The Latitude40 solar tracker is likely to make a substantial impact on the UK solar and storage sector, increasing renewable energy generation, optimising land use and accelerating the country’s net-zero ambitions.
The new tracker generates up to a 30 percent additional yield in the UK, validated by Corrie Energy’s university partnerships. The increase in generation is delivered between 5-9 am and 3-8 pm which better aligns with typical peak electricity demand, bringing additional price benefits, whereas single-axis trackers deliver less than 10 percent by comparison.
Latitude40 is a ground-mounted tracker for the commercial and utility-scale segments. South-facing arrays produce fewer kWh/ha than east-west arrays and yet are the reigning investment choice because south-facing panels have higher returns. Similarly, trackers beat south-facing arrays, which promises to re-segment the UK solar market.
Leading EPCs have highlighted multiple applications for the new tracker’s greater, longer daily generation with no additional grid cost, including better matching of behind-the-meter demand, “sun to wheel” EV charging, hybrid PV/BESS and heat pumps. The increase in onsite load in spring and autumn also has important price benefits.
The design accommodates any module size and requires no specialised installation techniques or deep groundworks, making it highly deployable by UK contractors using familiar EPC practices. It has been deployed on 9 sites across the UK, has survived winter storms and been rigorously validated with Innovate UK and DESNZ support.
“From the data that we've got so far, about 50 percent more electricity per panel is being generated than if they were static” said Eddie Andrew, owner of Our Cow Molly dairy farm. “This is a massive amount more electricity just by always facing the sun. However, the other advantage for us is that we get power early morning and late evening, whereas your traditional solar panel just gets it mostly midday, so it's really extended that window of power for the farm.”
Key benefits of Latitude40 for installers and contractors are as follows:
Up to 30 percent greater generation at the daily and seasonal “shoulder” periods, which is a huge attraction for major corporates, particularly those looking to match demand 24/7.
Higher Price: Generation closer to the am/pm peaks is worth up to 10 percent more compared to standard arrays – and is especially valuable for contractors selling PPAs.
Grid: The additional energy is delivered with the same grid connection — a major advantage given current grid constraints.
O&M Gains: Corrie’s design delivers low LCOE, substantially reduced mechanical risk and easy maintenance. Trackers increase contractor O&M margins and project returns.
Ease of Install: Installers/contractors can deploy without specialised skills or tools. No deep piling or bespoke engineering required - a complete change from existing dual-axis designs.
Low Ecology and Carbon Impact: Less shading, better biodiversity and lower embodied emissions are all important CSR metrics for clients.
While single-axis tracking has grown globally, dual-axis deployment has failed due to cost and reliability concerns. Corrie Energy’s core innovation is a radical reduction in component loading which dramatically reduces costs and transforms reliability.
Structural Redesign: Replaces heavy traditional dual-axis designs with a modular, lightweight frame which significantly reduces loads and component fatigue. It also allows rapid cost reductions with scale manufacture.
Reliability-Centred Engineering: Design-for-reliability principles ensure fast, tool-light repairs of moving parts and minimal downtime.
Smart Control Platform: Proprietary SCADA and tracking optimisation software minimise LCOE over the system life.
The new tracker is designed specifically for European climates and is validated through extensive UK field testing.
The Latitude40 addresses a huge market gap - the tracking market is forecast at £15 billion in 2030 - yet 30 percent of the market is currently unserved and this offers a significant export opportunity.
The UK needs to increase solar capacity fivefold by 2030, yet, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC) is “off track”. Grid constraints, land competition, and load mismatch are among the top barriers. Latitude40 addresses all three of these challenges and provides better options for customers and installers.
Behind-the-meter: Working with a developer and a local hospital, the Latitude40 met energy requirements with 25 percent less installed capacity and 50 percent less export — thereby presenting an ideal behind-the-meter solution.
Hybrid & EV Projects: Working with a major charge point operator, Corrie has validated that the longer generation day better matches public EV demand, extending BESS charging time.
The system’s higher yield and ecological benefits was praised by Microsoft as a “no brainer” as it highly aligned with their 24/7 clean energy strategy.
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