US headquartered solar tracker systems supplier FTC Solar has launched a new 1P solar tracking system called Pioneer for which it has also landed a big contract with Primoris Renewable Energy placing a 500 MW order.
Pioneer brings down the number of foundations by 18% to 36% thereby reducing capital and labor costs, it claims. With shorter row length, there is over 5% greater energy output for a given parcel of land.
FTC says it has used proprietary fast-module hang technology and fewer overall fasteners thus saving time and greatly reducing person-hours per MW. The new trackers can accommodate ultra large wide format modules of 550W and 600W capacity.
It can support all module factors including those over 2.4 meters in length and can independently operate from the grid during outages since it is self-powered with a high-energy battery for up to 3-days overall backup. Pioneer has also undergone rigorous wind tunnel testing by an independent engineering firm RWDI to face wind up to 120 mph.
"The introduction of Pioneer, FTC's unique solution to 1P Single Axis Trackers, will disrupt the status quo while enabling the company to serve our customers' growing portfolios of PV projects with differentiated 1P and 2P solutions," said Patrick Cook, Chief Commercial Officer of FTC Solar.
FTC plans to officially unveil the same during RE+Power show in the US to be held in September 2022, but has already landed an order for 500 MW from Primoris. The US company will use this 'new and differentiated' tracker technology for its multiple project sites in the US which will "also support our ability to provide increased domestic content to the market," said Primoris' SVP Operations Anthony Vorderbruggen.