Arctech, the esteemed global leader in solar tracking, racking, and BIPV solutions, has made remarkable strides since entering the Indian market seven years ago. With a strong commitment to advancing renewable energy, Arctech has not only successfully executed multiple large-scale projects in India but has also established an impressive manufacturing base with a capacity of 3 GW in the country. This extraordinary growth showcases Arctech’s unwavering dedication to India’s renewable energy sector and solidifies its position as a trusted and influential player in the industry.
The company is poised to provide an accumulated 662 MW SkyLine II solar tracking solution for two projects with strategic partners in India, marking the company’s milestone in 2023 following the 2.8 GW mega project of SkyLine II mono-axial solar trackers for a project in Gujarat, India. With a total capacity of 15 GW, this project is set to become the country’s largest operational solar plant upon grid connection.
Arctech has achieved significant milestones in India, particularly with its strategic partner with the successful shipment of 1.7 GW of 1P SkyLine trackers to Rajasthan, where the 242 MW project is located, further strengthens Arctech’s presence in the state, which already boasts a historical renewable energy capacity of over 19 GW. Additionally, Arctech recently announced that they have bagged a 420 MW SkyLine II project in Surel, India.
The company’s commitment to local content and service aligns with the growing demand in the Indian renewable energy supply chain, positioning Arctech as a key player in the market. In order to better serve its clients and ensure timely delivery of its products, Arctech has taken a significant step by establishing a local manufacturing base in India. By localizing its manufacturing operations, Arctech reinforces its commitment to the Indian renewable energy sector while streamlining its supply chain for a seamless and expedited delivery process. In August 2022, Arctech celebrated the inauguration of its first joint venture manufacturing base, Jash Energy in Mundra, India with a 3 GW annual capacity, capable of producing all major components for its solar tracker products.
The company has positioned SkyLine II and SkyWings as flagship products with a peculiar edge in the Indian market. SkyLine II is the first 1P (one-in-portrait) tracker designed with a synchronous multi-point drive mechanism enabling a new possibility of designing the plant using trackers with identical pile configurations, overcoming the uncertainty faced in the early stage of plant design and construction. The synchronous multi-point drive mechanism technology rigidifies the tracker to the point of enabling 0deg wind stow mode, hence reducing the difference of wind pressure and post loads between the exterior and interior of the PV plant. By doing so, Skyline II enables a new possibility of designing the plant using trackers with identical pile configurations, overcoming the uncertainty faced in the early stage of plant design and construction.
SkyWings, powered by patented bidirectional slew drives, is a groundbreaking solar tracking solution. As the world’s first dual-row tracker with a multi-point drive mechanism, SkyWings combines the benefits of dual-row trackers while offering compatibility with undulating terrains. Its high rigidity, enabled by the multi-point drive design, ensures exceptional performance.
The patented bidirectional slew drives allow synchronized movement of two tracker rows, significantly increasing undulation tolerance by up to 15% in both east-west and north-south directions. This adaptability makes SkyWings ideal for challenging terrains. Moreover, its modular design adds flexibility to plant layouts, accommodating more PV modules compared to conventional systems under similar terrain conditions.
In addition to its undulation adaptability, SkyWings features a specially designed torque tube—the patented triple D torque tube. This enables the tracker to stow horizontally with remarkable stability. By stowing flat, pressure on the PV module surface is reduced, minimizing the risk of cracking and delamination, particularly for larger modules. SkyWings initiates stowing only at 22m/s wind speed, resulting in up to 2% higher energy yield per year and reduced levelized cost of energy.
Furthermore, SkyWings offers the advantage of extended post span, which can be extended up to 10 meters. This extension lowers installation costs by up to 20% and reduces overall EPC expenditure by up to 2% compared to projects utilizing traditional trackers.
Gail Chen VP, East Asia and India, Arctech/ CEO of Arctech India, remarked, “Arctech will continue to operate, develop and deeply cultivate local supply chain in the Indian market, optimizing efficiency and reducing the cost of solar projects to proactively respond to the Indian Government’s Mission 500GW by 2030.”
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