FTC Solar & Taihua New Energy Form JV to Produce Steel Components for Solar Projects

FTC Solar, a US-based solar tracker manufacturer, has formed a domestic joint venture with Thailand-headquartered steel fabricator Taihua New Energy to produce steel components for solar projects. The joint venture named Alpha Steel,  will focus on manufacturing steel components, including torque tubes, for utility-scale solar projects in Sealy, Texas. Alpha Steel is expected to begin commercial production in mid-2023.

Sean Hunkler, CEO of FTC Solar, said, “This agreement will further enhance our domestic supply chain, and our ability to support our customers and the growth of the US solar market, with domestic manufacturing utilising US steel.”

Further, Kailiang Ji, CEO of Taihua New Energy, added, “This new production line will include state-of-the-art equipment to help FTC quickly deploy its differentiated technology to customers.”

FTC Solar released its new one module in portrait (1P) Solar Tracker Solution last year. The firm said it required fewer foundations of up to 36% and could boost energy yield. The firm informed that it has also signed an agreement for its first supply of  new product. FTC claimed that it could enable 5% greater energy output by leveraging shorter row lengths.

The  features and benefits of the new product FTC Solar, it per, can be  listed as- a fast assembly using proprietary fast-module hang technology and fewer overall fasteners, zero-degree stow that allows for shorter pile embedment depth, accommodation of ultra-large format modules of between 550 W-600 W and high slope tolerance.