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
Read more from David SchollaertLatest in Environment and Energy
SMA sends pro-steel policy plan to Trump administration
“We are under constant threat from nonmarket economies who evade our trade laws," SMA said.
November energy market update
In this Premium analysis we cover North American oil and natural gas prices, drilling rig activity, and crude oil stock levels. Trends in energy prices and rig counts are an advance indicator of demand for oil country tubular goods (OCTG), line pipe and other steel products.
SMU Spotlight: CRU’s Paul Butterworth talks EAFs, CBAM, and decarbonization
Last month I traveled to Sweden to the CRU Steel Decarbonisation Summit in Stockholm. I wanted to see if the European take on decarbonization was broadly different from what we are talking about here in the US.
SSAB OK’d for $139M from European Commission for decarb
Sweden’s SSAB has been awarded €128 million by the European Commission for the steelmaker’s efforts at decarbonization.
GSCC introduces label for new emissions target
The Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) has taken a step forward in standardizing the decarbonization process with the publishing of its labeling for a certified science-based emissions target.