2024-03 Issue 3

Welcome to "Frankly Speaking," your monthly go-to source for the latest news and insights in solar manufacturing. I'm Frank Andorka, who was lucky enough to work with Yann Brandt at SolarWakeup for a year as a correspondent, and now as Content Lead for Akhia . Each edition will delve into the most pressing issues, innovative technologies, and policy developments shaping solar manufacturing. This newsletter is proudly brought to you by Akhia, a full-service, manufacturing-focused marketing communications company based in Hudson, Ohio.

As we all know, one of the challenges facing #solar #manufacturing in the United States is finding enough workers to fill the ever-increasing number of jobs in this fast-growing industry. Well, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is putting some money into developing job-training programs focused on solar manufacturing. We love to see forward-thinking policies designed to increase the number of people who can work in our marvelous industry.

Before we get to the news, we talked with Marta Stoepker , Senior Director of Corporate Communications, of Qcells North America and asked her some questions about why the company is so focused on building a integrated domestic solar supply chain in Georgia. She can be reached at [email protected] if you have any further questions about their long-term manufacturing strategy. Marta, welcome to Frankly Speaking.

MS: Thanks so much, Frank. Great to talk to you

FS: How did Qcells arrive at the decision to build as much of its solar supply chain as possible in the United States??

MS: There is a lot of demand in the United States for solar right now, and it’s smart to build product near that demand. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides a lot of support for companies wanting to bring the supply chain to the United States. The Solar Energy Manufacturing for America provisions in the IRA are crafted to not just bring solar module production to the United States, but key components that haven’t been made in America for decades, like ingots, wafers, and cells.

SEMA played a big role in our plans to make a historic investment in the solar supply chain, and by the end of this year our one-of-a-kind solar manufacturing facility will be up and running, with 2,000 people making solar at scale. However, more tools need to be used to ensure investments in the solar supply chain both succeed and grow.?The global market is very competitive right now, and the oversupply of artificially cheap solar panels coming into the United States makes it hard for U.S. manufacturers to put their plans in motion. U.S. industrial policy needs to stay as competitive as the markets in which we work.

FS: What makes the United States such an attractive market to set up solar manufacturing facilities in?

MS: As said above, there is a lot of demand for solar in the United States, and we want to be ready to meet that demand. The IRA, of course, made investing in factories in the United States an easy choice, but Georgia also played a big role in providing us a place to call home starting in 2019.

FS: How will the concentration of Qcells' supply chain in Georgia improve its ability to supply the fast-growing U.S. market?

MS: When we complete our expansion plans, we’ll be able to meet more of the U.S. demand for solar. By the end of the year, we’ll have 8.4 GW of solar rolling off our factory floors and ready to be installed in communities across the country.

Thanks to Marta Stoepker for providing us insights into Qcells’ strategy for bringing its manufacturing, from ingots to modules, to the United States. And with that, let’s get to the news:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the first winners of the American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce. The two winning teams will receive up to $500,000 each to implement workforce training plans. These plans aim to equip workers with the skills needed for high-quality jobs in the solar manufacturing sector. This initiative is part of DOE's broader effort to support the growth and development of the U.S. solar industry and ensure a skilled workforce to meet future demands. The two winning teams in Round 1 were:

Louisiana First Solar Force, a collaboration between the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and First Solar ; and

Training in Solar Manufacturing, a partnership between Crossroads Solar Enterprises and the Purdue University Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Round 2 contestants should submit applications by Nov. 20. Winning teams will receive up to $500,000 each for their submissions.?View the official rules and sign up to compete.

For more details, you can read the full press release here.

OK, so this isn’t technically U.S. solar manufacturing, but it’s interesting given how much the U.S. market fears being overwhelmed by Chinese module manufacturers. Bloomberg News reports a Chinese solar industry group recommends faster consolidation of Chinese companies to tackle severe module overcapacity. The industry is struggling with a glut of solar panels and components, leading to a price collapse. Major companies like LONGi Solar and Tongwei Solar face significant challenges, including layoffs and investment cutbacks. The consolidation process, expected to last 12 to 18 months, should reduce the number of manufacturers, stabilize prices, and improve profitability by 2025. Read the entire article here.

Back in the United States, Reuters suggests many U.S. solar factories are lagging behind projected manufacturing targets, with notable exceptions being those owned by Chinese companies. Despite federal subsidies aimed at boosting American solar manufacturing, U.S.-owned factories are struggling to compete. Chinese companies are projected to have at least 20 GW of annual solar panel production capacity on U.S. soil, significantly outpacing their American counterparts. For more details, you can read the full article here.

pv magazine USA reports on Sinovoltaics ' updated North American solar module manufacturing map which now includes 95 factories, up from 81. The report details the locations, owners, and capacities of these factories, covering PV modules, cells, wafers, ingots, and more. Total module production capacity is 42 GW, with plans to double it to 84 GW within three to six years. The report also notes increases in cell and wafer production capacities and highlights new manufacturers added to the list. For more information, read the full article here.

When Abby Hopper says she is everywhere, she means EVERYWHERE. I was delighted to see her in my local paper, whose website is Cleveland.com. In the Op/Ed, Hopper argues Ohio is leveraging federal clean energy policies to lead in American solar manufacturing. Ohio's strategy focuses on expanding solar module manufacturing first, creating demand for other components like cells and wafers. This approach aims to reduce reliance on global supply chains, enhance energy security, and create high-quality jobs. To read the full article, check out Cleveland.com.

Call it the law of unintended consequences: A new report by Clean Energy Associates (CEA) , commissioned by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) , warns that new antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on solar imports from Southeast Asia could increase U.S. solar panel prices by 15￠/W. This would significantly restrict solar supply and installations in the U.S., hindering progress on solar deployment. The team at Solar Power World has the details.

The Solar Energy Manufacturers for America (SEMA) Coalition is urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury to include solar wafers in the domestic content bonus tax credit, which adds 10% on top of the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC). SEMA argues that the current guidance overlooks essential components like polysilicon and wafers, hindering the goal of reshoring the solar supply chain. For more details, you can read the full article here.

The Houston Chronicle reports several solar companies are opening their first U.S. manufacturing facilities in Houston, expected to create nearly 1,500 jobs as production scales up. Elin Energy, Imperial Star Solar, SEG Solar, Inc. , and PVH - PVHardware are establishing plants for solar panels and trackers. Waaree Renewable Technologies Ltd , CZT Energy USA , and Solar Plus will add more jobs and economic value. Details are here.

Quick hits:

Enphase Energy has started shipping its IQ8 Commercial Microinverters, manufactured in the United States, enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act. Read more about it at Solar Power World.

First Solar is investigating potential infringements of its TOPCon and c-Si PV cell technology patents, valid until 2030. For more details, read the full article here.

Mission Solar is now manufacturing larger-format products engineered for utility and C&I projects. The three new products are UFLPA-compliant and AD/CVD risk free. For details, see the release.

GameChange Solar will produce its Genius Tracker with 100% U.S.-made components by Q4 2025 to qualify for the IRA 10% bonus. Read the story for details.

Toledo Solar, a troubled thin-film solar panel manufacturer, has ceased operations and R&D due to legal issues and failure to license necessary technology. The details are here.

Congratulations to Yann Brandt , who will assume the position of CEO of FTC Solar, Inc , on Aug. 19. FTC proudly announced the move on the website.

ICYMI

Check out this edition of Ben Thinking (hot off the presses this morning), a manufacturing- and marketing-focused newsletter from the brain of Ben Brugler , the CEO of AKHIA, and sign up!

In her second in a series on crisis communications, AKHIA Founder and Senior Strategist jan gusich asks if your company is afloat without a lifeboat. See what she means by that here.

Google had this ambitious plan to eliminate cookies in its latest version of Chrome. That decision didn’t last long before it was scrapped. Digital Analyst Dillan Kanya tells you what effects that might (and probably should) have on your digital marketing plan.

Oh, and don’t forget to sign up to receive this newsletter each month and share it with any colleagues that are interested in the solar manufacturing space. You know you want to!

If you’re a solar manufacturer and have news to share, you can send it my way at [email protected]. Until next month!

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