The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR; www.timken.com), a global leader in engineered bearings and industrial motion products, is providing slewing drives for the second-largest photovoltaic (PV) solar tracking system project in Australia. Solar tracker manufacturer ATEC chose Timken's Cone Drive solution to help it overcome challenging wind conditions in the mountainous region of New South Wales, where the 280 MW Wollar Solar Farm is being constructed.
"We collaborate closely with ATEC and other solar companies to provide innovative solutions in response to a wide range of challenges, including weather and terrain," said Carl Rapp, group vice president of drive systems and services. "By working together with customers and providing our engineering expertise, we can enhance the performance and reliability of solar tracking systems, creating a more efficient and resilient world in the process."
Timken has partnered with ATEC on several solar projects, including developments in Zambia and China. For the Wollar Solar Farm, Timken is delivering an innovative octagonal rotating shaft solution for solar panels designed to withstand the windy conditions that are typical in the mountainous region. The solar farm's developers expect to complete the project and connect it to Australia's national power transmission grid in 2024.
Renewable energy is Timken's single-largest end-market sector, representing approximately 10 percent of total company sales in 2022. The company is committed to advancing environmental sustainability through product innovation, operational excellence and technology. Timken has invested heavily in research and development in support of solar and wind energy and has built strong manufacturing, engineering and testing capabilities across its global footprint. Timken and Cone Drive have played a role in significant utility-scale solar tracking system projects, including Al Dhafra PV2, the world's largest single-site solar power plant; South Africa's Redstone Solar Thermal Power project; Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai; and PowerChina's Jiangxi Electric project.
