Manufacturing

RE+ 2023, held last week in Las Vegas, was bursting at the seams with attendees, exhibitors and enthusiasm. Three pv magazine editors share their insights and observations on key drivers, exciting new products, trends, manufacturing momentum and a few persistent uncertainties.

Also on the rise: Redflow and Ameresco to deploy prototype microgrid at Stewart Air National Guard Base. Five new energy storage systems triples Enel’s footprint in Texas. And more.

Three factories announced by three major solar panel suppliers will add 15 GW of manufacturing capacity. In 2021, the U.S. had about 7 GW of module manufacturing capacity.

Clean Energy Associates (CEA) made a presentation in a recent pv magazine webinar about domestic content bonuses available under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). CEA Senior Policy Analyst Christian Roselund provides some takeaways.

Sharp’s new IEC61215- and IEC61730-certified solar panels have an operating temperature coefficient of -0.30% per degree Celsius, with 21.51% efficiency.

Also on the rise: Longi solar modules made from OCI polysilicon clear U.S. Customs. A terawatt of solar module capacity expected within 16 months. And more.

With more than 50 GW of module manufacturing announcements made in the United States, annual production capacity will exceed demand by 2025, says S&P Global’s Alex Kaplan.

Clean Energy Associates projects that major Chinese manufacturers will achieve a global solar module manufacturing capacity of 1 terawatt by the end of 2024. Furthermore, this capacity is projected to hit that same mark within China’s borders by 2025.

Also on the rise: Silfab Solar signs agreement with NorSun for U.S.-made wafers. Regulatory gaps in solar inverters: The pressing need for oversight. And more.

NorSun recently raised $8.5 million in new equity to further develop clean energy manufacturing projects in the United States, including a 5 GW ingot and wafer production facility.