Nextracker and Asteelflash/USI Open New Electronics Manufacturing Line for U.S. Solar Power Plants

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Nextracker Inc. (NXT), a global market leader of solar trackers and Asteelflash/USI, a high-end global electronics component manufacturer, announced the grand opening of Asteelflash’s U.S. manufacturing line for Nextracker. Asteelflash has expanded its capability to include dedicated production of Nextracker’s patented self-powered controller (SPC) and high voltage power supply. Key components of the Nextracker controller include printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), battery integration, and other essential components used in the company’s solar tracking technology deployed globally.

The manufacturing line is housed in a 197,000 square foot facility in Fremont, CA, and represents a multi-million-dollar joint investment in this first phase, creating new jobs and boosting local economic growth. Nextracker controllers are the “brain” and power supply enabling precision control of the company’s tracker systems such as NX Horizon™, the company’s flagship product for large-scale solar power plants. Nextracker’s SPCs are highly reliable over a wide range of conditions and powered by a battery, allowing the trackers to still function even if grid power is down.

"We are excited to announce our commitment to procuring Nextracker’s U.S.-made trackers as part of Clearway's broader domestic content strategy and pleased to see the heart of their robust tracker technology, the self-powered controllers, be manufactured here in California,” said Craig Cornelius, CEO of Clearway who recently announced a two-gigawatt volume commitment agreement with Nextracker. “With Nextracker’s precise control over tracker row angles and rapid stowing capabilities in extreme weather conditions, our growing fleet will set new standards of module protection and help ensure the reliability and resilience of the solar industry."

"We are delighted to be supply partners for Nextracker's U.S. self-powered controller line," said Matt Behringer, USI Corp. VP and AFG EVP. "Asteelflash/USI fully embraces Nextracker's principles, advocating for a future built on clean economy ideals and creating local jobs by producing essential components like PCBAs which play a crucial role in our daily lives. All these components are proudly manufactured right here in the heart of Silicon Valley."

“Nextracker is thrilled to work with Asteelflash/USI as we continue to put in place the domestic manufacturing capacity we need to serve the rapidly growing solar market,” said Dan Shugar, CEO and founder of Nextracker. “Our expanding product manufacturing footprint is bringing new jobs throughout the country and enables us to better serve customers. We are pleased to add California to our production capability, with Silicon Valley having some of the best tech talent in the world.”

With these newly dedicated mechanical assembly production lines, Nextracker is further building out its supply capacity for domestic demand as well as for export, having opened over 10 new U.S. production facilities in the past year with its suppliers. In 2022, the company publicly inaugurated four new steel fabrication lines in Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. In May of this year, Nextracker announced another steel tracker factory in Tennessee.

Nextracker and Asteelflash/USI held a dedication event to announce the facility. At the event, Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, Chair of the California Energy Commission David Hochschild, Craig Cornelius of Clearway Energy, Becky Cranna of Cypress Creek Renewables, and Frank Macchiarola of the American Clean Power Association (ACP) spoke about the positive impact of clean energy and job creation.

According to the American Clean Power Association, clean energy currently makes up 15% of U.S. electricity and more money was invested into utility-scale clean energy projects and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. between last August and this March than the total investment into clean power projects between 2017 and 2021. Wood Mackenzie reports that the U.S. solar industry just had its best first quarter in history and is expected to triple in size over the next five years.