags can be added according to the existence and type of solar tracker:
- generator:solar:tracking=no for fixed panels and collectors, with no solar tracker
- generator:solar:tracking=yes for an unspecified solar tracker
- generator:solar:tracking=single_axis for an unspecified single axis solar tracker
- generator:solar:tracking=horizontal for a horizontal single axis tracker (HSAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=horizontal_tilted for a horizontal single axis tracker with tilted modules (HTSAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=tilted for a tilted single axis tracker (TSAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=vertical for a vertical single axis tracker (VSAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=dual_axis for an unspecified dual axis solar tracker
- generator:solar:tracking=tip-tilt for a tip-tilt dual axis tracker (TTDAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=alt-azimuth for azimuth-altitude (or alt-azimuth) dual axis tracker (AADAT)
- generator:solar:tracking=single_axis for an unspecified single axis solar tracker
Deprecated tags
The following is a table of tags deprecated by this proposal and their replacements. Upon acceptance of this proposal, all instances of the following tags created by us at Global Energy Monitor will be mechanically edited. For the remaining instances of these tags, we will send a message to mappers who originally added them, inviting them to update them themselves. If they prefer that we perform the updates, or we don't get a response for 3 days, we will handle mechanically editing them to the new tagging scheme.
Examples
Key | Value | Element | Comment | Photo | Taginfo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
generator:solar:tracking | no | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with no solar tracker, permanently fixed at one angle | ||
generator:solar:tracking | yes | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with an unspecified solar tracker | ||
Single axis trackers | |||||
generator:solar:tracking | single_axis | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with an unspecified single axis tracker | ||
generator:solar:tracking | horizontal | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with a horizontal single axis tracker (HSAT) | ||
generator:solar:tracking | horizontal_tilted | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with a horizontal single axis tracker with tilted modules (HTSAT) | ||
generator:solar:tracking | tilted | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with a tilted single axis tracker (TSAT) | ||
generator:solar:tracking | vertical | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with a vertical single axis tracker (VSAT) | ||
Dual axis trackers | |||||
generator:solar:tracking | dual_axis | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with an unspecified dual axis tracker | ||
generator:solar:tracking | tip-tilt | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with a tip-tilt dual axis tracker (TTDAT) | ||
generator:solar:tracking | alt-azimuth | ![]() ![]() |
A feature with an azimuth-altitude (or alt-azimuth) dual axis tracker (AADAT) |
Features/Pages affected
- power=generator
- generator:source=solar
- generator:method=photovoltaic
- generator:method=thermal
- generator:type=solar_photovoltaic_panel
- generator:type=solar_thermal_collector
External discussions
- OSM community forum:
Comments
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Voting
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I approve this proposal. -- Something B (talk) 13:57, 18 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --Tordanik 16:58, 18 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --Jacobwhall (talk) 10:28, 19 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. -- Stevea (talk) 03:21, 20 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. Good job. Thanks --Adiatmad (talk) 09:02, 21 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --mnalis (talk) 23:15, 23 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --Westnordost (talk) 14:50, 30 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --B1tw153 (talk) 15:04, 30 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. Looks like a good step forward. Erictheise (talk) 15:22, 30 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --Phidauex (talk) 19:59, 30 August 2023 (UTC)
I approve this proposal. --Fanfouer (talk) 17:08, 1 September 2023 (UTC)