Utility-scale solar projects face growing uncertainty in PV module supply, driven by global tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and shifting price dynamics. Many projects are initially designed around a specific module, only to confront costly module changes later in development. While most single-axis tracker systems can accommodate different modules during early design, structural incompatibilities often emerge once components are manufactured, leading to delays, redesigns, and added expense. This paper highlights how tracker flexibility can preserve project economics by reducing the risks associated with late-stage module substitutions.

The analysis identifies key structural considerations that determine whether a tracker system can adapt to different modules, including tracker table length, rail design, torque tube connections, splice locations, and post configurations. Inflexible designs often force field drilling, cutting, additional pile driving, or realignment, driving up costs. In contrast, features such as clamp-based rail systems, flexible purlins, unpunched torque tubes, and low-profile bearings can provide the dimensional tolerance necessary to handle variations in module size and mounting geometry.
Using SpeedClamps, FlexRails, and other innovative designs, GameChange Solar’s Genius Tracker™ offers multiple layers of redundancy to minimize financial and schedule impacts when module changes occur.

Through real-world case studies, the paper demonstrates how flexibility reduces remediation costs across different project stages, whether during early design, after tracker fabrication, or even after post installation. By building adaptability into tracker design, developers can lock in procurement earlier, hedge against supply volatility, and maintain optimal project economics. In an environment where module uncertainty is the norm, flexible tracker systems provide a strategic advantage for developers, EPCs, and investors alike.