From pv magazine USA
Nextpower (previously known as Nextracker) has announced it will provide its US-made steel module frames to Jinko (US) Inc. under a multi-year supply agreement.
Nextpower will supply more than 1 GW of steel frames, scalable to 3 GW over three years. The frames will be manufactured into solar modules at JinkoSolar’s Jacksonville, Florida facility, with production expected to begin mid-2026 and scaled up to 3 GW over a three-year period.
“This agreement with Jinko Solar represents clear market validation of steel frames as a reliable and cost-effective solution that supports both module durability and US manufacturing priorities,” said Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextpower. “It also reinforces how the US solar industry is industrializing, aligning domestic manufacturing, policy incentives, and proven technology at gigawatt scale.”
In 2025 Nextpower (then Nextracker) added steel frames to its growing list of offerings by acquiring Origami Solar. At the time Nextpower said in a statement that the acquisition added dedicated panel frame design and engineering expertise to the company, supporting continued innovation in integrated panel-tracker solutions.
To demonstrate the product’s features, Jinko Solar brought a steel-framed module to the recent Intersolar and Energy Storage North America (IESNA) conference in San Diego, California.
In comments to pv magazine USA at IESNA, Nextpower VP and general manager Jenya Meydbray said the company’s steel frames offer multiple benefits to module manufacturers and project developers.
Module manufacturers can benefit from local production in practical ways. Nextpower will produce the steel frames near existing solar module production facilities, allowing OEMs to receive a steady stream of the material, which eliminates the need to dedicate space in their facilities to keeping large quantities of imported aluminum frames in stock.
For developers, US-made steel frames add six percent to a tracker project’s domestic content calculation, according to US Treasury Department guidance.
Finally, because the steel is produced domestically, Meydbray said it represents up to a 90% reduction in embedded carbon emissions compared to imported aluminum frames.
Nextpower plans to further expand its steel frame manufacturing presence in the southeastern United States to enable direct supply to the Jinko Solar U.S. facility in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville plant is one of more than 25 that the company has opened or expanded since 2021.
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