Bundaberg solar farm acquires extreme weather tracker

The European solar tracker company PVHardware (PVH) has announced that it will be supplying tracking technology to the 100 MW Bundaberg solar farm project, in what will amount to the country’s highest wind speed design tracker yet built, PVH said.

This will be the 18th large-scale project in Australia for PVH, which recently opened its first warehouse in Sydney. The company’s latest innovation, Infinity, will be deployed at its NSW facility for training purposes. The technology is designed to increase installation efficiencies and reduce the need for earthworks, meaning solar farms can be built faster and at lower cost.

Alejandro Cantos, Country Manager of PVH Australia, said the Bundaberg solar project represented a significant milestone for PVHardware.

“Our newest tracking solution is equipped with cutting-edge features tailored to withstand extreme weather conditions, and will play a crucial role in ensuring the success of this project, and future projects to come,” he said.

Infinity’s versatile string interconnectivity offers a range of optimisation options. For example, its Unlinked mode enables independent row triggering, enhancing operational effectiveness. When equipped with PVH’s advanced SCADA and control system, DBox5, the tracker’s capabilities are extended.

Cantos said Australia was in a pivotal race to meet the nation’s 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation targets, with project developers requiring efficient technology to deliver the necessary infrastructure. “The importance of efficient green infrastructure processes is increasingly evident in the market for both developers and the government,” he said.

“Our primary focus has always been on adapting solar tracking innovations to accommodate the nuances of local weather conditions. While Australia boasts abundant solar resources, our unique environmental conditions, such as record heatwaves, pose challenges for technological operations.

“What has accelerated PVH’s growth trajectory is our commitment to providing developers with green technology that leverages articulated intelligence, machine learning and weather-specific control systems sensors,” Cantos concluded.

Image caption: The AxoneDuo Infinity tracking solution. Image courtesy of PVH.