The paper presents the preliminary results of a study performed at the MGMVLab / S.Ilario Solar Station of the University of Genoa on the use of a virtual model to evaluate dynamic phenomena and pointing accuracy perturbations induced by external excitations (due e.g. to wind or traffic) on the mirrors orienting mechanism in solar energy power plants. This clearly involves the balance between the structural flexibility of the mechanism due to cost reduction exigencies and the accuracy required for a proper operation. Obviously also the supporting structure influence must be considered; the present paper refers mainly to the pointing linkage.

Paolo Silvestri studied at the University of Genoa.