Fracsun
Fracsun provides PV soiling measurement and management solutions for utility-scale solar asset owners, operators, and developers. Core offerings are the NX Clario reference cell soiling station and CLEO AI predictive software. Now operates as a subsidiary of Nextpower (NASDAQ: NXT).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Luis Obispo, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Fracsun does
Fracsun is a San Luis Obispo, California-based company that develops photovoltaic (PV) soiling measurement and management solutions for utility-scale solar asset owners, operators, developers, and O&M providers. Its core product is the NX Clario Soiling Station (formerly branded ARES), a self-powered, cellular-enabled device that uses two large-area polycrystalline silicon reference cells—one automatically cleaned daily via the Wash Extension, one left to soil naturally—to directly calculate soiling loss in real time without requiring calibration for different soiling types. The system transmits data every five minutes to a cloud-based dashboard (Fracsun Portal) and integrates with SCADA systems via Modbus RTU RS-485, and offers a RESTful API and CSV data export.
The company's software layer centers on CLEO AI, an autoregressive machine learning model (Random Forest Regressor) trained on hundreds of thousands of historical ARES soiling observations combined with spatially interpolated EPA weather data to predict site-specific soiling accumulation rates and generate soiling typical meteorological year (TMY) profiles. CLEO AI is sold as a tiered SaaS subscription (Basic $50/month through Enterprise $150/month) with a three-simulation free trial. The company also offers a Soiling Resource Assessment (SRA) Kit for pre-construction site prospecting. Fracsun's go-to-market combines a direct enterprise hardware sales motion with a product-led growth demo-sensor program (one free sensor per qualified prospect for a three-month evaluation), content marketing, and integration partnerships with platforms such as Terabase PlantPredict. Reported customer outcomes include up to 20% annual performance improvement on large sites through optimized cleaning scheduling.
In 2025, Fracsun was acquired by Nextpower (NASDAQ: NXT), a global solar power plant technology company, and now operates as a Nextpower subsidiary from its California headquarters. The company was founded in 2011, has 1-10 employees, and has raised approximately $2.15M in disclosed funding across DOE grants (2017, 2018) and a 2021 equity round from Aventurine Partners. Named enterprise customers include Arevon Energy (4 GW portfolio deployment), Clearway Energy Group, White Pine Renewables, VDE Americas, and Bowles Farming Company.
Fracsun firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fracsun
- Legal name
- Fracsun Inc.
- Website
- http://www.fracsun.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Fracsun provides PV soiling measurement and management solutions for utility-scale solar asset owners, operators, and developers. Core offerings are the NX Clario reference cell soiling station and CLEO AI predictive software. Now operates as a subsidiary of Nextpower (NASDAQ: NXT).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Fracsun is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Luis Obispo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fracsun business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales (ARES/NX Clario Soiling Station): Fracsun sells the NX Clario (formerly ARES) soiling monitoring station as a hardware product, optionally bundled with the Wash Extension for automated reference cell cleaning. Hardware includes self-powered solar unit with cellular modem, two reference cells, and mounting hardware. Pricing not publicly disclosed; sold direct via website and sales team.
- Wash Extension Hardware: The Wash Extension automated cleaning accessory (120° brass nozzle, 60 psi pump, 16-gal reservoir) is sold as an add-on to the base ARES station. Almost all customers use this accessory per company claims. Sold bundled with hardware purchase.
- Cloud Software & Data Services: Cloud-based dashboard, data hosting, and API access for soiling data. Included with hardware purchase as part of the connected device subscription. Provides real-time monitoring, wash forecasting, and data analytics.
- CLEO AI Software Subscriptions: CLEO AI soiling loss modeling tool offered as SaaS subscription with tiered plans: Basic ($50/mo, 10 simulations), Standard ($75/mo, 20 simulations), Professional ($100/mo, 50 simulations), Enterprise ($150/mo, 100 simulations). Includes 3 free simulations on trial. Per-simulation costs range from $5.00 (Basic) to $1.50 (Enterprise).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | ARES/NX Clario Hardware (base station) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wash Extension Automated Cleaning Accessory |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cloud Dashboard & Data Services |
| Subscription | Monthly | CLEO AI Basic |
| Subscription | Monthly | CLEO AI Standard |
| Subscription | Monthly | CLEO AI Professional |
| Subscription | Monthly | CLEO AI Enterprise |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Fracsun product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fracsun manufactures and sells the NX Clario (formerly ARES) Soiling Station, a self-powered, cellular-enabled photovoltaic reference cell-based sensor that directly measures energy loss from dust and debris accumulation on solar panels. The integrated solution includes the Wash Extension for automated daily reference cell cleaning, the Fracsun cloud portal for real-time monitoring and wash forecasting, and the CLEO AI SaaS platform for predictive soiling loss modeling using machine learning and weather data.
Product overview
Fracsun offers a hardware-software integrated solution for solar soiling measurement and management. The core product is the NX Clario Soiling Station (formerly ARES), a self-powered photovoltaic reference cell based sensor that measures soiling loss in real-time. The platform includes cloud-based software for data visualization, wash forecasting, and analytics via the Fracsun Portal. CLEO AI provides predictive soiling loss modeling using machine learning for project planning and optimization. The Wash Extension V4 automates daily reference cell cleaning. Modbus RS-485 and RESTful APIs enable integration with external SCADA systems and data platforms like Terabase PlantPredict.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NX Clario: Photovoltaic reference cell-based soiling sensor for measuring on-site soiling loss on solar panels
- ARES Soiling Station
- CLEO AI
- Wash Extension
- ARES
- CLEO
Products and services
- NX Clario Soiling Station A photovoltaic reference cell-based soiling sensor that measures on-site soiling loss using two large-area polycrystalline cells (one automatically cleaned, one left to soil naturally). Self-powered with cellular connectivity, cloud-based analytics, and patented measurement technology. Sold to solar asset owners, operators, developers, EPC firms, and O&M teams managing utility-scale PV installations.
- Wash Extension V4 Automated solar-powered pumping system accessory for the NX Clario/ARES soiling monitoring station. Stores 16 gallons (60 liters) of water and automatically pumps to high-pressure spray nozzles for daily cleaning of the reference cell. Pump specifications: 60 psi max, 1 GPM, 12V DC.
- CLEO AI
- Fracsun Portal
- Soiling Resource Assessment (SRA) Kit
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 20% annual performance improvement on large sites at net-zero cleaning cost
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Fracsun
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fracsun technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
Fracsun partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, notable and minor.
- Terabase (PlantPredict)strategicFracsun partnered with Terabase to integrate CLEO AI soiling loss modeling within Terabase's PlantPredict platform for solar project design and energy yield prediction. A joint webinar announced the integration, with Catlin Mattheis (CEO of Fracsun) and David Spieldenner (Director of Sales for PlantPredict) presenting. The integration enables solar developers to access CLEO AI soiling loss data directly within their project modeling workflow.
- Solar Risk Assessment 2021 ConsortiumnotableFracsun contributed to the Solar Risk Assessment 2021 report alongside kWh Analytics, DNV, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables, BloombergNEF, PV Evolution Labs (PVEL), Radian Generation, Novasource Power Services, Nextracker, Clean Power Research, Lockton Power, and Stance Renewable Risk Partners. The annual report provides investors with data-driven insights on solar generation risk, with Fracsun contributing soiling loss expertise.
- GroundWork RenewablesminorFracsun sponsored the GroundWork Renewables Cycling Team in the LoToJa bike race spanning Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. The sponsorship raised $10,650 for We Care Solar obstetric health clinics in Africa, demonstrating Fracsun's community engagement and commitment to solar-powered healthcare.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fracsun competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- senseThor: Dutch developer of the DustIQ optical soiling sensor, a direct competitor to Fracsun's NX Clario that measures soiling via reflectance rather than PV reference cells. SenseThor was acquired by Kipp & Zonen (OTT HydroMet), giving it broad global distribution across solar O&M markets.
- Atonometrics: Direct competitor offering PV soiling and performance-ratio measurement instrumentation for utility-scale solar plants. Competes head-to-head with Fracsun on hardware-based soiling monitoring and serves similar asset owner / O&M customer segments.
- Autonomous Energy: Australian maker of the MARS (Multi-Angle Rotational Spectroradiometer) optical soiling sensor. Direct competitor to Fracsun's NX Clario in the utility-scale PV soiling measurement category, with deployments in Australia and other high-dust regions.
- Solargis: Provides solar resource assessment, TMY data, and soiling loss estimation for solar project developers and asset owners. Competes with Fracsun's CLEO AI on the planning/finance side by delivering soiling estimates without requiring hardware deployment at the project site.
Broad incumbents
- Campbell Scientific: Established manufacturer of environmental measurement instrumentation with broad product lines spanning meteorology, hydrology, and solar resource monitoring. Sells data loggers and weather stations often deployed alongside solar monitoring programs and overlapping with Fracsun's measurement-focused value proposition.
- AlsoEnergy: Solar monitoring and asset performance management platform serving commercial and utility-scale portfolios. Overlaps with Fracsun's Fracsun Portal and CLEO AI on the data/analytics layer, but offers a broader scope of KPIs beyond soiling (inverter performance, availability, alarms).
- Kipp & Zonen: Dutch manufacturer of solar radiation and meteorological instruments (pyranometers, pyrheliometers) and parent company of senseThor/DustIQ. Provides the broader measurement stack solar operators use, and via DustIQ competes directly with Fracsun's soiling measurement business.
Emerging players
- Aurora Solar: Cloud-based solar PV design and sales platform with growing resource/performance modeling capabilities. Partially overlaps with Fracsun's CLEO AI on the project planning side, though Aurora's strength is in residential/commercial design rather than utility-scale soiling estimation.
Others
- Terabase Energy: Solar project design platform (PlantPredict) with which Fracsun has a strategic integration partnership. Acts as an indirect distribution channel for CLEO AI into developer workflows and an ecosystem enabler for Fracsun's soiling data inside project modeling tools.
- kWh Analytics: Solar risk analytics firm and consortium partner alongside Fracsun in the Solar Risk Assessment report. Provides complementary (not competitive) data products addressing bankability, asset-level risk, and weather exposure for solar portfolios — intersecting with Fracsun's soiling dataset as a risk input.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fracsun social profiles
Digital presenceFracsun financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fracsun leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Fracsun funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fracsun M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fracsun
What does Fracsun do?
Fracsun manufactures and sells the NX Clario (formerly ARES) Soiling Station, a self-powered, cellular-enabled photovoltaic reference cell-based sensor that directly measures energy loss from dust and debris accumulation on solar panels. The integrated solution includes the Wash Extension for automated daily reference cell cleaning, the Fracsun cloud portal for real-time monitoring and wash forecasting, and the CLEO AI SaaS platform for predictive soiling loss modeling using machine learning and weather data.
Is Fracsun a public or private company?
Fracsun is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Fracsun founded?
Fracsun was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Fracsun based?
Fracsun is headquartered in San Luis Obispo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fracsun make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales (ARES/NX Clario Soiling Station) is the primary driver. The others are wash Extension Hardware, cloud Software & Data Services and CLEO AI Software Subscriptions.
Who are Fracsun's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are senseThor, Atonometrics, Autonomous Energy and Solargis. Broad incumbents are Campbell Scientific, AlsoEnergy and Kipp & Zonen. Aurora Solar is listed as an emerging player. Others are Terabase Energy and kWh Analytics.
Does Fracsun have an API?
Yes. Fracsun offers RESTful Inbound and Outbound APIs. The Inbound API allows users to send/upload soiling sensor data to the Fracsun Cloud. The Outbound API allows users to download/transfer soiling sensor data from the Fracsun Cloud. Both APIs are documented in the Fracsun Documentation section. Developer documentation is at www.fracsun.com/documentation.