I could also be old-school, however I can work out learn how 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 discovered about versatile thin-film from MiaSole — each corporations are out of enterprise now, however the recollections are nonetheless there!
The pocket book has turn out to be useful as I re-review all the businesses which have claimed they’re bringing photo voltaic panel manufacturing to america. 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 corporations standing agency on the promo they’ve on sales space partitions. I’m capable of learn between the traces to find out who’s utilizing an OEM and who may very well attain a manufacturing unit opening, and my confirmed particulars are in our U.S. solar panel manufacturer list here.
An attention-grabbing factor occurred on the RE+ 2025 tradeshow final week — fewer corporations have been promoting “Made in America” photo voltaic panels, and as a substitute manufacturers have been stating they have been “FEOC-compliant.” After all, the 2 distinctions are very totally different, but it surely looks like the larger pattern taking place now. Putting in American-made photo voltaic panels would be the best strategy to meet new federal entity of concern (FEOC) guidelines, which stop initiatives utilizing too many Chinese language elements from accessing federal tax credit. However now, photo voltaic panels simply must not have Chinese language components to conform, not essentially be as American as potential.
All of this simply means the photo voltaic panel manufacturing conversations on this HR1 period are extra sophisticated than earlier than, as a result of patrons have totally 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 house. Gone are the times of photo voltaic panel corporations promoting a dozen totally 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 be taught 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 face up to 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, mentioned why not go even thicker for its buyer Erthos. The flat-ground venture developer positions panels immediately on the earth, which affords no tilt-angles that might defend panels from direct hail hits. A thick, 4-mm top-glass offers 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 methods don’t want to fret about weight. The sturdier, stiffer panel from Imperial Star offers one other profit to Erthos — it will possibly higher accommodate robotics and different cleansing and upkeep aids that need to glide throughout the panel floor.
Ultralight panel with 85% home content material from Bila Photo voltaic
I did say that American-made panels are shedding their advertising sparkle, however there may be nonetheless huge 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, but it surely needs to go even additional if clients demand extra.
Bila’s initial plan was to fabricate glass-less silicon panels in Indiana, however market demand led them to begin 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 industrial rooftops that may’t assist numerous additional weight. And by foregoing glass and frames and utilizing its personal polymer mix, Bila can increase the home content material proportion to over 85%. By utilizing Bila’s photo voltaic panels, venture builders can stress much less on discovering American-made mounting methods and different BOS elements to fulfill home content material necessities.
Curved tiled panels from Hounen Photo voltaic
We’re actually nonetheless making an attempt distinctive residential photo voltaic panel designs, huh? Not less than 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 4 totally 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 simply 50 W, but it surely additionally solely weighs 12 lbs and has no glass. I wasn’t capable of find out how the panels are secured to a roof — whether or not by means of an adhesive or specialised mount — but it surely’s an alternative 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.
