Array Technologies expands balance of system platform with $203 million AWM acquisition and new 60 degree solar tracker

This is industry news about utility-scale solar equipment, not something that touches individual homes, but here's what's happening. Array Technologies, which makes solar tracking systems (equipment that tilts solar panels to follow the sun), is buying a company called Affordable Wire Management for up to $203 million. The deal includes $153 million in cash plus up to $50 million more if performance targets are met through 2028. Affordable Wire Management makes cable protection and wiring hardware used in large solar installations, and the purchase also gives Array a foothold in battery storage and data center equipment. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Separately, Array introduced a new version of its DuraTrack tracker system, angled at 60 degrees, aimed at large solar farms in areas with moderate hail risk, such as Texas and the Great Plains. The design lets panels tilt steeply to avoid hail damage while using software that triggers automatic hail alerts. It's built with wired power and communication lines rather than wireless or battery-based controls, and includes wind-sensing technology that reduces panel movement during storms, which the company says can boost energy output by up to 4% compared to older stow designs. Array plans to start taking orders for this new tracker in 2026, with first deliveries expected by mid-2027.

None of this affects rooftop solar or home energy equipment. It concerns hardware for large, utility-scale solar farms.