EN 
PT_BR 
The Spanish manufacturer of solar trackers and structures STI Norland announced that it will present several new features for the Brazilian photovoltaic market in the coming months. The announcement was made by Javier Reclusa, CEO of the company, during the Papo Solar podcast.
“We have new tracker models, adapted to panels of different sizes and high power that are coming to the market. In other words, we adjust our products to be configured in any stream”, highlighted Reclusa.
The executive also said that there are new features in the tracking part to optimize energy generation, through new algorithms that are being developed.
“We have several areas of activity to foresee future technologies and also to improve what we are offering in the sector today, always thinking about greater generation at the lowest cost and with comfort for the entire useful life of the plant”, he added.
Impact of the pandemic
During the podcast, the expert commented that, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, STI Norland managed to deliver the equipment and works within the pre-established deadline. “We were taken by surprise by this whole situation. However, we completed all of our projects. This year, we even installed 2 GW, the largest volume in our history, in Brazil.”
According to him, the current problem is more a question of supply, as there is a lack of raw materials. “We will adapt, managing circumstances better so that projects are not affected”, he emphasized.
"The worst has gone. We are planning for 2021 to be a year with more balance. We believe that raw material prices will fall and that economic and political stability will be better. Here in Brazil we have a market with gigantic potential, where, in the next 20, 30, 40 years, we will see an exponential growth in solar energy, which, currently, is already the cheapest energy technology”, pointed out the expert.
Growth of the solar sector
The CEO of STI Norland also highlighted that the solar market in Brazil has shown significant growth in recent years, higher than what was being planned. “I don’t think anyone expected such a large volume of investments. It started with federal auctions, in which solar energy needed subsidies, needed help to be able to start implementation”.
“BNDES, for example, helped create local structures, forcing suppliers to open national factories. It also helped with the aim of achieving more competitive prices to make projects viable and lower Capex costs (expenses or investments in capital goods). Then it evolved into the free market. Now, a large part of our projects are on the free market and, most of them, are being financed through BNDES, with national product that has interest benefits”, he explained.
For him, Brazil is starting to emerge among the countries with the most investments in solar. “The space is too large here to develop photovoltaic energy, due to radiation, companies and the population, after all, there are more than 200 million inhabitants. Therefore, I think that Brazil will be the 'main actor' in the coming years in the world market”, he concluded.
