Case Study: Avalanche Energy achieves faster development of energy-saving SunTracer with SOLIDWORKS

Avalanche Energy - Customer Case Study

Avalanche Energy developed the SunTracer™, a patent‑pending, sun‑tracking parabolic dish system to heat water and lower energy bills for homes and trailers that can't support traditional solar panels. Faced with the challenge of creating a lightweight, low‑cost, easy‑to‑install system that could be rapidly prototyped and mounted regardless of roof orientation, Avalanche Energy relied on SolidWorks during design and development.

Using SolidWorks Premium design tools—including thermal, flow, and structural analysis and photorealistic renderings—Avalanche Energy sped up iteration, validated performance, and communicated the concept to partners and investors. The SolidWorks‑driven solution produced a two‑axis tracking SunTracer that can be installed at about half the cost of comparable systems, completed initial field testing in 2014, and offers flexible rooftop mounting with a simple connection to existing hot water tanks.

Avalanche Energy

Alex Pina

Founder