TrinaTracker has announced that it is to supply its Vanguard 1P trackers, optimized with SuperTrack artificial intelligence, for the Santa Luzia complex, one of Brazil’s largest solar projects. The power plant, developed by Rio Alto Energias Renováveis, is located in the country’s north eastern state of Paraiba, some 2,600 kilometers from São Paulo, and will have a capacity of 520MW once its nine units commence operation.
Construction is expected to be concluded in 2024, with Rio Alto forecasting the creation of 750 jobs during the implementation phase. Power output will be sufficient to supply 123,000 homes in the region, while eliminating 380,000 tons of carbon monoxide emissions.
“We are delighted to be part of this project, offering the best photovoltaic solar generation technology available in the world today. For Trina, it’s also very important to help fight global warming and contribute to the creation of jobs,” commented Alvaro García-Maltrás, the company’s vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean. With this contract, it is predicted that Trina will close the year with 1GW of tracker sales in Brazil.
Rio Alto will deploy bifacial modules on the Vanguard trackers. The 1P model offers high stability with a bi-damper system, providing more security against strong wind gusts. Additionally, the tracker has individual rows with wireless communication and power provided by the project’s own modules.
“For us at Grupo Rio Alto, working with a renowned company like Trina, with market leading state-of-the-art technology, adds value to the project and enhances its reliability. We are proud to have partners committed to a sustainable energy future for all”, added João Batista Meirelles, purchasing and implementation director at Rio Alto Energias Renováveis.
“The design of our trackers maximizes the energy performance of the bifacial modules. With the SuperTrack intelligent control system, it’s possible to adjust to the best tracking angle in real time, taking into account both direct and diffuse radiation through an intelligent algorithm,” explained Marcus Fabrino, TrinaTracker sales director for Latin America and the Caribbean, adding that SuperTrack will be able to independently control each row of trackers, mitigating energy loss caused by shadows from one row over the other on sloping areas, such as that found at Santa Luzia.
Technology and reliability were key factors in Rio Alto’s selection of Trina’s trackers. “Our decision was based on trust in one of the world’s largest module manufacturers, which has been investing a lot of resources in the tracker market and presents smart solutions”, commented CEO Edmond Farhar. “We are very excited about this new partnership and hope we can write a new chapter together for this and other projects we will build in the coming years.”