Solar manufacturer Solx Energy has signed a PV frame supply agreement with steel frame producer Origami Solar for its module assembly plant in Puerto Rico.
Solx is currently building a 1GW manufacturing plant in the Caribbean island, the first in Puerto Rico. Production of the solar modules is expected to begin in July 2025.
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The agreement will see Origami Solar become the exclusive provider of domestically made solar steel frames and comes less than a month after the company signed another PV frame agreement with Canadian solar cell and module manufacturer Heliene.
Both agreements come as the company ramps up its domestic production of PV steel frame modules, with the commissioning of a production line in Arkansas last month. This is not the only facility Origami will have in the US to produce domestic module frames, with another facility in Texas, a state home to many module manufacturing plants.
Gregg Patterson, CEO of Origami Solar, said: “Solx’s decision to exclusively use Origami steel frames further validates the industry-wide transition to stronger, domestically produced module frames that boost solar project resilience, spur economic development, create jobs, and enhance energy security.”
Solx selected Origami’s steel frames for its modules due to high winds being common in Puerto Rico and stated that Origami’s frames offer increased resilience against severe weather. The solar manufacturer also highlighted the supply chain risk of importing aluminium frame modules. Last month, US president Donald Trump imposed a 25% flat tariff on imports of both aluminium and steel.
PV Tech Premium recently covered this topic in a discussion with Patterson who said that securing a domestic supply chain allowed companies to build a business continuity and predictable risk.
“At Solx, we’re obsessed with quality and we are entering the module manufacturing space with a clear mission: to produce durable and high-performing modules for Puerto Rico and other extreme weather-prone US regions,” said James Holmes, CEO of Solx.
“With increased tariffs looming on imported steel and aluminium, Origami’s low-cost domestic supply chain eliminates significant supply and pricing risk.”
The production of domestic module frames makes it qualify for domestic content adders for developers of up to 8.5% who aim to qualify for the 10% domestic content bonus investment tax credit (ITC).
