I could also be old-school, however I can work out the right way to make a gif.
I’m nonetheless fairly old-school in relation to reporting on a tradeshow — I carry my small pocket book and write down insights in pen. I’m reaching the final web page of the pocket book I’ve carried since my first Photo voltaic Energy Worldwide with Photo voltaic Energy World, again 10 years in the past. I had a breakfast assembly with LG after which realized about versatile thin-film from MiaSole — each firms are out of enterprise now, however the recollections are nonetheless there!
The pocket book has come in useful as I re-review all the businesses which have claimed they’re bringing photo voltaic panel manufacturing to the USA. Many haven’t panned out (and plenty of extra are added to my “bat**** loopy” header in my non-public monitoring doc), however there are nonetheless a couple of firms standing agency on the promo they’ve on sales space partitions. I’m in a position to learn between the strains to find out who’s utilizing an OEM and who may very well attain a manufacturing facility opening, and my confirmed particulars are in our U.S. solar panel manufacturer list here.
An fascinating factor occurred on the RE+ 2025 tradeshow final week — fewer firms had been promoting “Made in America” photo voltaic panels, and as a substitute manufacturers had been stating they had been “FEOC-compliant.” After all, the 2 distinctions are very completely different, however it appears like the larger pattern taking place now. Putting in American-made photo voltaic panels would be the best method to meet new federal entity of concern (FEOC) guidelines, which stop tasks utilizing too many Chinese language elements from accessing federal tax credit. However now, photo voltaic panels simply must not have Chinese language parts to conform, not essentially be as American as attainable.
All of this simply means the photo voltaic panel manufacturing conversations on this HR1 period are extra difficult than earlier than, as a result of consumers have completely different endgames. So whereas Photo voltaic Energy World will proceed updating our U.S. manufacturing charts as new developments occur, I’m able to get again to exploring know-how and product developments within the photo voltaic panel area. Gone are the times of photo voltaic panel firms promoting a dozen completely different panel sorts — from 60-cell to 72-cell choices and an all-black panel or one with (gasp) no busbars — and choices are extra standardized in tech. Half-cut cells are the dominant alternative, and PERC or TOPCon is the usual. So when one thing stands out, I’m excited to study extra. I discovered three stand-outs at RE+ 2025. Let me know what you assume!
4-mm glass module from Imperial Star Photo voltaic for Erthos
Photo voltaic panels constructed to resist larger-sized and extra intense hail storms are a hot topic within the trade proper now, and the consensus amongst main gamers Jinko, Trina and Longi is to make use of tempered glass and go to three.2-mm thickness the place they’ll. Texas-based photo voltaic panel assembler Imperial Star Solar, which fashions itself extra as a “custom-order” producer, stated why not go even thicker for its buyer Erthos. The flat-ground challenge developer positions panels instantly on the earth, which gives no tilt-angles that would shield panels from direct hail hits. A thick, 4-mm top-glass gives one of the best safety Erthos can discover.
However the heavier weight, you say! Sure, the priority with thicker-glass panels is the heavier weight of the ultimate design. However photo voltaic panels put in on the bottom with out racking techniques don’t want to fret about weight. The sturdier, stiffer panel from Imperial Star gives one other profit to Erthos — it might probably higher accommodate robotics and different cleansing and upkeep aids that should glide throughout the panel floor.
Ultralight panel with 85% home content material from Bila Photo voltaic
I did say that American-made panels are dropping their advertising sparkle, however there’s nonetheless massive demand for high-domestic-content panels in sure markets. Indianapolis-based panel assembler Bila Solar already advantages from its provide of American-made cells from ES Foundry, however it desires to go even additional if prospects demand extra.
Bila’s initial plan was to fabricate glass-less silicon panels in Indiana, however market demand led them to start out dual-glass, bifacial photo voltaic panel meeting this 12 months. The corporate nonetheless believes in its light-weight, frameless design that sandwiches photo voltaic cells between polymer sheets, and it’s a distinctive possibility for business rooftops that may’t help a whole lot of additional weight. And by foregoing glass and frames and utilizing its personal polymer mix, Bila can enhance the home content material share to over 85%. By utilizing Bila’s photo voltaic panels, challenge builders can stress much less on discovering American-made mounting techniques and different BOS elements to fulfill home content material necessities.
Curved tiled panels from Hounen Photo voltaic
We’re actually nonetheless attempting distinctive residential photo voltaic panel designs, huh? At the very least this 50-W curved tile solar panel from Hounen Photo voltaic isn’t appearing as building-integrated PV (BIPV). This nine-cell HJT setup can are available in 4 completely different coloured “backsheets” — night time black, sky grey, brick pink and sunny orange. The junction field is on the bottom and positioned in one of many curved roof’s peaks.
The panel is just 50 W, however it additionally solely weighs 12 lbs and has no glass. I wasn’t in a position to find out how the panels are secured to a roof — whether or not via an adhesive or specialised mount — however it’s another choice for the residential market. Photo voltaic arrays on curved tiles are one of many trickier set up efforts, so this panel design could possibly be useful to the market when it comes out of prototype.
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