Leeward Renewable Energy and Nextracker today announced that they have signed a Volume Commitment Agreement (VCA) to deliver three gigawatts (GW) of Nextracker's NX Horizon™ smart solar tracking system to LRE solar projects under development and construction through 2027. This is the second VCA agreement between LRE and Nextracker, further extending their strategic partnership.
As part of the agreement, Nextracker will provide its solar tracker and software technology to LRE solar power projects located in strategic geographies across the U.S. Paired together, Nextracker's TrueCapture™ and NX Navigator™ software technologies maximize solar energy production and offer reliability features that help protect solar panels and mitigate the adverse effects of extreme weather, such as snow, hail, and high winds.
"We are pleased to expand our long-standing partnership with Nextracker, whose technology will enhance energy production at our facilities," said Jason Allen, LRE Chief Executive Officer. "Nextracker is a domestic supplier with a strong track record of delivering systems on time, and our agreement allows LRE to significantly de-risk our supply chain and uphold our commitment to providing our customers with reliable energy to meet their needs and sustainability goals."
"The team at Leeward Renewable Energy have been strong supporters of our domestic manufacturing program for several years now and we're grateful for their trust," stated Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextracker. "We're delighted to be supplying our high performing solar tracking systems and advanced software to the LRE VCA project portfolio—with mostly domestic content."
The agreement emphasizes a shared commitment by both companies to increase domestic job creation and U.S.-made manufacturing of renewable energy projects. Much of the steel and electronics used in the supply of Nextracker's systems are manufactured in factories the company has commissioned over the past two years, creating several hundred jobs. Nextracker will supply LRE finished steel product from its recently opened domestic steel manufacturing locations in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas as part of this agreement.