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

Dec 12, 2023

Solar panel procurement expert Justin Redd discusses the challenges of vetting new suppliers, the increase in quality issues, and building a US factory. They also explore the importance of quality management standards and physical requirements for solar panel manufacturing, including third-party factory inspections. The speaker highlights their fascination with solar manufacturing and shares their experience visiting Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India. Learn how to vet off tier one list vendors for solar panel procurement from India.

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Introduction

00:00 • 5min

Returning to the Solar Industry

04:47 • 15min

Quality Management Standards and Physical Requirements for Solar Panel Manufacturing

19:43 • 9min

Reasons for Joining M.V. and Plans for US Factory

28:33 • 2min

Visiting Bangalore: The Silicon Valley of India

30:06 • 4min

Vetting Tier One List Vendors for Solar Panel Procurement

33:59 • 2min

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.

You'll find more resources and learn about SunCast's guest(s), recommendations, book links, and more than 650 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.

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