Arctech, the world's leading tracking, racking, and BIPV solutions provider has confirmed it inked the deal to provide 19.26MW SkySmart II solar trackers for a project in Nicaragua, marking the company’s another milestone in Central America and the first solar project applied solar tracker in the country. 

SkySmart II

The 21-hectare bifacial+ tracker solar project locates in Malpaisillo, Nicaragua where the ground bears dense silty sand and aggressive corrosive. When connected to the grid, the whole project will be capable to produce relatively 40,626,000 kWh/annual, reducing carbon emissions by over 10,000 tons each year. 

Central America is rich in renewable energy resources and there exists a tremendous opportunity to harness this potential. Based on industrial research, the region has a total installed generation capacity of 12GW. Guatemala and Costa Rica have the largest capacity, with approximately 3GW each, followed by Honduras and Panama, with just over 2GW each, and El Salvador and Nicaragua, with 1GW each. As a whole, Central American countries generated 43TWh in 2011.

Nicaragua has a tropical climate with large amounts of rainfall and sunshine, which is ideal conditions for the production of renewable energy. Energy demand in Nicaragua has been increasing, but power generation has had a shortfall due to steep rises in fuel prices and a shortage of electricity supply. 40 % of energy needs are met using imported oil, which is a situation that the government wants to change by promoting alternative energy sources. Since sustainable and safer electricity supply has been a priority issue for the government of Nicaragua since 2007. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the total power generation is 3341.1 GWh and 75% of total power generation is covered by thermal power generation. The estimated annual growth rate of total electricity demand on average was 3.92% from 2010 to 2015.

As the first IEC-certified multi-point parallel drive tracking system, SkySmart II is specially designed for bifacial modules, Adopting the self-developed multi-point parallel drive technology, Arctech SkySmart II provides a 200% increase in wind resistance than other 2P tracking systems and a 52% reduction in foundations than 1P tracking systems. Meanwhile, SkySmart II is equipped with 4X1,500V-strings of solar modules, which not only helps to reduce electrical costs but also makes it possible to be compatible with all commercially available solar modules including the 182/210 large modules. The newly patented installation method also helps users reduce the module backside shading effectively, accelerates project installation, and increases the energy yield.