Solar energy is an abundant and clean renewable energy source. As solar PV power generation continues to grow, solar businesses, developers, and investors are relying on solar PV (photovoltaic) trackers or solar trackers more than ever to generate electrical energy and maximize solar projects’ ROI under cost pressure.
Furthermore, a solar PV tracker purchase is a good investment in the long term to increase solar production and decrease operating costs across geographies while reducing environmental degradation.
Keep reading to learn more about the top 10 global solar PV tracker companies.
Table of Contents
What is a Solar PV Tracker?
Top 10 Global Solar PV Tracker Companies
Nextracker
Array Technologies
PV Hardware
Soltec
GameChange Solar
Arctech Solar
FTC Solar
IDEEMATEC
Versol Solar
Axial Structural Solutions
Blackridge Research & Consulting – Global Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Tracker Market Report
Wrapping Up
What is a Solar PV Tracker?
A solar tracker is a device that positions a reflector, PV panel (photovoltaic panel)/solar panel, or a solar collector at an optimal angle relative to the sun to receive most of the solar radiation. For example, keeping the solar panel perpendicular to the sun results in more sunlight striking the solar panel, reflecting less light, and absorbing more energy.
Unlike any other single balance-of-system (BOS) component, a solar tracker enhances a PV system’s performance through the constant orientation of the PV panels toward the sun throughout the day.
A stepper motor (a type of DC motor) is usually used to position the solar panel so it can receive maximum sunlight. As the stepper motor is energy efficient with high tracking accuracy, it is used for precise automatic sun tracking with greater solar energy utilization. Moreover, a stepper motor is inexpensive in contrast to a servo motor.
It is estimated that solar tracking increases power output by about 30% to 40%. However, a computer-based algorithm solar tracker needs additional maintenance and is more expensive than a static/fixed solar panel.
Major sun/solar tracking systems are:
Manual solar tracker: Using a manual tracker is only sometimes practical as it requires someone to constantly monitor the sun and physically change the position of the solar panel system.
Active solar tracker: Active trackers use motors or hydraulic cylinders to move the PV panels, so they face the sun. Although active trackers are more convenient to use than manual trackers, a motor’s moving parts could break easily and lead to higher maintenance costs over the system’s lifetime.
Based on the direction of the movement, solar trackers are categorized into:
Single-axis solar tracker: Single-axis trackers are usually used in utility-scale projects, with tracking available on a horizontal/vertical axis. The tracker follows the sun’s position as it moves from east to west. A single-axis solar tracker can increase production from 25% to 35%.
Dual-axis solar tracker: A dual-axis tracker or two-axis tracker not only moves from east to west but also from north to south to track the sun. Such trackers are commonly used for residential and small commercial solar projects with limited space and produce enough power to meet required energy needs.
Passive tracker: Passive solar trackers or passive trackers use a liquid with a low boiling point that evaporates on exposure to solar radiation. Evaporation of the liquid causes the tilt system to become imbalanced, making the panels tilt toward the direction of the sun’s rays.
Top 10 Global Solar PV Tracker Companies
Here are the top 10 global solar PV tracker companies (based on capacity installed):
Nextracker
Founded: 2013
Location: Fremont, California, USA
Nextracker is the leading solar tracker company trusted globally for one of the most advanced and reliable solar trackers. In addition, TrueCapture is Nextracker’s yield optimization and control software while NX Navigator™ supports precision monitoring and control to manage and protect utility plant assets.
Nextracker’s solar tracker product portfolio includes:
Bifacial
Nextracker provides fully optimized bifacial solar tracker solutions to enhance plant production, reduce LCOE, and ensure superior ROI with minimal cost differential compared to monofacial modules.
Nextracker’s bifacial-ready solar tracker consists of optimized high-rise mounting rails, with bearing gaps and drive system gaps designed to maximize rear-side irradiance.
Other benefits of the solar tracker are:
- Large height-to-width aspect ratio
- Smart wire management and electrical stringing
- Minimal structural shading and mismatch loss factors
NX Horizon
NX Horizon systems have been used for some of the world’s largest solar farms. What factors make NX Horizon highly successful in the solar tracker market?
Take a look:
- Advanced feature set
- Ease of installation
- Field-proven weather durability
- Integrated hardware and software
- LCOE-enhancing operating performance
Furthermore, NX Horizon’s decentralized architecture and patented tracker-in-motion design have set a new benchmark in solar tracker innovation. Some of the notable features include:
- Highly engineered mass-balance rotation (rather than rotational torque energy)
- Unlinked tracker rows, which provide flexibility to follow East-West terrain
- Self-powered to preserve uptime during O&M
- Powerful robotic cleaning
- Maximum solar energy capture with up to 120° tracker range of motion
- Slew-drive motor with proven reliability
NX Horizon-XTR
NX Horizon-XTR is an all-terrain solar tracker that overcomes the “straight-line row” design constraints and simplifies construction on difficult or undulating terrain. Furthermore, the field-proven solar tracker accelerates project construction schedules while saving more time and money.
NX Horizon-XTR provides a wide range of benefits, such as:
- Maintain topsoil health and native vegetation
- Minimize schedule risk
- Prevent soil erosion
- Reduce dust control
- Save on foundation steel (shorter pile lengths) and earthworks (less grading)
Array Technologies, Inc.
Founded: 1996
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA (Global Headquarters)
In January 2022, STI Norland was acquired by Array Technologies, a leading U.S.-based solar tracking systems manufacturer.
STI Norland (Soluciones Técnicas Integrales Norland SI) is one of Europe’s well-known tracker manufacturers that designs, manufactures, and supplies solar trackers and fixed structures for several solar PV plants.
Array Technologies specializes in durable and reliable utility-scale solar trackers engineered to withstand a variety of harshest conditions.
Furthermore, the solar trackers have diverse functionalities—from a customizable backtracking algorithm that minimizes shadows to remote monitoring and predictive maintenance that avoids downtime.
The company’s product portfolio includes:
Array DuraTrack® (multi-row tracker)
Array DuraTrack® is a sought-after solar tracking solution for utility-scale projects, ensuring 99.996% uptime and no scheduled maintenance. The durable tracking system uses fewer components and features a 100+ module row design to maximize power density.
Furthermore, DuraTrack®’s fully automatic, failure-free wind load mitigation system makes it dependable even in extreme weather conditions.
Array STI H250 (dual-row tracker)
Array STI H250 (dual-row tracker) uses advanced wireless communication technology. It is designed for a low LCOE with a dual-row structure that has around 60 PV modules per row in a vertical position.
The optimized configuration makes the dual-row tracker powerful yet adaptable to sites with extremely angled blocks, fragmented project areas, or irregular boundaries.
Array SmarTrack™
SmarTrack™ is sophisticated software that maximizes PV plant performance and increases revenue for utility-scale solar sites equipped with Array DuraTrack® trackers while reducing long-term operational costs. SmarTrack™ leverages machine learning and provides various benefits, such as:
- A highly secure platform
- Increased energy production by up to 5%
- No added hardware required
- Seamless integration (on-site or remote installation)
PV Hardware
Founded: 2011
Location: Cheste, Valencia (Spain)
PV Hardware (PVH) is a leading provider of solar structures, trackers, and SCADA solutions for utility-scale power plants. PVH has supplied and installed solar trackers and structures globally, including PV plants in desert areas of Africa and the Middle East.
PVH’s solar tracker range comprises:
Monoline+ 1P (one-in-portrait) and 2P (two-in-portrait)
Monoline+ 1P and 2P are built for large-format ultra high-power modules and fully tested in 3D aeroelastic wind tunnels. Additionally, the single-row trackers use LoRaWAN to ensure long-range communication, with no blind spots or interference.
While the trackers’ adaptive backtracking 3D and machine learning algorithm optimize production for PV plant sites with complex terrain, the robust structures are suitable for direct module attachment and grounding and optimal response to terrain orography and wind load.
Here are the major advantages of Monoline+ trackers:
- Adapted to XXL modules
- Better adaptability to the terrain
- Better position control
- Bifacial optimized
- Easy alignment during assembly
- High wind resistance and view factor
- Made with MAGNELIS®
- PV cleaner tested
- Support all market-available modules
Monoline
Monoline is an independent-row horizontal single-axis tracker (HSAT) that supports all market available modules, including bifacial and thin film. Monoline range includes Monoline 3H (90 panels per row), Monoline 2V-60 (60 panels per row), and Monoline Bifacial.
Axone
Axone is a multi-row motor tracker that can safely move up to 20 rows and 62 modules while significantly reducing the use of actuators, electronic components, and motors. Apart from lowering the maintenance cost and unavailability due to breakdowns, Axone is built to last in extreme conditions with minimal maintenance.
Axone Duo
Axone Duo is a horizontal single-axis tracker with central driveline architecture in dual rows. The tracker is self-grounded via serrated fixation hardware, has a storm alarm for high winds, and uses LoRa wireless communication protocol. Axone and Axone Duo support all market-available modules, including bifacial and thin film.
Soltec (Soltec Power Holdings)
Founded: 2004
Location: Murcia, Spain
Soltec is a top-tier manufacturer, supplier, and installer of solar tracker equipment. The company also provides a wide range of on-site services, such as advisory, commissioning, logistics, training, and regionally available installation and O&M contracting.
Soltec’s product portfolio includes:
SFOne
SFOne is a 1P single-axis tracker (double row) designed for 72- and 78-cell modules. The self-powered tracker is built on the advanced “Dy-Wind” wind design methodology and is cost-effective with optimized communication and control operations.
SFOne’s noteworthy features include:
- Diffuse booster optimization for low-light conditions
- Easier and faster installation
- Face-2-Face positioning
- Fail-safe redundancy
- Full wireless network at plant level
- Near field communication (NFC) at the tracker level
- Open thread mesh network
- Tracker monitoring system (TMS) for full PV plant control
SF8
SF8 is a single-axis tracker designed for larger 72- and 78-cell modules. The extremely robust tracker comes with a unique multi-drive transmission system within the tracker structure and a supersized torque tube with improved geometry.
The self-stow tracker provides excellent resilience to wind, ensures lower installation and maintenance costs, and contains an electrical surge protection device (SPD) for overvoltage protection.
SF8’s key features include:
- 22% more rigid
- 4 to 6 strings (frog leap weaving)
- Better angle accuracy
- Easier and quicker installation
- Fail-safe redundancy
- Full wireless system
- Open thread mesh network
- TMS for full PV plant control
- Up to 8.6% greater yield with BIFACIAL TEAMTRACK™
SF7 Single-Axis Tracker
Faster installation with a higher MW installation rate, highest yield-per-acre performance, lower BOP (Balance of Plant) costs, and a variety of land-use options, among other factors have made SF7 one of the most sought-after solar trackers for large-scale PV projects.
SF7’s significant features include:
- Cost-effective installation and operation
- DC Harness + StringRunner
- Fewer parts and screw connections
- Higher yield with Trackerfill
- Land-use enabler
- NFC at the tracker level
- Self-powered with PV series power supply
- TeamTrack asymmetric backtracking
GameChange Solar
Founded: 2012
Location: Norwalk, Connecticut, USA (Headquarters)
GameChange Solar’s innovative design helps in reducing total racking and installation cost without compromising solar racking strength. While superior engineering ensures fast installation, high-volume manufacturing delivers excellent value.
The company has designed proprietary systems that stand for bankable quality, ease of installation, and value for money. With an extensive global supply chain to meet demand across the world and high capacity production, GameChange Solar is transforming the world with affordable and green energy.
GameChange Solar’s product portfolio includes:
MAXSPAN™ Post Ground
- Single Post System
- Single Post EastWest™ System
- Dual Post System
- Dual Post EastWest™ System
All of the above systems are available as Wide Flange Post and Screw or Helical Post (2-4Up in Portrait).
MAXDENSITY™ EAST WEST SYSTEM
According to the company, this is the solar industry’s lowest-cost fixed tilt structure.
Some salient features are:
- Up to 98% ground coverage ratio for maximum module density and energy output
- Simple fast installation with great adjustability
- No need for pile drivers
- TURBOCLAMPS™ that increases panel install speed by 400%
- 5° or 10° East West landscape configuration
- Supports various commercially available framed modules
Arctech Solar
Founded: 2009
Location: Jiangsu, China
Arctech is a globally renowned manufacturer and supplier of solar trackers, fixed-tilt structures, and BIPV solutions for commercial and utility-scale solar projects. According to the company, Arctech supplied more than 40 GW of racking and tracking systems to around 1,300 PV plants in 40 countries by the end of 2021.
Arctech’s solar trackers include:
SkyLine (Independent row 1P tracker)
SkyLine is a cost-effective and reliable tracker with a D-shaped torque tube that adds stability and saves material. The horizontal single-axis tracker accommodates up to 90 modules per tracker and supports all commercially available modules.
Furthermore, SkyLine’s str
