Nextracker, a global solar tracker supplier, has shipped and delivered the industry’s first solar trackers made in the United States that are expected to achieve 100% domestic content value for solar trackers under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), according to a press statement. These trackers will be used in SB Energy’s Pelican’s Jaw project, a 570-MW solar and 954-MWh storage project that currently under construction by SOLV Energy in Kern County, California.
Credit: Nextracker
“Delivering the industry’s first trackers with 100% domestic content value is a huge milestone for our customers, our supply partners and Nextracker,” said Dan Shugar, Nextracker founder and CEO. “It demonstrates our ability to ramp and scale operations that directly benefit our customers, and sets a new standard for local supply chain resilience and operational excellence. By systematically focusing our manufacturing partnerships close to our customer project sites, we secure the supply chain and provide superior on-time delivery and cost savings for project development and construction. We also significantly de-carbonize our products by incorporating clean steel manufactured in the United States.”
All tracker components, including torque tubes, fasteners, slew drives, dampers, motors, controllers and rails, were made in the United States with Nextracker’s manufacturing partners. The company began investing in local manufacturing infrastructure in 2021 to establish a secure supply chain that would reduce product lead times following disruptions during the global pandemic. Together with its manufacturing partners, the company has now expanded or opened more than 25 U.S. factories with over 30 GW of annual capacity.
“SB Energy is proud to drive growth of domestic manufacturing for renewable energy through our projects,” said Abhijeet Sathe, co-CEO, SB Energy. “Our Pelican’s Jaw project will be the first to utilize Nextracker’s 100% U.S. domestic content solar trackers. We applaud Nextracker for their leadership in creating a robust U.S. supply chain to support our projects with greater supply security and create high paying, domestic manufacturing jobs.”
Solar power has become the leading source of new power generation, creating well-paid jobs both in the United States and globally according to the International Energy Agency. The American Clean Power Association reports that, as of 2023, the U.S. solar industry supports 279,000 jobs, driving significant economic growth in states like Arizona, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
“I attended Nextracker’s manufacturing plant dedications in Texas, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, where U.S. workers are building high quality solar products that will help power renewable energy projects across the country,” said George Hershman, CEO of SOLV Energy.
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