Sundial (Provo, Utah) unveiled a prototype of its automatic solar panel tracker at Re+ 2024, the largest clean energy convention in the country. Justin Hicken, Sundial's Founder and CEO, plans to make the trackers commercially available in about one year from now.
October 1, 2024, Provo Utah
Sundial, a solar-based startup founded by University of Utah/MBC graduate, Justin Hicken, recently unveiled its offering—automatic solar panel trackers for commercial and residential properties. Sundial's tracker has been designed to align solar panels in relation to the arc of the sun for optimal power generation regardless of time of day. TechBuzz sat down with Hicken to learn more about his trackers, which he says are the first tracker on the market designed for slanted residential roofs. He also claims his Sundial trackers enable rooftop solar panels to produce 20 to 30% more energy as compared to fixed panels.
Founded in 2022, Sundial participated in the University of Utah's Master of Business Creation program's first online cohort in 2023-24. The bootstrapped company is now headquartered in Provo, Utah at iHUB Innovation Hub, a new accelerator located in Provo, Utah, founded in 2023 by Angel Investor, Corbin Church. iHUB occupies the stylish office space formerly home to residential solar provider, Solcius, which ceased operations in February 2024 due to the bankruptcy of its parent company, Sunworks (Sunworks acquired Solcius in 2021). Hicken, the company's sole founder, is joined by two engineers, working on the electronic and mechanical aspects of the tracker design.
Sundial's solar trackers have also been engineered with a robust design claimed to withstand winds of up to 80 miles per hour, as Hicken stated, "we don't want to risk panels ripping off and flying away, so added a wind speed sensor that will trigger an automatic lowering if 60 mph or greater winds are detected."
Hicken added, "We also have precipitation sensors to stow the trackers in rain or snow conditions above a certain level. Sundial's electronics are waterproof, windproof, and dustproof."
Sundial recently exhibited at its first big trade show—RE+ 2024—understood to be the largest clean energy convention—that was held at the Anaheim Convention Center on September 9-11, attracting tens of thousands of attendees. On September 11, Hicken took the stage to present Sundial, introducing it to the RE+ audience.
Hicken said it was a watershed event for the company. He shared an anecdote: "I met another vendor who visited our booth on day one and then came back the next day, and said, 'I've walked 25,000 steps at this conference, have visited every booth, and all I've been thinking about is your tracker.'” The vendor returned to the Sundial booth with its entire team wanting to check out the Sundial system.
"The excitement expressed about our trackers from many solar companies tells me that our product is innovative and promising.We didn't receive a single negative comment," Hicken added. "People from all over the states showed interest and reached out, even we are still just taking orders and have no actual inventory to sell. Nonetheless, our booth visitors were still really excited about it,” stated Hicken.
Based on the warm reaction and 30 solid leads from RE+, Hicken received the validation needed to begin manufacturing the first round of trackers units that he plans to sell in approximately September 2025 via a B2B strategy whereby he sells Sundial trackers to solar installers that will offer them as an option for residential consumers of rooftop solar systems.
For more information visit Sundial’s website or LinkedIn site.