Trackers

The Intersolar conference Munich 2024 drew over 100,000 solar professionals, completely filling the massive convention hall. Discussions focused on low module pricing, technology breakthroughs, batteries everything, general electrification, and so much more.

Also on the rise: U.S. grid-scale storage grows 84%, residential storage 48%. Planted Solar reports doubled energy per acre with terrain-following array. And more.

California startup Planted Solar uses construction robots and high-density arrays to deliver what the company says are higher energy outputs and lower balance of system costs.

Owned by Unimacts and located near Las Vegas, this factory will produce steel components exclusively for Nextracker, bringing the tracker specialist’s annual domestic solar tracker capacity to over 30 GW.

Soltec has developed a floating PV tracker with pumps in the central tank for mobility and ballast, enabling operation in wind gusts above 100 km/h.

Also on the rise: Qualifying for the brownfield energy tax credit. Solar cell prices hold steady in quiet market. And more.

As solar projects are built increasingly in populated areas, community pushback has become a major risk to solar growth and achievement of climate targets. Yet by allowing solar installations to fit the land in its natural form, we can remove one of the most significant sources of pushback. We shouldn’t have to protect nature from solar development.

After collaborating with VDE Americas on studying the impact of hail events on solar installations, FTC developed a hail stow strategy that positions solar modules to minimize the impact from direct hail and wind.

Solar panels are often tilted to a stowed position to prevent wind damage to utility-scale assets. Array Technologies introduced a passive stowing strategy that prevents unnecessary production losses.

Also on the rise: Minnesota sues GoodLeap, Sunlight, Mosaic and Dividend over dealer fees. Improving transmission planning. And more.