Clean Energy Associates (CEA)

The CEA team is live at #CLEANPOWER 2025 by American Clean Power Association (A)!    Be sure to stop by Booth #3608 to say hi to us or schedule a meeting in advance. We have our supply chain and technical experts on the ground, and they would be thrilled to discuss your solar and storage challenges and explore how we can your clean energy objectives.    We can’t wait to connect with you!     Click the link in the comments to book a meeting with our team.   #CLEANPOWER2025 #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #CleanTech

As solar deployments grow, so do the risks of module failures, underperformance, and safety hazards—many of which are preventable with the right knowledge. At CEA, our field inspections consistently reveal recurring issues that jeopardize safety, performance and ROI.   The good news? Proactive measures can mitigate these risks.     Claire Kearns-McCoy and Ankil Sanghvi, our Senior Engineering Managers, in an Solar Power World webinar as they share hard-won insights from hundreds of field inspections, including:
 ✅ Thermal events: Causes, warning signs, and prevention.
 ✅ EL testing insights: Critical defects uncovered via electroluminescence imaging.  ✅ Case studies: Root-cause analyses of failures + actionable fixes.
  ✅ Dos & don’ts: Installation, storage, and O&M best practices.    📅 Save your seat (Registration link in first comment)    #SolarEnergy #Renewables #Webinar #PVModules #CleanEnergy 

#QualityMonday – Precision is Not Optional in Solar Module Assembly Earlier this year, during inline production monitoring of N-type TOPCon double glass PV modules, our team identified two critical issues: 🔹 Abnormal framing gaps 🔹 Poor file angles on module corners 📍 Root causes included: 🔸 Missed detections during visual inspection 🔸 Loose components in the automatic filing machine 🔸 Pressing parameters pushed to the upper tolerance limit 🚨 The consequences? A total of 216 modules were quarantined, and nearly 10% required rework. ✅ But here’s where robust quality systems come in: ✔️ Pressing and filing parameters were redefined and standardized ✔️ Inspection frequency was increased ✔️ Visual inspections and machine maintenance protocols were reinforced Thanks to CEA's work on-site, swift corrective actions were applied, and a structured root cause analysis was performed—the project continued without delays and without compromising quality. 👉 This case is a reminder: In solar manufacturing, tight tolerances are not just specs—they are commitments to performance and durability. #PVQuality #SolarModules #ManufacturingExcellence #QualityControl

Solar developers: Are hidden risks threatening your system performance? From thermal events to electrical failures, many costly solar module issues are avoidable—if you know what to look for. experts Claire Kearns-McCoy and Ankil Sanghvi from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) as they reveal lessons from hundreds of field inspections and failure analyses—and how you can use those insights to protect your assets. What you’ll learn: ⚠️ The most common causes of thermal events and electrical failures 🔍 How EL testing reveals critical defects 🛠️ Real-world case studies of module failures and prevention strategies 📊 Data-backed best practices across procurement, installation, and O&M 📅 May 29th at 12pm ET 🔗 here: https://lnkd.in/gD_dBhu9 #SolarEnergy #CleanEnergy #PVModules #SolarSafety #SolarInspection #ThermalEvents #ModuleFailures #SolarOandM #ELTesting #RootCauseAnalysis #EnergyTransition

In the Philippines next week? We’re happy to share that Evan Woolard, our Associate Director of Engineering Services, will be speaking at two events: Solar & Storage Live Philippines and the 2nd Solar & Energy Storage Future Philippines by Energy Box! 🌞🔋     Evan will share his expertise on the session "Project Financing & Risk Management for Utility-Scale Solar."  📅 Date: 19 May
  ⏰ Time: 01:00 PM
  📍 Location: SMX Convention Center – Large Scale Solar
    The next day, Evan will moderate a discussion at the 2nd Solar & Energy Storage Future Philippines 2025: "Government Policies & Incentives: Unlocking More Solar & Storage Investments."  📅 Date: 20 May  ⏰ Time: 09:10 AM
  📍 Location: Conrad Manila (3-minute walk from SMX Convention Center)    Don’t miss these opportunities to gain insights into the future of solar energy in the Philippines!    🔗  for Solar + Storage Live: https://lnkd.in/gG9gB4YE
    🔗  for Solar & Energy Storage Future: https://lnkd.in/g5g_u83m    #SolarStorageLive #CleanEnergy #Renewables #SolarPower #EnergyStorage #CEA #ProjectFinancing #RiskManagement #Philippines #Sustainability #GreenFuture 

We’re excited to be at American Clean Power Association (A) #CLEANPOWER 2025 in Phoenix, AZ (May 19-22) and would love to connect with you!   Visit us at Booth #3608 to discuss the latest solar, storage, and clean energy developments in the U.S.   🎤 Don’t miss our expert speakers: 📢 Christian Roselund, our Senior Policy Analyst, will present a session titled “The Long Road to a Fully Developed US Solar Supply Chain” on May 20.   📢 Daniel Finn-Foley-Foley, our Director of Energy Storage, Market Intelligence, will present a session titled "Buyer Beware: The New Normal for Battery Energy Storage System Pricing” on May 21.   💡 Got solar or storage questions? Our PV experts will be at Booth #3608—stop by to explore how we can help you meet your clean energy goals!   🔗 Book a meeting with us today! (Link in comments ⬇️)   #CLEANPOWER2025 #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #EnergyStorage #CleanEnergyFuture

What’s wrong with this picture? Installers and maintenance workers climbing and walking on modules is a common cause of module damage. Walking on a module can easily break its solar cells, which are very, very thin. In our quality inspections of hundreds of rooftop solar arrays, we’ve found module damage in nearly half! Cracking a cell stops the current there, and it starts heating up. As that portion of the module operates at an elevated temperature, it can damage or even melt the backsheet, leading to a fire. 🔥🚒 If a worker leaves connectors or cables attached to the module while carrying it, even the dangling cables that touch the back sheet while walking can break cells. #Rooftopsolar #PV #Solarenergy #CleanEnergyAssociates

According to our latest PV Supplier Market Intelligence Report, while most new solar module manufacturing capacity in Q1 2025 was added in China (17.5 GW from four suppliers), the future growth in module manufacturing capacity in 2025 and 2026 is expected to increasingly come from the U.S. and the Middle East. Given a weak solar installation outlook for the Chinese market, suppliers are expanding more cautiously until oversupply pressures subside. Although some Southeast Asian module facility construction was completed in Q1, many projects have been delayed as suppliers wait out U.S. policy uncertainty. Instead, more activity is planned in markets like the United States, the Middle East, and India, which have strong domestic demand pipelines and are less reliant on export markets. Our latest report includes deep market intelligence on key module suppliers and industry players. Information on capacity, technology, product development, and industry positioning assists clients in assessing the risks and opportunities associated with many potential vendors and products in the highly dynamic solar industry. 💡 Access the full report sample via the link in the first comment.   #CleanEnergyAssociates #Suppliers #PVMarketReport #SolarEnergy #CleanEnergy #ModuleCapacity #RenewableEnergy

🔍 #QualityMonday – When Small Defects Have a Big Impact During a recent pre-shipment inspection of double glass modules in Asia, our team identified a critical issue: glass scratches. The root cause? A missing conveyor cap and sharp-edged rollers on the production line – seemingly minor oversights that led to the rejection of an entire batch.   ✅ Immediate corrective actions were taken: - Daily conveyor roller monitoring was initiated - Operators received defect awareness training - 100% cap monitoring was enforced - Equipment checks began at every shift change The definition of it being critical was based on the way the contract was written between supplier and buyer. CEA ensured that the supplier acted quickly, implemented improvement measures, and resumed production without major delays – and, importantly, without compromising quality.   👉 This case reminds us that quality isn’t just about catching defects – it’s about preventing them with systems thinking and disciplined execution. It also reminds us that no matter how techinically critical and issue may seem, its the contract langugage that defines, whether a product is acceptable or not.    #PVQuality #InspectionMatters #ContinuousImprovement #ManufacturingExcellence #GlassScratch

Glass breakage in solar modules isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a multi-million-dollar risk. When unexplained cracks appeared across 2,600+ modules at multiple sites, our client needed answers fast.   Was it bad luck, poor installation, or a manufacturer defect?   The client engaged CEA to investigate glass breakage at multiple PV sites. Our initial Root Cause Analysis (RCA) included on-site inspections, infrared (IR) imaging, and structural assessments.   Findings suggested impact damage and possible module strength issues. To validate this, laboratory testing was conducted using IEC 61215-2 mechanical load tests to determine if modules met expected durability standards. CEA identified glass breakage in 2,600 modules and determined the likely root causes of the breakage, which helped the client hold the right parties able. Field Investigation Findings: 🔎 Over 2,600 modules were found with glass breakage across multiple sites. ⚖️ The breakage rates differed between the two manufacturers. ⚠️ Some failures were linked to impact damage, but structural concerns remained.   Laboratory Testing Findings: 🧪 Four modules underwent static mechanical load tests. ❌ All failed due to electrical continuity loss and internal cell cracking under stress. 🛑 Glass did not break, but weak module structure contributed to failures. 📏 Mounting conditions (bumpers) impacted performance but were not ed for in initial tests. By identifying the root causes of glass breakage—including impact damage and structural weaknesses in certain modules—we enabled the client to hold manufacturers able, recover costs for 2,600 defective modules, and implement stricter durability standards for future projects, safeguarding long-term asset performance.   #SolarEnergy #QualityAssurance #RootCauseAnalysis #DurabilityTesting #RenewableEnergy