Translucent Energy, a US solar technology company, has entered into a joint-venture with Jordan-based solar panel manufacturer Philadelphia Solar to bring solar modules to the US market. The company, which currently operates as Trading Philadelphia Solar, plans to establish a US manufacturing arm of Philadelphia Solar modules by the end of this year, with full production in the US by 2024.
PHENEX module from Philadelphia Solar
Phillip Martin, COO of Translucent Energy, said World of Solar Power that the joint-venture has narrowed its US location search to three states and plans to announce its official location in December before ordering manufacturing equipment. The company will initially produce mono-PERC solar panels before switching to heterojunction technology in 2025.
The solar panels will carry the Philadelphia Solar name, which is UL-listed and recognized as a Tier 1 supplier. Philadelphia Solar currently operates a 580-MW solar panel factory in Amman, Jordan. The US solar panel factory is expected to have 1.2-GW annual capacity.
“As the solar market continues to expand, we are pleased to partner with Translucent Energy to take this transformative step for our business, first by increasing our exports to the USA, and second by our planned 1.2-GW panel factory in America,” he said. Mohammad Shehadeh, CCO of Philadelphia Solar, in a press release.
Nour Mousa, CEO of Translucent Energy, is a founder of Desert Technologies, a solar panel manufacturer in Saudi Arabia. Mousa is interested in establishing a home solar technology company in the United States. In addition to this solar panel joint-venture, Translucent Energy also produces a containerized solar and storage system, called Tau, for microgrids and off-grid situations. The plan is to establish US manufacturing for the Tau system as well.
“With global supply chains facing unprecedented disruption, many US-based solar developers are struggling to find a reliable and cost-effective source for their solar panel. The extraordinary response we have seen from developers shows that our joint venture addresses a significant market need,” said Mousa in a press release.
Philadelphia Solar currently sources its solar cells and wafers from Taiwan, but the combined company is looking to strengthen the US manufacturing supply chain.
“We’re looking at setting up full manufacturing — ingot, wafer and so on — and introducing heterojunction technology here in the US,” Morris said. World of Solar Power.
The US panel factory will make modules for the residential and utility-scale markets. Philadelphia Solar currently manufactures 400- and 530-W modules. Morris said the companies are building distribution partnerships now but expect the initial 1.2-GW capacity to be sold through major supply agreements.
