656: Mythbusting solar panel procurement, & Why India is on the rise, with Justin Redd of Emmvee

Have YOU had trouble procuring modules lately?

I know I’ve heard from dozens of folks that they are hurting in this specific area.

If that’s you, I want to hear from you…shoot me an email “HELP ME GET MODULES NICO!” in the Subject line and we’ll get right on it. (Nico at mysuncast dot com)

How are solar modular manufactures vetted? Where do buyers turn when the much sought-after Bloomberg “Tier 1” suppliers are sold out of modules, making it harder for developments under 20 MW in scale to find vetted suppliers? The demand for solar panels in the US has opened up new markets abroad for suppliers. India has emerged as a leading supplier with its strong trade relationship with the US, and Emmvee, an Indian company, is heretofore little known solar panel manufacturer in the country that is making its entry to the United States. I wanted to learn  more about how buyers should think of these new market entrants, and what considerations are key (and what perhaps are not-so-important as they once were).

Justin Redd, Head of Sales and Marketing for Emmvee North America, is a veteran in the solar industry. Justin has seen first-hand how the process of manufacturing has transitioned from a highly labor intensive process to one that has a high degree of automation. Justin and Nico discuss how he was recruited back into the solar industry and manufacturing by Emmvee. He details the challenges of vetting new suppliers, addressing common issues like microcracks, and building a US factory- all with quality assurance at heart. 

Listen closely, as Justin outlines ten crucial steps for procurement managers, emphasizing critical certifications, third-party factory audits, vetting partnerships, trade relationships, and the PVEL PV module reliability score. 

Also, for those who make it to the end of the show, there’s an invitation both to a more detailed resource downloadable as well as an opportunity to learn about Indian module procurement in a much more personal first-hand manner.

Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?

Hit us up - [email protected] with your feedback & recommendations.

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