In this PV Tech article, Martin Meyers explores how the Inflation Reduction Act is reshaping U.S. solar manufacturing incentives and project economics. He highlights the evolving challenges developers face in navigating domestic content requirements and qualifying for bonus tax credits.

SEG Solar and Astronergy supplied new tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules, alongside an n-type back-contact sample from Aiko, for installation in the first week of March 2025. To add these new products to the comparison table in these results, we removed the production data from before March 7. Due to downtime for system upgrades, we also did not capture data for three days in March and therefore had to remove those days from the total energy yield calculation. Finally, three products using 210 mm square cells were removed from the data, as we identified anomalies in the production figures caused by the maximum power point tracking algorithm. The data from those products will be reported again as soon as the issues are resolved.

CEA conducted factory, pre-installation, and post-installation inspections for 1 GW solar PV portfolio in Chile. The goal was to assess module quality and identify defects from manufacturing to installation. The inspections focused on electroluminescence (EL) imaging and visual inspection to detect potential soldering issues, microcracks, and other module degradation mechanisms. A total of 8,520 images were taken.

A solar project developer engaged CEA to investigate widespread glass breakage across multiple PV sites. CEA conducted comprehensive on-site inspections and structural assessments, which pointed to possible issues related to module durability and mounting system compatibility.

At the end of February 2025, three new samples - two tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) samples from SEG Solar and Astronergy and our first n-type back contact sample from Aiko – arrived in Yinchuan and were installed at the beginning of March. The outdoor data for these will be published next month.

This pv magazine webinar addresses the quality risks U.S. solar module buyers face due to increased warehousing and the emergence of new manufacturing facilities. Experts from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) will discuss the rise in warehoused modules, common storage-related risks, quality concerns in new manufacturing environments, and strategies to mitigate these issues

While President Donald Trump’s sweeping levies on foreign imports have captured global headlines, antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations into Southeast Asian products, along with a potential expansion of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), could pose even greater risks for US solar and energy storage.

The PV SMIP report provides a comprehensive and unbiased analysis of the top PV module manufacturers in the world. It offers detailed insights into capacities, technology, and efficiency roadmaps, along with Manufacturing, Capacity, and Technology (MCT) ratings for each supplier.

This case study explores a thermal event inspection carried out by Clean Energy Associates (CEA) at a rooftop solar PV installation. CEA found the access to the roof was unsecured that allowed unauthorized cleaning of the site prior to the start of the investigation.

Clean Energy Associates (CEA) is receiving more calls from solar developers concerned about warehouse panel damage. CEA’s Senior Engineering Manager Claire Kearns McCoy explains how improper handling, stacking, and storage conditions can lead to long-term issues. 

The new outdoor test field in Yinchuan, China, began operations on Dec. 9, 2024. Due to system modifications, the data of Dec. 23 were removed. In January, we were close to getting a full month’s worth of data, but unfortunately, due to an operational error, we lost data for several modules after Jan. 24. At present, this problem has been solved and we expect that a full month’s data will be presented in the next issue of pv magazine.

After more than seven years, pv magazine test is entering a new phase. Significant changes are on the horizon as we update and overhaul the program. George Touloupas, Vice President, ESG and New Services at Clean Energy Associates (CEA), and Huatian Xu, Director of Technology and Quality at CEA, introduce the new “pv magazine test 2.0” setup to assess PV modules in the lab and outdoors. 

George Touloupas, senior director of technology and quality at Clean Energy Associates, presents the November and December 2024 results from the pv magazine test site in Xi’an, China. These are the final results from this installation, as we prepare to launch a brand new pv magazine test program for 2025 – the full details will appear in next month’s edition.

George Touloupas, CEA’s Senior Director of Technology and Quality, and Huatian Xu, CEA’s Associate Director of Technology and Quality, present a summary of the 2024 pv magazine test results, the ranking throughout the year, and the trends that emerge.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and evolving regulations have reshaped U.S. PV module manufacturing, creating challenges for domestic content compliance. This report outlines key strategies to maximize benefits under current U.S. supply chain regulations and incentives.

The PV Price Forecasting Report provides independent market intelligence on changes in global supply chains and accurate forecasts for supply price scenarios based on technologies, materials, manufacturing regions and target markets, as well as supply and demand forecasts and analysis.

The outlook for the U.S. solar and energy storage market in the coming year remains uncertain. We don’t know exactly what the Trump Administration will try to accomplish, how important energy policy will be relative to other policy goals, or how Congress, the courts, and administrative rulemaking processes may slow down, change, or add to those policy goals.  

The PV SMIP provides a comprehensive and unbiased analysis of the top PV module manufacturers in the world. It offers detailed insights into capacities, technology, and efficiency roadmaps, along with Manufacturing, Capacity, and Technology (MCT) ratings for each supplier.

The quarterly published PV STPR covers global and regional supply chain analysis, technology trends, and regional policy analysis. This quarter, the regional analysis includes CEA’s policy and supply analysis in China, Europe, the United States, and India.

George Touloupas, Senior Director of Technology and Quality for Clean Energy Associates (CEA), analyzes the October 2024 energy-yield results from the outdoor testing field in Xi’an, China.