US’ 23

A Manufacturing Renaissance

October 12, 2023

Our virtual Roundtables US return with in-depth content discussions about the U.S. solar industry’s most up-to-date issues and developments.

Moderated by pv magazine, this live broadcast-virtual conference will bring together the U.S. solar industry’s leading experts and innovators to discuss the latest and most pressing issues regarding policy, implementation, and the future of American solar manufacturing.

Our speakers will discuss how the IRA changes the solar PV manufacturing landscape and how to scale energy storage in the U.S. We will also deep-dive into the latest cell and module technologies and production and the great promise of community solar. And, of course, always to be remembered: We will discuss how to ensure quality, reliability, and durability throughout the supply chain.

With the overarching topic, A Manufacturing Renaissance, the six program sessions will focus on: 

1. The role of domestic manufacturing in the U.S. energy transition  

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a pivotal change in U.S. climate and energy legislation, complements the nation’s goals of reducing emissions by at least 50% from a 2005 baseline by 2030 and achieving net-zero pollution by 2050.  

However, in recent years, solar deployment has been held back by supply chain issues. That is expected to change as the strong support for manufacturing within the IRA may unlock a new era of U.S.-made production of energy components. 

This session will look at the incentives within the IRA designed to encourage domestic manufacturing, the capacity expected to come online—where and when. A panel of experts will review how much upstream manufacturing is needed to support domestic cell and module supply chains, and offer strategies for closing the expected supply chain gaps. The session will also review domestic content requirements and how to secure the various new bonuses/incentive adders within the IRA.   

2. Module production: What technologies will lead and why 

The $30 billion in production tax credits from the IRA and the $10 billion investment tax credit is ramping up module production in the U.S. What are the growing pains to rapidly ramping solar manufacturing—including finding and training a workforce? Which technologies will be manufactured and why?  

In this session, manufacturing and industry experts will discuss the latest in module technologies, including heterojunction, TOPCon, PERC, CdTe thin film. They will also look at challenges including upstream supply, as well as manufacturing efficiency, costs, quality control, module sizes and more.

3. State policy changes drive new models for residential solar + storage 

As solar manufacturing rapidly scales to meet increasing demand, the U.S. is expected to need a supply of more than 40,000 modules a week.  

This session will review best practices in maintaining quality, reliability and durability throughout the supply chain. As solar asset portfolios grow and diversify, these practices will be key in mitigating risks and maximizing returns.

4. Cell and module production: What technologies will lead and why

The IRA is expected to stimulate the adoption of tens of gigawatts of energy storage installations in the next seven years, at both the grid scale and residential level. In this session, industry experts will discuss federal and state incentives for manufacturing, market forecasts and how much capacity is needed—when and where, proposed and expected manufacturing facilities, and safety and technology issues.

5. State policy changes drive new models for residential energy storage

When California pulled the plug on net metering, it opened the door for residential energy storage. The changing rate environment gives rise to whole home solutions, virtual power plants and microgrids. This session will look at how the state policy changed the landscape for behind-the-meter storage. 

6. The promise of community solar

With strong policies and incentives fueling the market for locally generated and accessible energy, what are the challenges in serving the growing demand?  

This session will look at state and federal policies that are driving strong solar markets, focusing on New York state as an example. Also discussed will be policy support for low-income residents and energy communities, with examples of development meeting these needs. 

Register now for free and stay up-to-date on the latest program development!

Curious about more? You can find more details on our previous Roundtables US, such as the complete recordings, the detailed agenda, and an overview of our expert speakers, by clicking the image below:

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