OMCO Solar showcased its latest tracker controller, OMCO Star, at RE+ 2025
The product works on LoRa wireless communication technology
It is commercially available across the US
During RE+ 2025, US-based solar tracker and fixed-tilt mounting structure manufacturer OMCO Solar showcased its latest tracker controller – OMCO Star Tracker Control System.
The controller typically governs the movements of each tracker in real-time based on the feedback from multiple external devices. OMCO’s latest controller works on LoRa wireless communication technology – a key feature, according to the company.
In a remote wireless communication system, the network controllers work between tracker controllers and multiple gateways. The former manages the addressing, registration, and health status of multiple tracker controllers in a PV tracker field, while the gateways serve as an interface between LoRa wireless and cloud or server protocols. Without a network controller, gateways would forward raw data to SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) or a cloud server without any awareness of device identities.
Unlike the Zigbee communication technology, the LoRa alternative operates in a lower frequency range (longer wavelength), which extends its communication range to more than 1 mile (1.6 km). This reach reduces the number of network controllers required in a PV tracker field installation, thereby reducing installation costs. It also supports direct communication with multiple end-devices, thanks to its lower operating frequency, which bends around obstacles such as trees, walls, or buildings. This reduces the number of gateways needed. Additionally, its battery-powered DC control eliminates the need for AC cables and offers uninterrupted operation even in extreme environmental conditions.
The controller features multiple safety functionalities to protect the trackers under its command from strong wind, hailstorms, heavy snowfall, and flooding.
Lepolve Varpilah, OMCO Solar’s Director of Electrical and Software Engineering, said, “The launch of the OMCO Star Tracker Control System is the culmination of years of collaboration by our engineering and in-house software teams, alongside valuable feedback from customers, installers, and partners.”
This new product is compatible with its commercially available trackers from the OMCO Origin Factory-Direct Tracker series. The
controllers are manufactured in-house and are commercially available nationwide.