In our 2nd TaiyangNews Market Survey on Solar Trackers we covered also products from Nextracker the global leader for trackers with cumulative shipments totaling nearly 60 GW. The company carries on its two-product range from 2021 – NX Horizon and NX Gemini.
The NX Horizon is an independent-row 1P tracker that uses a self-powered motor and control system, with self-aligning module rails and vibration-proof fasteners. Its bifacial enhancing tracker features a 1P architecture that includes PV modules elevated higher above the tubes and a tracker drive system not located under the modules themselves. The vertical separation from torque tube to solar cells is 90 mm and the round torque tube diameter is 124 mm. With such an optimized design, Nextracker claims its NX Horizon would deliver an 8% bifacial energy gain for a specific site vs. a 6.5% gain from other standard trackers. This bifacial performance superiority has been empirically validated with PVsyst for sites at NREL, PVEL, and Nextracker's Center of Solar Excellence, the company notes.
When paired with the TrueCapture smart control system, NX Horizon provides as much as 6% more energy production, according to the company. The software continuously optimizes the tracking algorithm of each row in response to site terrain and changing weather conditions. The NX Gemini is a 2P design platform that features a patent-pending distributed drive system for maximum stability in extreme weather, which eliminates the need for dampers and produces virtually zero energy losses associated with stowing. The product is promoted as a cost-effective solution for sites with challenging soils, high winds, and irregular boundaries. The tracker requires only 60 meters and seven foundation posts to provide support for up to 120 modules on four 1500-volt strings (see Tracking Also On Terrains).
Nextracker's assembly process uses electric tool-actuated swaged fasteners and bolted connections, with no field cutting, drilling or welding required. Anyway, the electric tools for the swaged fasteners have to be purchased separately. This 2P tracker can be equipped with monofacial, bifacial or thin-film PV modules and integrated with the entire Nextracker software ecosystem, including the TrueCapture and NX Navigator advanced smart control and monitoring platforms.
The products offer optimized stow positions for wind, flood, snow, hurricane and hail. NX Horizon and NX Gemini hold IEC 62817 and UL 3703 & 2703 certification. Nextracker offers the market standard 10-year structural warranty and a 5-year warranty for motor and electronics.
The text is of product description part from TaiyangNews 2nd Market Survey on Solar Trackers, which was published in Dec. 2022 and can be downloaded for free here.