Nextracker has been selected to supply its smart solar trackers and TrueCapture technology for the first phase of a 450MW PV project in Sudair, Saudi Arabia, which Nextracker said was the country’s largest solar plant currently under construction.
Nextracker said its TrueCapture technology, which “enables solar panels to track the path of the sun to maximise energy production versus fixed tilt ground mount applications”, will help boost the energy generation profile of Sudair solar project, with installation of the trackers and technology expected to start in Q2 2022.
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The project is being developed by Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia through its subsidiary Badeel/WEHC, Saudi Aramco and ACWA Power. The renewables division of global construction giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has been awarded the EPC contract.
Kashif Rana, CFO and acting chief portfolio management officer of ACWA Power, said “we view Nextracker as being a key partner in delivering the most efficient energy production at the lowest possible cost.”
“Bifacial optimised trackers and TrueCapture technology are particularly well suited to maximise solar energy production on power plant facilities in desert environments,” said Nextracker CCO Marco Garcia, adding that the high albedo effect found in the desert makes a significant difference to power generation and the project’s levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) aims to achieve 58.7GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with PIF responsible for developing 70% of the targeted capacity. The country has committed to reaching net zero by 2060 from a base year of 2019.
Last week (23 March), Nextracker, which is to be spun out from parent company Flex after it secured a US$500 million equity sale, launched a new single-axis tracker for solar sloped and uneven terrain.