Arizona-based Ideematec was selected to provide its Horizon L:TEC solar tracking systems for 100 MW of community solar to be developed throughout New York State.
The trackers were sourced via an Ideematec partnership with Eco Engineering, LightEdison, and Source Renewables. Ideematec’s products were chosen for their resilience in withstanding upstate New York’s extreme weather environments, streamlined installation process, and bankability, according to Osea Nelson, partner at LightEdison.
The trackers feature a two-in-portrait (2P) configuration. Historically, 2P trackers have struggled to mitigate challenges like vortex shedding and torsional galloping, phenomena that occur at lower wind speeds. At greater wind speeds, the trackers face strain from the increased surface area of the 2p configuration. The greater surface area of the orientation and increasingly-larger modules make wind effects even more pronounced.
The companies will first deploy a 25 MW portfolio of community solar projects in National Grid’s service area, all to be registered under New York’s NY-Sun program. The NY-Sun program focuses on funding distributed generation projects and increasing New Yorkers’ access to the benefits of solar energy.
In the last two years, New York has made large community solar capacity additions. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state added 549 MW of community solar capacity in 2020, leading the nation. More than 90% of the state’s 2.7 GW NY-Sun incentive-awarded, two-year development pipeline of projects are community solar, comprising more than 800 projects.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the next five years will see the U.S. community solar market add more than 4 GW of total capacity.
Eco Engineering/LightEdison will lead the portfolio’s procurement efforts as a joint venture in partnership with Source Renewables.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
This is impeccable work in Upstate New York. I think this is timely.