Utility-scale renewables developer Intersect Power named Signal Energy as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm for two solar projects totaling 728 MW in Texas and California. The projects will use the NX Horizon smart solar trackers and TrueCapture yield optimization software from Nextracker.
The 415 MW Radian project in Texas and the 313 MW Athos III project in California are expected to begin construction later this year, and will enter service in 2022. Series 6 photovoltaic solar modules will be supplied by First Solar for both projects.
The projects are the second set of utility-scale solar projects that Nextracker and Intersect Power have worked on together in the two states. The earlier portfolio of five projects is under construction, and has a combined installed capacity of more than 1.7 GW. Signal Energy was the EPC firm on three of the five.
Both Radian and Athos III will use Nextracker’s TrueCapture tracker optimization and control software to capture additional energy gain during diffuse light conditions. The technology continuously refines the tracking algorithm of each individual solar array in response to existing site and weather conditions. Nextracker said the software can deliver energy gains from 2-6%.
According to the most recent data available, more than 17 GW of solar had interconnection agreements in hand in Texas at the start of June, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Nearly 2.1 GW of battery energy storage capacity also had secured interconnection agreements.
