Soltec unveils new solar tracker designed for U.S. market

Soltec announced the launch of its new SF7 USA solar tracker at Intersolar in San Diego, booth 720.

As the build-out of large-scale solar plants escalates in the U.S., the perfectly flat land easily amenable to solar is becoming scarce. Soltec is banking on its new trackers meeting a growing need in the market.

The SF7 is designed to adapt to terrain and to be easy to install in the field by cutting installation processes, reducing pile counts and taking other measures to streamline the design.

The tracker’s mounting tolerances range from 20 to 40 inches, and Soltec reports that the solar tracker can be installed on slopes of up to 17% and can be customized.

The SF7 tracker features wireless communication designed to withstand low temperatures. It uses Soltec’s TeamTrack system to ensure maximum production, delivering up to 6.8% more yield, Soltec reports. This works by minimizing shading losses between rows, especially on uneven terrain. Bifacial tracking also boosts efficiency, the company says, optimizing its position to make use of both sides of the module.

As with Soltec’s SFOne tracker, the SF7 includes Dy-Wind technology, which offers a method for designing wind-resistant tracking structures and the optimization of the diffuse booster system for low-light conditions. It also includes a Soltec-designed algorithm for hail defense, which is aimed at better protecting solar modules.

Like the SFOne, the SF7 can be locally manufactured, which Colin Caufield, VP of sales North America said is “reflecting our strong commitment to sustainability and support for American socio-economic development. It is a strategic market for us, and we want to be more than a technology provider, positioning ourselves as agents of change towards an energy-independent United States”.

Soltec sees the U.S. as a growing market for the Spanish firm. Europe currently accounts for about 27% of its turnover, with the U.S. accounting for 25% and Latin America 47%.