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    The reshoring of American solar trackers [partner content]

    enJuly 17, 2024
    Catalyst with Shayle Kann
    How did COVID-19 impact solar farm equipment delivery?
    What strategy did NextTracker implement to address supply chain issues?
    What role does AI play in renewable energy optimization?
    What innovation did NextTracker develop for tracker systems?
    How has the IRA policy affected the solar industry?

    Podcast Summary

    • US Solar Industry Supply Chain Disruptions: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global logistics systems, causing delays in essential equipment delivery to solar farms, leading to rising solar costs and reduced US industry growth. NextTracker's response: building more US manufacturing facilities, catalyzing over 20 factories, and manufacturing over 30GW of components domestically, creating jobs.

      The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to global logistics systems, leading to delays in the delivery of essential equipment to solar farms and causing solar costs to rise for the first time in a decade. This issue, compounded by policy uncertainty, led to reduced growth forecasts for the US solar industry. In response, NextTracker, a leading solar tracker company, accelerated its strategy to build more US manufacturing facilities to serve local markets and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains. This retooling effort has resulted in the catalyzation of over 20 factories across the US, with over 30 gigawatts of major components being manufactured domestically and shipped today. This not only addresses the supply chain crunch but also leads to a surge in US solar jobs.

    • US manufacturing resurgence: The Inflation Reduction Act and focus on secure supply chains are driving a manufacturing revival in the US, particularly in the clean energy sector, through a hybrid strategy of local production and leveraging existing infrastructure.

      The Inflation Reduction Act and the push towards making supply chains more secure are leading to a resurgence of manufacturing in the US, specifically in the clean energy sector. This is evident in the revival of old manufacturing facilities, such as the one in Leedsdale, Pennsylvania, which was once a major steel production hub during World War II. The hybrid strategy of manufacturing locally, while also leveraging existing infrastructure and know-how, is making this transformation possible. For instance, NextTracker, a solar tracker technology company, has tripled capacity at their steel facility in this location. This is just one example of the many manufacturing comebacks happening across the industry. Overall, the IRA is not just about reducing inflation, but also about creating jobs and re-industrializing America.

    • IRA's impact on clean energy industry jobs: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has led to over 100 new factory announcements in the clean energy sector, contributing to re-industrialization, job creation, and reducing the carbon footprint through the use of recycled materials.

      The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is making a significant impact on the clean energy industry and creating high-quality, enduring jobs in the US. This was evident during a visit to Nexttracker's solar manufacturing facility in Pittsburgh, where the granddaughter of an original Bethlehem Steel worker was now producing solar products. The use of recycled steel in the US has helped reduce the carbon footprint of raw material production in this industry, which is notoriously difficult to decarbonize. The IRA's passing has led to over 100 new factory announcements in the clean energy sector, contributing to a larger trend of re-industrialization and job creation. Looking back a decade from now, the IRA is expected to be seen as a major jobs bill that helped turn the economy around during a time when there were concerns about a recession. The combination of the IRA, the bipartisan infrastructure bill, and the CHIPS Act has created a strong momentum for re-industrialization and getting people back to work, resulting in historic low unemployment rates and record-breaking values on Wall Street.

    • Solar tracker innovation: Solar tracker innovation, particularly independent road tracker systems, enhances large-scale solar projects' efficiency and sustainability by enabling mobility, simplifying vegetation management, and streamlining panel cleaning and operations and maintenance.

      The shift towards renewable energy and solar power in particular, has seen significant advancements, especially in tracker design. This transformation comes at a crucial time when the world needs more power than ever before. The IRA policy's onshore focus could not have been more timely. I've been involved in solar since the 1980s, and my colleague Howard Wanger and I have been advocates for trackers throughout. Our company, Next Tracker, has built on this foundation, with Howard's solar simulation software, PV Grid, playing a key role in our decision-making. Thirty years ago, we chose single axis tracking on horizontal trackers as the most effective solution for solar at scale. However, we faced challenges with mechanical impediments from vehicular traffic when using linked row trackers. To address this, Next Tracker developed an independent road tracker system, which not only enables mobility through the tracker field but also simplifies vegetation management, panel cleaning, and operations and maintenance. This innovation is a game-changer for the solar industry, making large-scale solar projects more efficient and sustainable.

    • Solar tracker system improvements: Focusing on reducing grading and rapid construction enabled the integration of advanced sensors and technologies, leading to significant improvements in energy output and solar panel efficiency, as well as adaptability to new solar technologies.

      By focusing on reducing grading and facilitating rapid construction, this company was able to embed a multitude of sensors and technologies into their solar tracker system. These sensors and technologies, including optimized angle control, uninterruptible power supply, and extreme weather control, unlocked significant improvements in energy output and solar panel efficiency. Additionally, the company's architecture was adaptable to advances in solar technology, such as the shift to half-cell and third-cell solar panels, and the increasing commercialization of bifacial panels. Overall, their approach allowed for more energy capture and better control of solar panels in various weather conditions.

    • Machine Learning in Energy Sector: Machine learning optimizes solar panel angles for higher energy yields and cost savings in the energy sector by considering complex terrain and varying meteorological conditions on an annualized basis.

      The use of machine learning is crucial in the energy sector for optimizing energy production and integrating renewables into a constrained grid. The technology allows for the optimization of solar panel angles at a large scale, considering complex terrain and varying meteorological conditions on an annualized basis, which is impossible to do manually. This results in higher energy yields and cost savings. The industry's focus is on delivering the lowest cost of energy for owners, which is achieved by increasing control speeds, providing diagnostic capabilities, and integrating machine learning. Since the acquisition of a machine learning company in 2015 or 2016, this technology has significantly advanced and is now essential for maximizing energy production and efficiency.

    • Solar energy optimization: Serialized tracker info and advanced software capabilities like zonal diffuse optimize solar energy systems, allowing for dynamic operation and increased energy output in various weather conditions. AI and renewable optimization integration expected to boost renewable energy penetration in the grid.

      The use of serialized tracker information and advanced software capabilities, such as zonal diffuse, are crucial for optimizing solar energy systems, especially in large projects with rapidly changing weather conditions. This technology allows for dynamic operation of the system, maximizing energy output in various weather conditions. Furthermore, the integration of AI and renewable optimization is expected to play a significant role in increasing renewable energy penetration in the grid and addressing the challenge of delivering power when it's needed most. By utilizing intelligence to control these systems, we can continue to push the boundaries of renewable energy production and adapt to the ever-changing weather patterns.

    • Solar industry growth: The solar industry has grown rapidly, installing 100 gigawatts of solar trackers globally, and continues to expand with the push towards a more electric grid and regional energy sharing. Next Tracker's focus on sustainability and domestic content contributes to this growth.

      The solar industry has grown much faster than expected, with Next Tracker playing a significant role in installing 100 gigawatts of solar trackers on five continents. The industry's future looks promising with the ongoing drive towards an increasingly electric grid and the potential for regional energy sharing between networks. However, one area where progress has been slower is in the development of fusion power. Despite this, the solar industry has exceeded expectations and remains a gift for those involved. Next Tracker, with a focus on environmental stewardship and supply chain transparency, continues to engage in public policy, workforce development, and efforts to bolster domestic content for solar power generation in the U.S. Their latest product, a low carbon solar tracker, showcases their commitment to reducing embedded carbon by 35%.

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