Nevados, the Solar Tracker That Adapts to Any Terrain with Yezin Taha | Clean Power Hour EP205

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.

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.

Products & Services
Chief Revenue Officer

Kurt Johnson

Kurt joined Nevados as VP of Sales and was shortly after promoted to Chief Revenue Officer, taking full leadership of our commercial organization as we expand into our next stage of growth. He brings over 25 years of renewable energy experience.

Over the course of his career at Maxeon Solar Technologies, Nextracker, and more than 15 years at SunPower, Kurt has built a deep network of relationships across the utility-scale solar sector. His industry knowledge and connections, combined with his track record of driving growth, position him to accelerate Nevados’ commercial momentum.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Rick Baldini

Rick has over 18 years of finance experience across several industries including financial services, insurance, real estate, and construction.  Rick is experienced in building, leading, and advising companies through complex restructurings, business expansion and product development.  

Prior to Nevados, Rick was the CFO for Link Real Estate & Urban Land Co, a real estate investment firm, that Rick led to become the fastest growing private company in Central Ohio.  Rick has also been successful in structuring a multi-million-dollar licensing deal with a public company while CFO at Global Administration Management, a boutique consulting firm in the insurance industry.

Rick is a graduate of the University of Arizona where he received a B.S. in Finance and Marketing.