Mecasolar is to supply a solar tracker whose energy will go to the auxiliary equipment of a small hydro in the municipality of Jaguari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The research team, led by DRESSER-RAND GUASCOR, includes members from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Florianópolis, Brazil).

MECASOLAR, a firm specialising in the design and manufacture of solar trackers, fixed structures for ground- and roof-mounted installations, and foundation screws for large solar PV installations, is participating in an R&D project about renewable energy led by Brazil-based company DRESSER-RAND GUASCOR.

Mecasolar's role in the project is to supply a solar tracker in support of the auxiliary equipment of a 9.8MW small hydro (PCH Furnas do Segredo) developed by DRESSER-RAND.

The project, integrating various types of renewable energy technologies, analyses power generation (kWh/kWp) using PV systems with dual-axis trackers. It is being carried out in Jaguari, one of the places with the highest direct solar radiation in Brazil.

By participating in this project, MECASOLAR seeks to strengthen its position in Brazil, a market where it is highly active through collaboration in a series of projects presented at the energy fair on 31 October.//