STOCKTON, CA – July 27, 2021: Mechatron Solar has been approved for a U.S. patent for its dual-axis tracker, which utilizes a gearless, zero-backlash technology with a double brake design. This unique mechanism rotates the massive 90-panel platform around the azimuth axis with very high accuracy. The Mechatron design has proven to be superior to competing tracker designs that rely on toothed gears, that are far more subject to wear and failure. The United States Patent and Trademark Office approved the Mechatron design on July 23, following a 30-month review.

The gearless, zero backlash, single-line ball bearing ring design has been proven in extreme weather locations with high winds, ranging from desert to freezing locales, and has performed extremely well in conditions where geared trackers demonstrate cracking and failure. The rotation mechanism of the Mechatron flagship tracker, the M18KD, meets the needs for high accuracy in movement, rigidity, and adjustable functions, while eliminating play and backlash.

The design superiority of the M18KD tracker has provided an availability of 99.97% uptime since its market deployment in 2008 across a fleet of 90 MW in North America and Europe. The company offers a low-cost warranty of this performance.

The M18KD is the largest dual-axis tracker in the global solar market, with a panel table that supports 90 solar panels of 144-cells each. With a single mast, the tracker offers the highest energy density and yield of any other solar design in the industry, compared with solutions using the same number and type of panels. The M18KD also has the smallest ground footprint in the industry, permitting dual use of the land for parking, agriculture, grazing and other uses.

The company recently announced two new models also based on the same gearless, zero-backlash technology. The new M16KD agriculture model features extra spacing between vertical panel stacks to permit more light to reach crops beneath the tracker. The new M10KD residential model features a reduced size table of 49 panels, to better fit into limited space requirements.

Additional Design Features Offer Industry-Leading Stability

The zenith or North-South axis actuation of the M18KD tracker is performed with standardized hydraulic components that have been refined for sub-zero operations. The zenith axis can move from a flat position to a maximum of 70 degrees of inclination, which facilitates snow and soiling shedding. The azimuth axis can rotate 360 degrees. The performance of the tracker is enhanced by an advanced astronomical algorithm software platform, GPS and other sensor capabilities.

The azimuthal axis rotates with a stepped approach that can be compared to the walk of a caterpillar in a sequence of “Catch-Move-Release-Return” movements, imparting an advanced safety feature. The design of the central brake makes the system highly durable and virtually unbreakable.

About Mechatron Solar

Stockton, CA-based Mechatron Solar is an international commercial and industrial solar project developer that manufactures its own unique, patented dual-axis photovoltaic trackers, each supporting 90 solar panels of 144 cells each. The company’s unusually high-yield trackers have the highest energy density and the lowest ground footprint in the industry.

The flagship M18KD tracker is designed to maximize performance in any climate and terrain condition, ranging from open desert to heavy snow, and from geographically constrained sites like carports and wineries, to steep slopes and challenged terrain.

Mechatron’s trackers incorporate gearless, hydraulic motion drives that enable extremely high rotational accuracy, enhanced by an advanced astronomical algorithm software platform. The M18KD tracker has demonstrated field-proven 99.97% uptime over the past decade across 90 MW in Europe and in North America.

Mechatron Solar sources components globally and assembles containerized tracker kits at its Stockton, CA headquarters.

For further information, contact:

Mark Foster, Director of Business Development

Mechatron Solar

Stockton, CA, 95205

info@mechatron-solar.com

1-(415)-712-5231