A dual-axis hydraulic joint system includes a vertical shaft, a horizontal shaft, and a hydraulic system. The vertical shaft allows a yaw rotational motion and the horizontal shaft allows a pitch rotational motion, wherein the rotational motion of the vertical shaft and the horizontal shaft is controlled by the hydraulic system. In doing so, the hydraulic system manages a pressure value within a vertical shaft enclosure that holds the vertical shaft, and also manages a pressure value within a horizontal shaft enclosure which holds the horizontal shaft. The pressure value within the vertical shaft enclosure or the horizontal shaft enclosure is either increased or decreased to determine the rotational direction of the vertical shaft or the horizontal shaft. When used for solar panel direction control, the hydraulic system operates according to feedback received from a light-sensor unit, a first encoding unit, and a second encoding unit.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A single axis solar tracker includes two drive systems (motors) that both rotate a rotating shaft. The drive systems may be located about 16-25% from either longitudinal end of the rotating shaft.

A power generation structure bearing assembly including a housing adapted to support a rail, where the housing includes a first housing member operatively attached to a support beam having a central axis, and an second housing member operatively attached to the rail, where the housing allows for movement of the rail in three degrees of freedom relative to the central axis with a mechanical stop on movement in at least one degree of freedom.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A universal adapter for enabling truss foundations to support conventional single-axis trackers. In some cases, the adapter has a main body with an upper portion that presents a standard I-beam interface with pre-drilled holes to interface to a specific single-axis tracker. A pair of connecting portions point down and away from the main body and enable upper leg sections to connect the adapter to a pair of driven screw anchors located below it. The connecting portions may orient the truss so that the rotational axis of the single-axis tracker is aligned with the work point of the truss foundation made from the adapter, upper legs, and driven screw anchors. This will enable to the truss to interface with many different trackers much like conventional plumb-driven H-pile foundations.

A bearing inner race for a solar panel tracker positioning system includes a semi-circular shaped body having a first upper land and an oppositely facing second upper land. A first elongated aperture is positioned proximate to the first upper land and a second elongated aperture is positioned proximate to the second upper land. A first alignment ring is centered within the first elongated through aperture and a second alignment ring is centered within the second elongated through aperture. The bearing inner race also includes a ground stud integrally connected to the body in an as-cast condition of the body.

Plant for producing solar energy including a support structure formed from support poles aligned fixed to the ground, a movement system for receiving devices of solar energy positioned on poles arranged in a row, adapted for allowing the movement of the devices about a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicular to one another, a rotating main tube about the first axis, to which a plurality of secondary tubes is connected, associated with said main tube, the secondary tubes having the receiver devices fixed to them and a movement mechanism for the primary tubes, and a sustaining and movement support arranged on each pole of said row, which has a housing that receives the main tube of the movement system and that allows the rotation thereof about the axis.

A driveline joint may include a driveline shaft that has a plurality of slots and a shaft coupling positioned in an interior of the driveline shaft in which the shaft coupling includes one or more openings with each of the openings corresponding to one or more respective slots of the plurality of slots included in the driveline shaft. The driveline joint may include one or more spherical bearings that are each positioned between an interior lateral surface of the driveline shaft and an exterior lateral surface of the shaft coupling and against one of the openings of the shaft coupling. The driveline joint may include one or more fasteners, wherein each of the fasteners extends through one of the slots and one of the openings of the shaft coupling.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.