Welcome Party at PVEL HQ – 20 May
Join other conference attendees for an informal evening of food and drinks, hosted by PVEL at their Napa HQ. The evening offers a relaxed environment for delegates to network on the evening before the conference starts.
Introduction to PV ModuleTech USA 2024
Speakers
Tristan Erion-Lorico
Keynote Opening Presentations
Moderator
Tristan Erion-Lorico
The first talk of PV ModuleTech USA 2024 will be delivered by PV Tech’s Finlay Colville and will provide an update on global PV module trends and key metrics in 2024. What is happening with global supply and demand? Where are costs and prices in different markets globally headed? What is happening upstream from modules that is forming the picture of which n-type technology will be mainstream in the next few years? How are overseas and domestic supply-chains evolving to create greater visibility on supply-chains and traceability of modules used in the U.S. during 2025 and 2026?
Speakers
Finlay Colville
Jim Wood
Bankable module suppliers for U.S. projects out to 2030
Moderator
Tristan Erion-Lorico
Module supply to the U.S. has undergone rapid changes in the past 12 months, with a wide range of company types in the mix. In addition to domestic manufacturing announcements, supply-chains have been evolving to be compliant with U.S. import restrictions. And all the time, module profitability has been challenged. This session look at the features that differentiate module suppliers having short-term success and those investing in being long-term, reliable, solvent partners with performance-leading product.
Speakers
Nadeem Haque
Alex Chen
Coffee Break
Module technologies being shipped for U.S. deployment in 2024
Moderator
Finlay Colville
The PV industry has been transitioning rapidly from p-type PERC modules to n-type TOPCon and heterojunction options, with also larger volumes of back-contact modules being shipped for utility-scale applications globally. This session will look closely at the breakdown of PV modules used in the U.S. market in 2024, including thin-film supply from First Solar. How quickly has the U.S. utility segment moved to n-type modules this year? Are p-mono PERC modules still a viable bankable solution for 2025?
Speakers
Harsh Galia
Jack Zhou
Artun Istepan Sabciyan
Module buyers in the U.S. today: what’s on my wish list?
Moderator
Finlay Colville
The first of four panel sessions at PV ModuleTech USA 2024 focuses on what keeps module buyers in the U.S. awake at night? What makes it so hard to buy a PV module in the U.S. now? What would make it better? What needs to be changed from a policy, supply-chain and contractual standpoint to lessen these concerns? Panellists will feature some of the most important module buyers in the U.S. market today, from the largest volume buyers in the years ahead.
Speakers
Juan Carlos Rosa
Angad Sachdeva
Michael Parr
Lunch Break
Choosing optimized n-type bifacial modules
Moderator
Henry Hieslmair
Moving from PERC to n-type modules is requiring changes in module testing and site design, with end-markets in China and Europe been the first movers with the new technologies. What are the key lessons in testing n-type modules & optimizing site design? Are there new challenges to understand for developers, EPCs and O&M’s?
Speakers
Billy Christie
Tristan Erion-Lorico
Speaker TBC
U.S. solar module buying caveats: what to know, what to want, what to expect
Second panel session of the day, looking at key purchasing decisions when buying modules in the U.S. today. This will include supplier traceability, sustainability standards, supplier due-diligence and bankability.
Speakers
Debbie Graham-Clifford
Jon Previtali
Natalie Batman
Coffee Break
New module factory build-out in the U.S.
Moderator
Finlay Colville
This session will map out some of the domestic module factory build activity in the U.S. now, including the construction of fabs, module assembly lines being installed and materials being used in the module assembly process.
Speakers
Franz Feuerherdt
Eric Hafter
Paul Wormser
Fulvio Toma
Wine tasting at Sunrise Ranch Winery
Join other conference attendees for an evening of wine tasting in the evening following the first day of the conference. The evening offers a relaxed environment for delegates to network and unwind, enjoying scenic views and locally produced wines!
Assessing the supply-chain dynamics for U.S. buying in 2024 & product offerings
Moderator
Tristan Erion-Lorico
Traceability, ESG requirements and component auditing when buying PV modules in the U.S. over the past couple of years has allowed for more dialogue and two-way discussions between module buyer and seller. This session focuses on the key questions that need to be addressed when choosing the best module supplier, while mitigating risks associated with product delivery, performance and reliability.
Speakers
Terry Jester
Angela Santos
Chris Lettman
The Role of Independent Engineers in U.S. module buying today
Moderator
Tristan Erion-Lorico
This session examines the changing role of IE’s in module procurement in the U.S. today, and key factors in the transition from overseas to domestic supply channels.
Speakers
Parth Bhatt
Derek Sanchez
Coffee Break
Understanding & de-risking PV module field failures
Moderator
Finlay Colville
Field reliability and yield optimization have always been key metrics to understand in utility-scale PV deployments. In recent years however, new challenges have arisen with new constant changes in module BoMs and failures arising from extreme weather incidents. This session will look at some of the problems being seen today in large-scale U.S. solar plants and how to mitigate against module failures from module-materials and insurance perspectives.
Speakers
Lisa Madenjian
Timothy Dowden
Frédéric Dross
Lunch Break
Global supply channels of PV modules sold in the U.S. during 2024
This session will look at how the U.S. is being supplied with PV modules in 2024. How much supply is still coming from Southeast Asia? How much from India? Where are all these companies sourcing their polysilicon, wafers and cells? Which European and North American based module suppliers are the main suppliers, once Southeast Asian and Indian module suppliers are removed from the mix? How much is PV module supply still dependent on Chinese polysilicon, ingot and wafer production?
Speakers
Suhas Donthi
Where is U.S. module pricing headed in 2025?
Moderator
Finlay Colville
Module pricing globally has been declining rapidly since the second half of 2023, with the U.S. no longer commanding the much higher selling prices, compared to other major end-markets outside China, in particular Europe. What has caused this change? Have module prices now reached the bottom and where will they go next? This panel will hear from U.S. module buyers & other key stakeholders tracking U.S. module pricing trends going forward.
Speakers
Tom McNulty
PV ModuleTech USA special: Finlay Colville gives his thoughts on the 10 PV module suppliers voted for by the conference audience
The closing session of the conference will feature one of the most stimulating aspects of the agenda that was introduced at PV ModuleTech 2023 in Napa; conference Chair, Finlay Colville, will have exactly 2 minutes to speak ad-hoc on the 10 PV module suppliers to the U.S. market you want to learn about. Expect a truly live, off-the-cuff, information download from PV Tech’s lead author of the PV ModuleTech Bankability Ratings Report.
