What is an MPP tracker?
An MPP tracker is a device or an electrical circuit that optimizes the energy yield of a photovoltaic module. The MPP Tracker ensures that the photovoltaic module is operated at its optimal operating point (MPP). This optimizes the energy yield of the photovoltaic modules.
The MPP Tracker is the heart of every photovoltaic boiler or photovoltaic heating element. fothermo has managed to develop a unique MPP tracker with a very high level of efficiency. Since there is hardly any thermal power loss, the electronics do not need to be actively cooled. This means that no fans (mechanical/moving components) need to be installed, which in turn leads to a compact, durable and efficient design.
Why does a photovoltaic boiler need an MPP tracker?
The MPP Tracker ensures that the energy from the photovoltaic modules can be used even on cloudy days. Particularly in spring, autumn and winter, as much of the limited solar energy as possible must be converted into hot water in order to produce hot water. The MPP Tracker is essential for this. Without MPP Tracker, the photovoltaic boiler would hardly work in low solar radiation (spring, autumn, winter, morning, evening and on cloudy days). In other words: a photovoltaic boiler WITHOUT an MPP tracker only works satisfactorily in times of high solar radiation.
When solar radiation is low, the MPP Tracker adjusts the power of the heating element in the boiler precisely to the current power of the photovoltaic module. For example, if the photovoltaic modules deliver 125 W, the power of the boiler is set to 125 W by the MPP Tracker. This means that all of the photovoltaic energy can be used. Without the MPP Tracker adjusting the heating resistance in the boiler, the voltage of the photovoltaic modules would collapse and the maximum heating output would be around 30 W. In this example, the MPP Tracker ensures 76% additional yield.
