On Today’s Episode:
Solar trackers have swept the utility-scale solar industry in recent years, with single-axis trackers now deployed on a staggering 94% of large-scale projects. While a few big names dominate the tracker market, one company – Nevados Solar – has carved out a distinct niche with its unique all-terrain tracking technology. In this episode, host Tim Montague chats with Nevados founder and CEO Yezin Taha about how their innovative segmented torque tube design is helping developers tackle more challenging project sites while driving down the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).
Yezin shares the intriguing story of how a serious skiing accident and shattered leg put him on the path to starting Nevados after years working at large engineering firms. He explains how breaking the torque tube into linked segments allows Nevados’ trackers to follow the natural contours of the land, greatly reducing the need for expensive and environmentally damaging grading. This terrain-following capability helps developers navigate permitting obstacles, shrink construction costs and timelines, and open up project opportunities on sites that would be infeasible with conventional trackers.
As Yezin details, Nevados pairs its segmented hardware with smart software to optimize energy yields on undulating ground – no easy feat. He dives into the sophisticated modeling tools the company has developed to accurately predict production and determine optimal module tilt angles on variable terrain slopes before construction.
Tim and Yezin also discuss the growing adoption of trackers on sites prone to differential settling, emerging domestic content requirements for solar equipment manufacturing, and the importance of installation speed and simplicity in the face of chronic labor shortages. Yezin offers his take on the future of the solar tracker market as the industry moves into more challenging locations in the wake of the IRA-fueled clean energy boom.
Key Takeaways
1. Nevados has developed a novel single-axis tracker design using linked torque tube segments that can conform to sloped terrain with minimal grading or site disturbance.
2. Their terrain-following trackers help developers avoid steep costs and permitting hurdles tied to major grading, while enabling project construction on sites that would be unworkable for conventional trackers.
3. Nevados’ plug-and-play tracker installs 25% faster than standard trackers thanks to its straightforward design and self-aligning module attachments.
4. Sophisticated software is key to optimize energy production on variable terrain; Nevados has developed tools to accurately model yields and generate backtracking schedules on sloped arrays.
5. The tracker industry is evolving to handle more challenging sites with differential settlement, navigate domestic content rules, and speed installation as the solar market surges.
