Solar tracker and software solutions firm Nextracker and BlueScope Steel subsidiary Orrcon Steel have signed an agreement to manufacture and deliver Australian-made critical components for Nextracker’s smart solar tracker used on distributed generation and utility-scale solar farms.
The first project scheduled to receive delivery of Australian made steel components from the facility is ACCIONA Energia’s 480MWp Aldoga Solar Farm to be built near Gladstone.
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Critical steel components will be produced from BlueScope’s steel coil at Orrcon Steel’s Salisbury Tube mill in Brisbane and finished at its Northgate site by Baojia, Nextracker’s global manufacturing partner for delivery to Engineering, Procurement & Construction.
The new manufacturing facility was officially opened by Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Jobs Mick de Brenni; BlueScope CEO Tania Archibald, Orrcon Steel general manager Tony Schreiber, and Nextracker Australia general manager Peter Wheale.
“This foundation strengthens Nextracker’s commitment to deliver energy security to Australians with a local supply chain and new manufacturing jobs to make clean energy affordable and accessible. We support Queensland’s Energy and Jobs Plan and applaud their ambitions to create jobs for the clean energy economy,” Wheale said.
“In addition to reducing our carbon footprint by manufacturing critical tracker components in Australia, the manufacturing facility in Queensland will accelerate Nextracker’s ability to deliver faster to our customers in Australia and support large solar farms with quality, high-performing solar tracker systems.”
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According to industry analyst, Rystad, Nextracker is the market leader for solar tracker systems in Australia with 7.45GWdc installed or under fulfilment in 13.5GWdc of utility-scale PV assets.
Nextracker’s technology has also been used on some of the country’s largest solar projects, including New England Solar Farm (521MWd), Stubbo Solar Farm (520MWd) and Western Downs Solar Farm (460MWd).
