Clean Energy Insights

George Touloupas, Vice President of ESG and New Services at Intertek CEA, and Huatian Xu, Director of Technology and Quality, analyze the November-December 2025 results from the pv magazine test outdoor installations in Yinchuan, China, and Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

pv magazine: Scott Azevedo from Intertek CEA examines the growing challenge of how PV modules are handled at end of life and argues that by asking tougher questions, scrutinizing recycling practices, and directing volume to responsible recyclers, the solar industry can strengthen its long-term sustainability.

Intertek acquires industry-leading PV inspection provider AePVI. This high-speed technology acquisition will enable Intertek CEA to deliver superior customer service, increase productivity and enhance capacity 

Energy Storage News: Intertek CEA’s battery energy storage expert, Aaron Marks, explains that building U.S. domestic energy storage manufacturing capacity will require more than simply limiting foreign participation.

pv magazine: Jörg Althaus and Huatian Xu detail how the Middle East’s rapid solar expansion is shaped by both aggressive local-content industrial policies and the region’s uniquely harsh desert conditions.

Case Study: Intertek CEA identified a hidden mismatch between the design documents and the factory-assembled tracker + cleaning robot system before it could impact the project. Catching it early helped the client avoid delays, rework, and long-term performance risk.

PV Tech: George Touloupas, Intertek CEA’s vice president of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and new services, outlines how rapidly expanding ESG regulations—spanning UFLPA, CSRD, CSDDD and emerging forced-labour laws—are pushing Europe’s solar sector toward unprecedented supply-chain transparency.

pv magazine: Jeff Zwijack, Intertek CEA’s Senior Manager for Energy Storage, explains how tariffs are driving a shift to U.S. battery integration. He notes that while local assembly scales quickly, it introduces human variability requiring strict oversight.

Daniel Finn-Foley of Intertek CEA discusses how lithium-ion batteries have rapidly reshaped the U.S. power sector, growing from about 1 GWh of installations in 2020 to more than 30 GWh by 2024. He warns that new tariffs and FEOC restrictions are straining supply chains, making early procurement crucial as compliant domestic capacity tightens.

pv magazine: George Touloupas, vice president ESG and New Services at Intertek CEA, outlines the growing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) obligations facing the solar and energy storage industries as global renewable deployment accelerates.

PV Tech: Joerg Althaus, Intertek CEA’s Director of Engineering Services and Quality Assurance, warns that racking complexity, corrosion, evolving supply chains, and rising glass breakage risks pose growing challenges to solar PV projects.

Energy Storage News: Jeff Zwijack highlights how most quality issues in battery energy storage systems emerge during final integration rather than cell production, with defects like faulty fire suppression, poor thermal management, and enclosure weaknesses frequently slipping through.

George Touloupas, Vice President of ESG and New Services at Intertek CEA, and Huatian Xu, the company’s Director of Technology and Quality, analyze the first three months of performance data from the new pv magazine outdoor test installation in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. 

pv magazine: Jörg Althaus of Intertek CEA and Andreas Fladung of Aerial PV Inspection highlight how electroluminescence (EL) testing — including drone-based approaches — can uncover microcracks, early degradation, and installation-related damage.

pv magazine: Intertek CEA's engineering experts highlight how overlooked site-specific challenges such as poor soil conditions, flash floods, complex terrain, and extreme wind loading in Southeast Asia can derail solar projects if not addressed early through rigorous engineering and civil due diligence.

MESIA's Report 2025: Jeff Zwijack, Associate Director of Energy Storage at Intertek CEA, explains that most defects in battery energy storage systems arise during system-level integration rather than cell or module production.

Case Study: Intertek CEA’s audit prevents defective battery cabinets from reaching a project site and exposes the supplier’s resale of unsafe equipment. The case underscores the importance of independent quality oversight.

kWh Analytics: Intertek CEA highlights that fire suppression system issues were identified in 28% of energy storage systems during factory inspections.

pv magazine: Solar modules are growing larger, thinner, and more powerful—but a recurring issue is emerging worldwide: broken glass. According to Intertek CEA’s Joerg Althaus, these cracks often start near the frame or clamps and can spread from a few panels to thousands, without any obvious cause like hail or mishandling.

Sonnedix, an international renewable energy producer, engaged Intertek CEA to conduct commissioning inspections for its recently-installed solar projects. The goal of the work was to ensure that their contractor (EPC) followed the agreed scope of work.

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.

Intrtek CEA’s Senior Energy Storage Engineer Ahn Vu explores how alternative technologies to lithium-ion are unlikely to oust the incumbent anytime soon.

You can build an entire energy infrastructure project and still wait years to flip the switch. In today’s market, it’s not the modules or permitting that cause the longest delays. Clean Energy Associates’ Eddy Ji explains how high demand for transformers and other essential grid infrastructure equipment is slowing things down.

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.

In this Energy Storage News article, Anjali Joshi, Market Intelligence Analyst at Clean Energy Associates, explains how the shifting political landscape is reshaping the U.S. battery gigafactory race—putting smaller vendors at a disadvantage as larger players consolidate their power.

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.

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.