GameChange Solar, a solar tracker specialist, recently announced that its accelerated testing of the Genius Tracker drive system to demonstrate it would hold up for its 40-year design life with no maintenance needed.
The testing of the drive system was performed according to the Accelerated Mechanical Cycling section of the IEC 62817 standard, GameChange reported. This standard ensures that testing for things like water ingress, cracks, loose screws, etc., is consistent and follows standard industry procedures, which result in a pass/fail criterion.
The company performed its testing at an outdoor site in Brimfield, Mass., where it put the drive systems through accelerated testing, simulating 40 years of continuous movement.
GameChange said the testing demonstrates that the Genius Tracker drive system will hold up to 40-years of trusted performance, resulting in reduced maintenance costs and a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The Genius Tracker drive system is self-contained and is designed to need no greasing over its lifetime.
“Traditional drives that require regular greasing increase maintenance expenses,” said Derick Botha, chief commercial officer at GameChange Solar. “Testing of our Genius Tracker drive system indicates that its design significantly reduces, and possibly eliminates, the need for any greasing throughout its design life. This feature improves the cost savings that our Genius Tracker product provides to customers.”
GameChange recently announced its expansion to 35 GW of annual U.S. domestic manufacturing capacity for key components. This is an increase of 11 GW from its output in 2023.
To date the company reports it has delivered over 26 GW of solar tracker and fixed tilt systems. For example, Catalyze, a national independent power producer, completed two solar projects in Lancaster, New York that use GameChange trackers. The installations, one of which is a community solar project, sit on a 197-acre decommissioned landfill in Erie County, New York.
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