US-based solar tracker company Nevados has opened a new production line at steel manufacturer Priefert Steel in Texas.
Nevados said the trackers made at the Priefert factory will be made from American-produced steel. The trackers are also expected to help developers and owner-operators qualify for bonus tax credits for domestic content under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
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Nevados chief commercial officer Jenya Meydbray said in a presentation: “We have all lived through the volatility of the last couple of years, with parts shortages and skyrocketing logistics costs. So a US supply chain can offer some additional predictability that just isn’t available with the international supply chain.”
Yezin Taha, founder and CEO of Nevados, said: “Domestic supply chains can be both more robust and more efficient, such as by reducing shipping times and associated carbon emissions and pollution. Buying as much domestic equipment as is available now helps prepare solar developers for a future when more US solar module capacity has come online.”
According to Rocky Christenberry, Priefert’s vice-president of manufacturing, Priefert Steel has about 100 employees involved in the solar sector, and the number is expected to grow. Looking ahead, Priefert Steel’s factory will expand from 23 acres to 40 acres in the future.
Other than the partnership with Priefert Steel, Nevados is continuing to expand its client base in the US. By the end of 2023, the company said it would have contracted for enough trackers to supply about 1.5GW of solar generating capacity in the US, with both existing and new clients such as solar developers Energix Renewables, Ampliform, and SOLV Energy.
Recently, Taha wrote a piece for PV Tech Premium, examining how solar tracking technology can help eradicate the still common practice of levelling sites prior to installing solar panels – and thus avoid the problems, environmental impact and cost associated with site grading.
The company also signed deals with Energix Renewable for a project in Virginia, and a 2GW deal with Ampliform.
Click here for an in-depth interview with Taha about Nevados’ business, products, technology and plans.