Environment and Energy
Ex-Bethlehem Steel Facility Repurposed for the Solar Energy Market
Written by David Schollaert
June 28, 2022
Nextracker LLC, a global utility-scale solar tracker manufacturer, and BCI Steel, a Pittsburgh-based steel fabricator, will breathe new life into the abandoned Bethlehem Steel manufacturing facility in Leetsdale, Pa.
The historic factory – once a part of one of the world’s largest steel-producing and shipbuilding companies of the 20th century, and where steel for US Navy’s tank landing ships (LSTs) during WWII was made – will reopen to produce solar tracker equipment for large-scale solar power plants.
“BCI is proud to advance Pittsburgh’s legacy as the heart of America’s steel industry,” said Matt Carroll, BIC’s CEO. “This partnership with Nextracker showcases our steel fabrication and quality control technology and unlocks additional domestic solar capacity with our low-cost manufacturing.”
The facility will incorporate both BCI Steel’s new and reshored equipment. Solar tracker products produced at the factory will serve rapidly growing solar markets in Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, and Ohio, Nextracker said.
US Steel will supply the steel for Nextracker’s advanced solar tracker systems. This is the third solar tracker fabrication line Nextracker has commissioned with a steel manufacturing partner in 2022, committing to rebuilding America’s steel and solar supply chains.
With additional capacity in Pittsburgh, the solar tracker manufacturer is building out 10 GW of “Made in America” manufacturing capacity – enough to power 7.5 million homes.
Earlier this year, Nextracker opened two green steel tracker production lines, one in Texas with JM Steel, and in Arizona with Atkore. Under its reshoring initiative, solar tracker manufacturer has already procured over 100,000 tons of US-made steel year-to-date. Enough for approximately 5 GW of solar trackers.
“BCI Steel’s Pittsburgh factory enables the quick-ship response times we need to meet booming demand from our customers in the Mid-Atlantic and Heartland regions,” said Dan Shugar, Nextracker’s founder, and CEO.
By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com
David Schollaert
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