Origami Solar, developers of a patent-pending steel frame for solar modules, says production samples of its new Gen 2 steel module frame are ready for evaluation and certification testing. 

Leveraging investment in U.S. module-production capacity by sourcing domestic steel frames can lower costs, create jobs and tap into domestic content incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, the company says. It also offers an opportunity to end the solar industry’s reliance on imported aluminum. 

“Our Gen 2 frames are lighter, stronger and ideally suited to provide superior support to the new large-format modules coming to market,” says Gregg Patterson, CEO of Origami Solar. “In collaboration with steelmakers and precision roll formers, we have designed the Origami steel module frame to match the fit, form and function of industry-standard frames, making the transition from aluminum to steel seamless for module manufacturing and field installation.”

Adds Thomas Welser of Welser Profile, a manufacturer of roll-formed steel products, “Our goal throughout this process has been to support Origami Solar to ensure that any solar panel producer will be able to rapidly integrate and scale these frames with virtually no changes to their production processes, in both the U.S. and Europe.”

Along with support for increased production of domestically produced recycled steel, Origami Solar frames are expected to reduce production-related greenhouse gases by up to 93%, representing a reduction of 80 kg per module or 200 metric tons per megawatt.

With performance testing by third-party labs and module manufacturers nearing completion, Gen 2 production-ready frames are now available for evaluation testing by module makers and key partners across the solar value chain.

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