Canada Solar Tracker Market Overview, 2030

Its high latitude and harsh climate, Canada's solar tracker industry has developed in a unique way. Ontario was a pioneer in the use of solar trackers in Canada, particularly in large-scale solar projects supported by provincial renewable energy initiatives like the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program, which was established in the late 2000s. These early projects laid the groundwork for future innovation as developers realized the necessity for particular solutions suited to Canada's colder climate. During the extended winter months, one of the primary technical difficulties for solar trackers in Canada has been dealing with large snow loads. The buildup of snow on panels can block sunlight, which can impact tracker movement and reduce energy output. In order to overcome this problem, producers created designs with heated or anti-snow trackers that have tilt capabilities, allowing panels to be placed almost vertically during snowfall so that snow may slide off easily and not accumulate. Several devices use low-energy heating components to melt ice and snow, guaranteeing consistent performance throughout the year, even in harsh conditions because of Canada's high latitude, where solar angles are lower, dual-axis trackers are essential in maximizing energy production by aligning panels in both the horizontal and vertical planes to collect the most sunshine, especially during the shorter days of winter. Solar has become viable even in northern locations, far from the usual solar centers, thanks to these technologies. Solar trackers in Canada are increasingly used in off-grid energy systems, especially in remote northern communities that rely on pricey diesel fuel for electricity, The big grid-connected projects. Trackers help lower operating expenses, lessen reliance on fossil fuels, and advance Canada's larger sustainability and clean energy objectives by increasing the effectiveness of solar panels.

According to the research report, "Canada Solar Tracker Market Overview, 2030," published by Bonafide Research, the Canada Solar Tracker market is anticipated to add to more than USD 280 Million by 2025–30. For the larger solar PV market, which trackers are expected to replicate or even outperform. A major factor is Canada's Net-Zero pledge, which requires significant emission reductions by 2050 and fosters federal and provincial investment in renewable energy infrastructure. In line with this, recent technological advancements include modular tracker systems that are gaining popularity in provinces such as Alberta and Ontario due to their ease of installation, lower transportation costs, and adaptability to various terrains. With recent growth into adjustable and tracker-compatible PV installations, particularly incorporating bifacial panels for improved performance in snowy settings, Canadian Solar, a prominent module maker based in Canada, stands out among notable market participants. The goal of these systems is to increase productivity in Canada's off-grid and northern areas. The usage of solar trackers in distant Indigenous and northern communities, where off-grid solutions are essential, is a growing trend. By increasing solar output in low-irradiance environments, trackers help to reduce reliance on diesel generators and lower energy costs, thereby promoting both sustainability and energy security. The fact that these hybrid systems are increasingly funded by community energy projects and government grants indicates a developing market niche. The solar tracker industry in Canada is gaining traction due to consistent market expansion, technological advancements, significant industry players expanding their portfolios, and an increasing emphasis on deploying in remote communities. With the help of these advances, Indonesia's or rather, Canada's aspirational net-zero targets are being brought in line with realistic, locally specific renewable energy approaches.

Solar farms may benefit from east-to-west movement to efficiently capture sunlight throughout the day in Canada's southern provinces, notably Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, where single-axis trackers are becoming more and more prevalent. Due to their comparatively cheaper cost, easier installation, and 15–25% increase in energy production over fixed-tilt arrays, these systems are preferred for utility-scale and bigger commercial applications. When daylight hours are long, which allows for significant energy generation, single-axis trackers are especially beneficial during Canada's summer months. The use of dual-axis trackers in high-snowfall and northern latitude areas is, however, the actual defining characteristic of the Canadian market because of Canada's location in the northern hemisphere, sunlight strikes at a lower angle, particularly during the winter. Dual-axis trackers are perfect for maximizing solar panel alignment to catch oblique sunlight during shorter days since they may be adjusted both horizontally and vertically. Dual-axis trackers can provide up to 35–40% higher energy production in some areas, which makes them worth using in high-value or remote applications, even though they are more expensive and difficult to set up than single-axis systems. In Canada, a major use for dual-axis trackers is in energy systems for isolated and off-grid communities, particularly for Indigenous populations in the North, where optimizing solar efficiency minimizes reliance on diesel generators. To maintain reliable winter performance, dual-axis systems often include heated tilt mechanisms and snow-shedding features. Commercial and utility-scale installations in southern Canada are dominated by single-axis trackers, while dual-axis systems are essential in remote, high-latitude, or snowy locations. They provide a complementary approach that helps Canada meet its net-zero pledge and achieve its wider renewable energy targets.

The majority of solar installations in Canada are solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, which account for over 90% of the nation's solar production capacity. These photovoltaic panels are frequently coupled with single-axis trackers and are widely used in utility-scale installations in provinces like Alberta and Ontario because they usually boost yearly energy output by 15–25%, trackers connected to PV modules are very appealing to project developers and investors. The usage of bifacial PV panels with trackers is also increasing, notably in snowy areas, where reflected sunlight (albedo) from snow-covered ground increases electricity production. On the other hand, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology, which uses mirrors or lenses to focus sunlight to produce heat, is used very sparingly in Canada. CSP is not well suited for widespread usage in Canada because of the high costs and the nation's low direct normal irradiance (DNI), especially when compared to the cost and versatility of PV systems. CSP needs vast, clear desert-like settings to be efficient, which are mostly lacking in the Canadian context. Still a niche technology in Canada, concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology also relies on concentrated sunlight but employs very efficient photovoltaic cells. CPV systems need dual-axis trackers to precisely follow the sun's position, but, like CSP, they have trouble with the seasonal variability and diffuse sunlight conditions in Canada. Although CPV can be investigated for minor demonstration projects or research purposes, it has not seen much commercial adoption. Canadian solar tracker market is heavily dominated by PV systems, which are supported by ongoing progress in tracker technology and national initiatives to promote clean energy. Due primarily to Canada's geographical and climatic constraints, CSP and CPV continue to be secondary players.

Solar trackers in Canada, by installation type is divided into ground-mounted and rooftop-mounted. The majority of tracker deployments in Canada are ground-mounted installations, which make up the majority of the solar tracker market. The most common use of ground-mounted solar systems is in big commercial and utility-scale projects, especially in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. These provinces are able to support large-scale ground-mounted installations because to their open land availability and supportive solar laws. Ground-mounted solar arrays can produce 15–30% more electricity than fixed-tilt systems when coupled with single-axis trackers. Project developers can fine-tune the angle and orientation of solar panels for optimal sunlight exposure because of the flexibility of these installations, which is especially helpful given Canada's varied seasonal climate. In contrast, in Canada, rooftop-mounted solar installations are typically found in residential, commercial, and institutional settings. But there is still not much use of trackers on roofs. Tracker systems, in the case of rooftop solar in Canada's constructed environment, frequently have more weight, complexity, and expense than any potential benefits. Due to the simplicity of maintaining them during the winter, when snow loads are a concern, rooftop tracker systems are less prevalent in Canada, where rooftop systems often use fixed-tilt or adjustable tilt designs to minimize complexity while producing adequate energy. However, the Canadian market is gradually seeing the introduction of creative, lightweight, and modular rooftop tracker systems, especially for bigger business and industrial roofs where energy efficiency and space are at a premium. On flat industrial rooftops, in particular, these new systems have the ability to alter tilt angles in real-time or seasonally in order to maximize output. Due to their appropriateness for large-scale implementation, scalability, and compatibility with Canada's net-zero emissions targets, ground-mounted systems with trackers predominate Canada's tracker market.



Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Solar Tracker Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Technology
• Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
• Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
• Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV)

By Installation Type
• Ground-Mounted
• Rooftop-Mounted

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to this industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.