As your friendly solar expert and blogger, let me surprise you today with interesting news coming our way. It’s about the growth and potential of solar companies and a brilliant example of how solar power generation can truly revolutionize the industry. The main player here is Nextracker, a solar tracker specialist. What’s intriguing is their recent announcement about the opening of their second steel torque tube factory in association with Unimacts, a firm with expertise in industrial manufacturing and supply chain solutions. You might ask, why should I care about solar trackers? Simply put, they play a fundamental role in utilizing solar panels for your home or for large-scale solar energy projects, by holding and rotating solar panels to follow the sun’s path, maximizing energy output.
The factory, based in Sloan, Nevada, near Las Vegas, will produce steel components exclusively for Nextracker. These components will significantly boost its domestic solar tracker capacity to over a whopping 30 GW annually. To put that into context, that’s enough to support more than 2 GW of new solar power each year. This equates to the energy demand of nearly 400,000 US homes! If you’ve been considering setting up a solar array for your home, this news underlines the industry capacity to support such ventures.
This factory, spanning 160,000 square feet, is just one of over 20 facilities that Nextracker has opened or expanded since 2021. That’s resilience and commitment towards a greener future right there! Also, these manufacturing expansions are an indication of the strategic moves solar companies are making in response to the US government’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. To tap into additional tax credit incentives, these solar companies are focusing on using locally produced materials, which is fostering an economic driver and bringing employment opportunities to local communities.
As per estimates from American Clean Power, the Act will create over 550,000 new clean energy jobs, more than double the current workforce. By 2030, the clean power industry will support nearly a million Americans directly. Imagine that! This kind of growth is a testament to the solar industry’s potential.
Another interesting point to note is that Unimacts, apart from manufacturing torque tubes (don’t forget, these are critical for the rotation of solar panels), also produces solar piles and drives for trackers, wind turbine components, and other industrial products.
So, aspiring solar owners, it’s evident that the future is bright for solar power. Solar companies are not only expanding their capacities and capabilities but also creating jobs and contributing to economic growth on a large scale. As homeowners or prospective solar enthusiasts, we’re truly living in exciting times! Keep posted for more solar updates right here on our blog.
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/18/nextracker-expands-u-s-manufacturing-with-unimacts/
