PVTIME – US solar manufacturer T1 Energy has partnered with Nextracker, a leading manufacturer of tracking systems, to use its steel module frames at the new 5GW solar component factory in Dallas.
T1 Energy acquired the G1_Dallas plant from China’s Trina Solar in December 2024, rebranding from Freyr Battery and shifting its focus from battery production to solar manufacturing. During the first eight months of 2025, the company produced 1.2GW of components, and it plans to increase capacity to 5GW next year by prioritising the use of US-made parts. These will include cells from its G2 Austin solar cell factory and module frames from Nextracker.
T1’s chief executive and chairman, Daniel Barceló, emphasised that both companies are American, employing American workers and contributing to US energy security. He emphasised that the US needs a critical energy supply chain built on domestic capacity and industrial expertise in order to meet potential demand surges from data centres and AI infrastructure, a goal that T1 and Nextracker are working together to achieve.
As the government tightens overseas import rules, securing domestic supply chains for key solar parts has become a priority for many US solar firms. These measures include higher tariffs on foreign imports, ‘Foreign Entity of Concern’ regulations that make sourcing from China more difficult, and upcoming anti-dumping and countervailing duty rulings on several Asian countries, which could disrupt supply chains linking India, Indonesia, Laos and the US.
In response, firms are either expanding their operations in the US through acquisitions or signing supply deals with other US manufacturers. Earlier this month, T1 Energy acquired a minority stake in battery producer Talon PV, with which it collaborates on TOPCon battery technology. In September, Nextracker acquired Origami Solar, a manufacturer of steel frames, and signed a 2GW supply agreement with the renewable energy firm Clearway Energy Group.
Nextracker has also stated that it will increase its existing capacity for steel frames in the US Midwest. While the expected capacity increase and its connection to the Origami Solar acquisition have not been specified, Nextracker’s commitment to relocating supply chains to the US is clear.
Dan Shugar, Nextracker’s founder and chief executive, noted that solar modules were invented at Bell Labs in the 1950s, adding that it is remarkable to see large-scale photovoltaic manufacturing return to the US.
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