Blue 1 – From Open Fields to a 67 MWp Solar Asset

Blue 1 -Solar Park

67 MWp · Fier Area, Albania · 2022

Project Snapshot

• Capacity: 67 MWp
• Location: Fier area, Albania
• Year: 2022
• Scope: Installation (EPC/BoS subcontract)
• Technology: Tracker system by TrinaTracker

Key metrics

• 19,244 piles
• Over 103,000 PV modules installed
• 30 modules per string, 3,434 strings in total
• 177 inverters
• 7 MV turnkey stations
• 1,831 trackers installed

Activities (3S scope)

• Technical support, commissioning & start-up operation
• Supplier & contract management
• Equipment & service receipt
• Purchasing & logistics
• Project management
• Civil works
• Installation of mounting systems / module racking – TrinaTracker
• AC/DC works
• CCTV installation

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The Challenge

1. First-wave utility-scale tracker plant in the Fier cluster
   Blue 1 was one of the early large-scale tracker-based solar plants in the Fier area, with over 100,000 modules and nearly 2,000 trackers. Delivering that scale on a tight schedule demanded industrial-level coordination of civil, mechanical and electrical work.
2. High structural density and precision
   With 19,244 piles and 1,831 trackers to install, any deviation in foundations or alignment could have created long-term performance and maintenance issues. The plant required consistent accuracy across a large footprint.
3. Complex electrical backbone
   3,434 strings and 177 inverters, distributed across 7 MV turnkey stations, required careful string design, cable routing and quality control to minimize losses and simplify commissioning and future troubleshooting.
4. Challenging terrain and water management
   The site’s low-lying, uneven terrain meant that heavy rain could quickly turn sections of the plant into a swamp, limiting access, jeopardizing piling accuracy and threatening long-term stability. Blue 1 needed a civil and drainage concept that controlled water, protected structures and kept the plant buildable and serviceable year-round.

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Our Approach

1. Integrated civil–mechanical execution
3S Energy treated piling, tracker mechanics and module installation as one continuous process rather than separate trades. Civil teams, pile drivers and tracker installation crews were sequenced so that each completed zone could move straight into module mounting and electrical works, reducing rework and idle time.

2. Tracker system implemented at industrial scale
Working with TrinaTracker’s system, 3S developed standardized procedures for ramming, alignment and tracker assembly across 1,831 units. This brought consistency to the entire site, improved installation speed and laid the groundwork for low-maintenance operation.

3. Structured AC/DC roll-out
The electrical scope was delivered in phased blocks:

• DC cabling and string connections were organized by tracker groups, ensuring clean routing into combiner points and inverters.
• Inverter and MV station installation followed a tested sequence that simplified commissioning and performance testing.

This approach reduced errors, made documentation clearer and created a logical layout for future diagnostics.

4. Full supply and logistics control
3S managed supplier and contract management, equipment receipt, and on-site logistics, aligning deliveries with build phases. This avoided material congestion on site and kept crews continuously supplied with piles, structures, modules and cabling.

5. Built with commissioning and operation in mind
Because 3S also provided technical support through commissioning and start-up, installation decisions were made with the “day after COD” in mind:

• Accessible cable routes and equipment layout
• Clear labeling and documentation for strings, inverters and MV stations
• CCTV integrated from the start, rather than an afterthought

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Results

• A flagship tracker-based solar plant in Fier
  Blue 1 was delivered to spec as a 67 MWp utility-scale tracker plant with more than 103,000 modules and 1,831 trackers in operation – a major reference for Albania’s utility-scale solar build-out.
• Reliable foundation for the Fier cluster
  The execution quality and lessons from Blue 1 fed directly into subsequent projects in the region, including Blue 2 and other large-scale initiatives, reinforcing 3S Energy’s ability to deliver at scale in the Fier corridor.
• 3S Energy proven as a regional delivery engine
  Blue 1 showed that 3S Energy could own the entire on-the-ground scope – civil, BoS, AC/DC and commissioning support – for a complex tracker plant, operating as a true regional delivery engine for international developers expanding in Albania and the Balkans.

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