Not only must solar manufacturers build high quality solar modules, but these companies must deliver smart solutions for any kind of environment and circumstance to remain competitive. Additionally, the solar solution that they provide must also maximize value for the stakeholders and deliver a return on the initial investment.

While these might sound like challenging obstacles, this is precisely what TrinaPro accomplished with a recent project in Marchihue, Chile. 

The Challenges Faced

This project is located in a photovoltaic park in Marchihue, a town in the Cardenal Caro Province of Chile’s O’Higgins region. This site is situated in a Mediterranean climate with dry, hot summers and mild, rainy winters. It also receives high solar radiation energy, which makes it an ideal spot for a solar PV installation. 

However, this type of weather can create strain on a poorly built solar PV system. High winds carry debris that causes shading, while heavy rains reduce solar capture capabilities during the winter.

To overcome these problems, the project developerneeded a smart solar PV solution that could still produce a high energy output.

Further, the installation needed to generate enough power to make the project financially viable. 

Faced with a saturated power transmission system and a shrinking market of large-scale projects in Chile, the developers needed to focus on the small, distributed market segment of MW.

TrinaPro’s Solar Solution 

Working with CarbonFree Chile and Eiffage Energía Chile, the EPC general contracting service, Trina Solar stepped up to the challenge with TrinaPro, a solar PV system solution. By providing the three major components - modules, trackers and inverters - at once, TrinaPro delivers greater reliability, optimization and value. Plus, TrinaPro maximizes supply chain and system performance. Collectively, this creates an overall reduction in the levelized cost of energy. 

Guided by the expertise of TrinaPro’s smart PV solution team, the Marchihue project formally went into operation in February 2019. With a 3 MW capacity, the project’s estimated annual energy output is expected to be at least 6,444 MWh.

To make this happen, TrinaPro solution included 9,072 Trina Solar Poly TALLMAX polycrystalline 330W modules. They paired these modules with Nclave horizontal single-axis trackers. By combining the two highly-efficient technologies, TrinaPro increased the project’s overall power output. The trackers allow the modules to follow the sun at optimum angles, thus receiving maximum sunlight and generating up to 20% additional power in stable conditions.

Not only will this project generate clean, renewable energy for the region, but it’s also estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,540 tons annually. 

How TrinaPro Boosts ROI

The Marchihue project’s success rate depended on all aspects of the development and planning coming together seamlessly and according to plan. 

That’s where TrinaPro came in. With a greater project success, reduced project rate, and increased system performance, TrinaPro helps EPCs and developers bring a project together faster and more efficiently. This is accomplished in multiple ways.

First is the product compatibility side. The experts at TrinaPro design the system from the ground up and possess the experience and knowledge to build out the solar installation correctly from the start. This means there are no surprises when the components arrive, making the interconnection process seamless. 

Next is the supply chain side. With more than 20 years as a solar industry leader, Trina Solar’s dedicated supply chain guarantees on-time delivery of components. This lowers overall construction costs and lessens the build-out time, which saves additional overhead costs.

All of these benefits lead to reduced dollar per kilowatt hour, or levelized cost of energy. Since the end product - electricity - matters the most, the cheaper the energy, the greater the volume that can be generated over time. Ultimately, this boosts the value of the system and boosts ROI. 

Click here to learn more about how TrinaPro provides smart solar solutions for all types of utility-scale solar PV projects.