Economy
Origami Solar Steel Frames Could Aid US Industry
May 23, 2023
Bend, Oregon-based Origami Solar has announced its Gen 2 steel module frame, which can be sourced from domestic steelmakers.
The solar panel company said the steel solar module frame represents “a game-changing opportunity to disrupt high-risk Asian supply chains.” It can achieve this by leveraging US steel resources to end the solar industry’s reliance on imported aluminum.
Sourcing domestic steel frames can lower costs, create jobs, and tap into domestic content incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the company added.
“Origami Solar steel module frames will help accelerate our energy independence, significantly reduce the solar industry’s carbon footprint, and enable unconstrained local-region panel production,” Gregg Patterson, CEO of Origami Solar, said in a press release on Monday.
The company noted the frames will reduce production-related greenhouse gases by up to 93%. This represents a reduction of 80 kilograms per module, or 200 metric tons per megawatt (MW), through the use of recycled, or “green steel,” according to the release.
Origami Solar said Gen 2 production-ready frames are now available for evaluation testing by module makers and key partners across the solar value chain.
By Ethan Bernard, ethan@steelmarketupdate.com
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