Solar tracking provider FTC Solar is collaborating with solar contracting company AUI Partners on a new offering for the distributed generation (DG) market. With faster delivery and installation times for smaller projects, FTC Solar’s DG Solutions Business Unit with AUI Partners will provide solar tracking services for sites under 20 MW.
This new collaboration will help FTC Solar’s customers achieve energy optimization by utilizing FTC Solar’s Voyager+ 2P solar tracker and AUI’s experience in site design and construction. The partnership will leverage a sourcing strategy and inventory capabilities with the goal of providing delivery lead times of as short as eight weeks – based on project specifications.
“Despite the growth in DG as a result of federal and state-wide pushes for increased solar projects, there is still a shortage of comprehensive solutions that give customers what they need in a timely manner,” says Mario Carbone, partner at AUI Partners. “By combining FTC’s resilient and versatile Voyager tracker and optimization software with our lead generation, design, delivery and installation services, we are able to offer customers an innovative design-through-installation service that ultimately benefits developers by reducing the number of project partners they need to commission.”
FTC Solar and AUI Partners are targeting multiple segments for this offering, including commercial and industrial (C&I), community solar programs, projects for independent power producers (IPP), and smaller one-off projects for sectors such as agriculture. FTC Solar and AUI Partners will utilize proprietary automation technology to provide a fast turnaround time on project quotes. The partnership is available throughout the United States.
“By ensuring materials are readily available for these projects, DG Solutions will deliver faster than many other providers in the market, which can require more than six months,” comments Sean Hunkler, CEO of FTC Solar. “We see tremendous growth potential for this market over the next few years. However, for it to grow successfully, resilient turnkey solutions are imperative, and working with the team at AUI Partners will help us complete these projects quickly, which is a win for both the customer and the planet.”
FTC Solar unveiled its Voyager+ product in September of 2021 to optimize for large-format modules, withstand wind speeds up to 120 mph and provide tracking solutions for complex sites. To optimize the Voyager+ tracker, FTC offers a variety of software solutions, including its SunPath platform, which will also be available for DG projects.
