Exosun

Now operating as ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun, the company functions as a key supplier of solar tracking solutions for ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) plants. Its business model is centered on designing, developing, and marketing these advanced steel trackers, which orient solar panels to follow the sun's path, thereby increasing the energy output and efficiency of solar farms. The company serves energy producers, project developers, and EPCs (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) firms within the utility-scale solar energy market.

The company was originally founded as Exosun in Martillac, France, in 2007 by Frédéric Conchy and Jean-Noël de Charentenay. A significant milestone was a €12 million fundraising round in 2012 from investors including Omnes Capital. Facing increased competition, the company entered receivership in mid-2017. In a strategic move to bolster its own solar energy offerings, steel and mining conglomerate ArcelorMittal acquired Exosun's assets in January 2018. This acquisition integrated Exosun into the ArcelorMittal Projects division, providing industrial backing, financial stability, and leveraging synergies in R&D and supply chain. By the time of the acquisition, Exosun had delivered its trackers to over 55 solar farms globally, representing a total installed capacity of 700 MW.

Exosun's primary product was the Exotrack HZ, a horizontal single-axis solar tracker. Its design focused on reliability and cost-effectiveness, featuring a linked-row architecture and a grease-free, balanced structure to minimize maintenance over a 25-year lifespan. Key benefits included adaptability to uneven terrain, which reduces land grading requirements, and optimized wiring management to lower costs. In 2014, the company introduced SMARTracking, a patented backtracking process that uses 3D analysis of each tracker's on-site position to generate up to 5% more energy annually compared to conventional systems. Following the ArcelorMittal acquisition, the company launched a new single-row, self-powered wireless tracker called A-Motion in 2019, designed to be secure in any position without a stow requirement and featuring two girders to limit stress on solar modules.

Keywords: solar tracking, ArcelorMittal Projects Exosun, single-axis trackers, photovoltaic plants, utility-scale solar, solar farm efficiency, ground-mounted PV, Exotrack HZ, A-Motion tracker, solar energy EPC, renewable energy hardware, PV plant optimization, backtracking technology, solar panel mounting, steel solar structures, energy infrastructure, Frédéric Conchy, Jean-Noël de Charentenay, solar LCOE reduction, large-scale solar projects