• The company presents the findings in a new white paper based on a study conducted by an independent consultant • This cost reduction in Soltec's SFOne bifacial tracker with independent footprint provides an advantage in complex or highly rugged terrains • The white paper adds to other publications by the company aimed at maximizing project performance

Murcia, 22nd June 2023 - Soltec, a vertically integrated company dedicated to photovoltaic projects with solar trackers, has published a new white paper confirming a decrease of between 12% and 14% in earth-moving costs with its latest tracker, the SFOne.

The company focuses on analyzing one of the factors to consider when choosing a solar tracker for photovoltaic plants. The earth-moving required for tracker installation can be costly and result in higher expenses than the possible additional steel. Soltec sheds light on this issue with a new study to help developers and industrialists understand in advance the impact of this factor on the project.
The study, conducted for a 50 MW plant, concluded that Soltec's SFOne bifacial tracker with independent footprint (cardan joints) offers lower costs, depending on the location, compared to full-footprint trackers. This represents significant savings in civil engineering works for terrains with complex or highly rugged topographies. The study, carried out by an independent consulting firm using proprietary software, analyzed terrain characteristics, geometric conditions of the solar tracker, the economic cost of earth-moving in different locations, and the cost of pile driving materials.
During the team's research, it was observed that variations in the pile driving length to compensate for ruggedness impact both earth-moving and affected surface area. By using a longer pile driving length to absorb ruggedness, both earth-moving and affected surface area are reduced. "Choosing a solar tracker has implications beyond performance. One of the most underestimated factors by developers is earth-moving during installation, which can be costly and problematic. Soltec's SFOne represents significant savings in civil engineering compared to other bifacial trackers," stated Mireia Jiménez, a participant in the research and Soltec's product manager.
This white paper joins other studies published by the company regarding project performance. In May of this year, Soltec announced the release of a new bifacial tracking algorithm that increases production by up to 0.30%. Soltec has other algorithms designed to boost plant production and, consequently, its economic performance. One such algorithm is 'TeamTrack,' which prevents shading between rows of trackers during hours of lower solar radiation due to terrain irregularities. Another is 'Diffuse Booster,' aimed at maximizing production when diffuse radiation exceeds direct radiation.
You can access the White Paper at: https://lab.soltec.com/earthworks/

About Soltec
Soltec Power Holdings (ticker: 'SOL') is a vertically integrated company specializing in photovoltaic solar energy solutions, with a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability. Headquartered in Murcia, the company was founded in 2004 and currently operates in 16 countries, with a strong presence in Spain, North America, and Latin America. The company has been listed on the Spanish Continuous Market since 2020.
Soltec structures its activities through three main business areas: i) Soltec's industrial division is the third-largest global manufacturer of solar trackers, offering additional construction services to customers to ensure a comprehensive and integrated value proposition; ii) the photovoltaic project development division, with a strong commitment to environmental, social, and governance principles; iii) Soltec Asset Management, a third business division through which Soltec manages the assets held in its portfolio, with the goal of maximizing long-term benefits.