TrinaTracker has participated in a PV Tech webinar entitled “Smart Trackers, Smarter O&M: AI’s Role in Solar Plant Operations,” the session examining how the integration of smart tracking systems and artificial intelligence is enhancing the operational performance and reliability of utility-scale solar plants.
The webinar underscored the company’s ability to enable operators to enhance energy generation and improve revenue outcomes, particularly in markets with real-time electricity pricing. Speakers also highlighted several persistent operational and maintenance challenges in large-scale PV projects — including motor overcurrent, communication failures, battery degradation and installation deviations — which often require extensive on-site inspections and may remain undetected until they result in generation losses or component damage.
Dr. Sun Kai, TrinaTracker’s Head of R&D Smart Control Systems, introduced the company’s upgraded AI-driven tracker level smart cloud with a pre-diagnosis function. This upgrade turns solar plant operation and maintenance from passive emergency repair to active pre-warning, to reduce maintenance costs and energy loss due to system failure. Dr Sun also shared client feedback that solar plant inspections typically require 2-3 people conducting visual checks twice a day, and 2-3 days to locate the faulty trackers if there are no obvious angle deviations. Once equipped with the new AI-driven Smart Cloud, it is possible to identify potential problems in advance and minimize losses with diagnostic functions.
The webinar saw TrinaTracker present the enhanced SuperTrack technology as a core enabler of performance improvement, especially in markets with real-time pricing mechanisms. Verified through multi-scenario project analysis, the new SuperTrack technology, using six optimizing strategies, can significantly increase solar power output, especially during morning and evening when real-time electricity price is high, thus helping project owners to increase their return on investment.
Dr Sun went on to emphasize the broader significance of these advancements: “By combining AI-driven diagnostics with more sophisticated tracking strategies, we are establishing a new operational standard for solar plants—one characterized by greater precision, faster decision-making and consistently higher performance.”
These innovations were reinforced by insights from TrinaTracker’s internal expert and external collaborator, Gonzalo Baselga, head of tracker business for Europe. Baselga highlighted the company’s comprehensive support model, extending from plant commissioning to ongoing operations through its extensive local service network. Meanwhile, Manuel Llenas Arbo, regional manager for Europe at GreenPowerMonitor, explained how AI-based monitoring and analysis further enhance operational visibility and enable more effective plant-level decision-making.
By integrating intelligent products, localized service capabilities and advanced analytical tools, the webinar offered a comprehensive view of how AI-enabled smart tracker technologies are reshaping O&M practices at utility-scale solar plants.