This 1.2 kW solar collector array is made up of 16 photovoltaic panels (75 watts each) manufactured by British Petroleum (BP).

During daylight hours, no matter what time of year or time of day, the array is positioned to point directly at the sun by this dual-axis tracker, which is manufactured by Wattsun.

The photovoltaic array converts the sunlight directly into Direct Current (DC) electricity.

In this profile view of the array, you can see the actuator that controls the tilt of the collector array.

This photo, taken in the summer, shows the array at a very shallow pitch, which is optimal for catching the summer sun that shines high in the sky.

In the winter, the sun is lower in the southern sky and the actuator would tilt the array to a more upright angle.

The actuator is the same type used to control moveable satellite dishes. In addition to tilt, the tracker also rotates around a vertical axis to track the daily movement of the sun from east to west.

The individual panels are connected in a series/parallel configuration to produce a 48-volt supply for the inverter.

The panels are mounted quite close together, so the fact that the sun can shine through the narrow passageway between panels indicates that this array is indeed pointed directly at the sun.

On a sunny summer day the system can produce 6 kWh of electricity.