Chinese tracker manufacturer Arctech has signed a deal to provide 2.3GW of its Skyline II solar trackers to ACWA Power’s Haden project in Saudi Arabia.
Under the agreement, Arctech will supply its 1P single-axis trackers to the China Energy Engineering Group, which is providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services at the 2GW project. The company noted that its trackers feature a wind stow speed threshold of 22m/s, which will help protect the trackers and connected modules during the “high wind events” that occur in the region.
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The deal is Arctech’s latest investment in its global tracker business, following the signing of new orders for 6GW of trackers in India alone, in the first half of 2024, and 3.7GW of trackers in the Middle East. Last year, Arctech signed another deal with the China Energy Engineering Group, to supply 1GW of trackers to two projects in Uzbekistan.
These deals have underpinned the company’s recent strong financial performance, which include half-year sales of CNY3.4 billion (US$471.6 million)—well in excess of the CNY1.9 billion (US$226.7 million) reported in the first half of 2023—as Archtech has sought to expand its international business consistently.
The news is also a positive development for the Haden project in particular, and the Saudi Arabian solar sector in general. This week, the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) confirmed a shortlist of bidders for its most recent public solar PV capacity tender, which aims to add 3.6GW of new solar capacity to the country’s renewable energy sector.
The national government is aiming for clean energy to account for half of its total energy mix by the end of the decade, as part of its Vision 2030 initiative, and solar power is expected to contribute to the majority of this new power generation capacity.
