Planetary gearboxes, with their high torque density, precise positioning, outdoor durability, low backlash, maintenance-free operation, and high transmission efficiency, perfectly match the core requirements of the PV industry: all-weather outdoor operation, high-precision sun tracking, smooth heavy-load drive, low maintenance cost, and energy efficiency. Compared with cycloidal pinwheel reducers and conventional gear reducers, planetary gearboxes offer significant advantages in adaptability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.

The most critical application of planetary gearboxes in the PV field is in solar tracking systems—including single-axis horizontal, single-axis tilted, and dual-axis trackers. These systems rotate PV modules to follow the sun, increasing power generation by 20%–30%. Deployed outdoors in deserts, mountains, or coastal areas, trackers must withstand extreme temperatures, wind, sand, rain, and snow, while ensuring high-precision sun tracking, low-fault continuous operation, and smooth heavy-load rotation. Planetary gearboxes meet all these stringent requirements perfectly.

High Precision and Low Backlash

Ensures Accurate Sun Tracking and Maximizes Power Generation

The core requirement of a solar tracking system is precise tracking of solar azimuth and elevation angles. Even slight positioning errors reduce PV module light capture efficiency, directly impacting energy output. Precision planetary gearboxes for trackers achieve backlash as low as 1–3 arcmin, with some high-precision models reaching sub-arcminute levels.

With zero transmission dead zone or delay, planetary gearboxes form a highly accurate closed-loop system when paired with servo/stepper motors and encoders, enabling sun tracking accuracy within ±0.1°. Low backlash also ensures responsive transmission, allowing the system to quickly adjust to cloud cover or changing solar positions. Compared with cycloidal pinwheel reducers (backlash >10 arcmin), planetary gearboxes deliver multiple times higher positioning accuracy, directly improving tracker efficiency and PV energy yield.

High Torque Density and Strong Impact Resistance

Handles Heavy-Load Panels and Outdoor Wind Forces

PV trackers must support dozens to hundreds of PV modules (each ~20 kg, with full-frame loads reaching several tons) and withstand alternating wind loads (gusts, typhoons causing radial and axial offset loads). The gearbox must provide continuous heavy-load torque while withstanding short-term impact loads.

Planetary gearboxes offer much higher torque density than conventional reducers. Their compact size allows super high torque output (single-stage ratio 3–10, multi-stage >100) with a coaxial design capable of driving the tracker shaft directly, without additional torque amplification. Core components—including planetary carriers, gears, and output shafts—are made of high-strength alloy steel, carburized and hardened, providing high structural rigidity. This effectively absorbs wind-induced shocks and alternating torques, preventing deformation or gear tooth failure and avoiding tracker jamming or rotation loss common with conventional reducers.

Outdoor Durability and Maintenance-Free Operation

Ensures Low O&M in Remote PV Plants

PV plants are often located in remote deserts, steppes, coastal regions, or mountains, where maintenance personnel are scarce, operational costs are high, and equipment must run 24/7 with minimal faults. Outdoor conditions include sand, dust, extreme temperatures (-40°C to 60°C), rain, snow, humidity, and salt spray (coastal), demanding excellent sealing, weather resistance, and maintenance-free operation.

PV-specific planetary gearboxes feature fully sealed designs: dual-lip oil seals, dust protection rings, and labyrinth seals prevent sand, water, and dust ingress and avoid lubricant leakage. Internally, they are filled with long-life grease suitable for -40°C to 120°C, resistant to low-temperature solidification, high-temperature breakdown, and wear—enabling lifetime maintenance-free operation. The housing is made of aluminum alloy die-cast with surface coating or anodizing, providing corrosion and UV resistance, ideal for salt spray and desert environments, ensuring long-term reliable outdoor operation.

High Transmission Efficiency

Reduces Energy Consumption and Increases Net Power Output

Solar trackers’ motors consume part of a PV plant’s energy, so high efficiency is critical for maximizing net power output. Planetary gearboxes achieve 97%–99% single-stage efficiency, with multi-stage configurations exceeding 90%, far higher than cycloidal pinwheel reducers (70%–85%) or conventional gear reducers (85%–90%).

High transmission efficiency reduces motor power loss, lowering tracker energy self-consumption, minimizing motor heat and stress, and preventing long-term high-load failures. Over a 25-year plant lifespan, the efficiency of planetary gearboxes can save significant electricity, directly improving net PV energy yield and reducing operational costs.

Smooth Low-Speed Operation

Prevents Tracker Vibration and Protects PV Modules

PV modules are fragile glass components. Tracker vibrations or jamming can cause cracks or micro-fractures, leading to high repair costs. Planetary gearboxes feature precision-ground and profile-modified gears, and planetary gears with load-sharing design, ensuring evenly distributed forces.

Even at ultra-low tracking speeds (0.1 r/min), the transmission remains smooth, vibration-free, and impact-free, allowing the tracker to follow the sun gently and continuously. This smooth motion protects PV modules, safeguarding the plant’s core assets.