The all-cash deal is valued at roughly $53m.
Origami Solar has developed steel frame designs that serve as drop-in replacements for traditional aluminum frames. These designs mirror standard industry form factors, making them compatible with existing production lines and enabling easy adoption. The company’s solutions are expected to accelerate the industry’s transition toward steel frame technology.
The acquisition combines Origami Solar’s expertise in panel frame design and engineering with Nextracker’s extensive experience in panel-tracker interface engineering. Together, the companies aim to advance solar panel mounting techniques, improve efficiency, and support the scalability of innovative solutions.
Origami Solar CEO Gregg Patterson said: “Our team has solved key challenges around design, performance, and high-volume production. By joining forces with Nextracker, we have a great opportunity to scale this innovation faster with their global supply chain ecosystem and deep customer relationships and to commercialise a solution that makes a real impact.”
The deal strengthens Nextracker’s position in the solar sector by leveraging steel’s potential advantages in structural performance, cost competitiveness, and reduced carbon intensity. The use of steel also opens opportunities for localized manufacturing, from steel coil processing to final fabrication, enhancing supply chain resilience.
Nextracker founder and CEO Dan Shugar highlighted the significance of this shift: “Solar panel frame technology has been relatively unchanged for over 45 years. During that time, the size and dynamic wind loads on solar panels have increased dramatically, especially in utility-scale tracking applications. From a structural engineering perspective, the shift from aluminium to steel is compelling – steel offers greater strength at competitive cost and significantly reduced carbon intensity. Most importantly, it helps to unlock opportunities for localised manufacturing from steel coil through final fabrication, while delivering real customer benefits like faster panel installation and improved long-term system performance.”
The integration of Origami Solar’s technology is also expected to support advancements in robotic assembly, potentially reducing labor requirements and increasing installation speed for large-scale solar projects. This aligns with broader industry goals of improving efficiency and reducing overall system costs.
Nextracker has been active in expanding its global presence. In August, Casa dos Ventos, a Brazil-based renewable energy developer, selected Nextracker to supply 1.5 GW of solar tracker systems for its first utility-scale solar projects. For these projects, Nextracker will deploy its NX Horizon-XTR all-terrain trackers along with NX Horizon systems, highlighting the company’s continued role in supporting large-scale solar deployments worldwide.
By acquiring Origami Solar, Nextracker is reinforcing its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-focused solutions, positioning itself strongly in the evolving solar energy market.
