NEXTracker, a Flex company, has launched a solar plus energy-storage solution for US and international markets. ‘NX Fusion Plus’ integrates the latest, in solar tracker design, battery, inverter, and software to deliver better return on investment to owners of solar power plants.
Problem
Prior to the advent of solar trackers, fixed-tilt systems were the only mounting option for PV and delivered a single output profile. Cost had also been a major barrier to battery integration in mainstream solar projects. By incorporating battery storage technology into its product, NEXTracker is further increasing the energy output and duration of solar power plants, just as tracking technology did for fixed-tilt solar applications.
Solution
The NX Fusion Plus enables PV plant owners to use more solar energy throughout the day. With NEXTracker’s solar + storage solution, NX Fusion Plus, the tracker generation curve is now even further broadened, by shifting excess energy from peak periods to later in the day. Users can now dispatch uninterrupted clean energy in the most effective manner possible as the tracker becomes the data acquisition backbone of the plant, offering complete system analytics and monitoring. NX Fusion Plus is claimed to offer higher return on investment than solar alone because more ‘clipped’ energy can be harnessed and offset demand charges for end users. This is particularly attractive to customers such as farms in the Central Valley of California and countries such as India, where power fluctuates.
Applications
PV power plants.
Platform
In order to bring solar + storage into the mainstream, NEXTracker leverages Flex’s secure data platform with NEXTracker’s predictive smart control software, which is already embedded in the tracker’s electronics. Complementing this product portfolio is machine learning capability, acquired through the purchase of BrightBox earlier this year, which optimizes solar power plant performance and reduces operations and maintenance (O&M) costs.
Availability
Currently available.
