The Solar Product Registry Set to Boost Solar Deployment

HelioVolta released the largest publicly available benchmark of U.S. solar contractors based on independent field inspections in its annual SolarGrade PV Health Report. It summarizes third-party data from 5 GWs of solar assets in over one thousand projects built by nearly 120 subcontractors and 70 EPCs.

Nearly 70% of the EPCs evaluated did not meet HelioVolta’s quality standards. Unplanned, unbudgeted corrective maintenance is an estimated six times more likely to occur in their projects if workmanship errors are not remediated.

The findings are timely as U.S. developers face expiring federal incentives for solar assets: in 2027, the tax credits that backstop initial revenues when projects miss energy production targets will largely disappear.

“As the era of guaranteed profits ends for the American solar market, the era of limited oversight must end with it,” commented David Penalva, CEO of HelioVolta. “In the future, when projects are valued on their lifetime energy yield alone, widespread construction defects that are ignored today will be the hallmarks of unprofitable portfolios.”

The report underscores that contractor experience, size, and geographic reach are not reliable predictors of quality. Instead, clear construction standards, third-party inspections, and proactive communication between stakeholders deliver the best outcomes. EPCs that participated in third-party quality programs demonstrated a 48% reduction in issues per MW over time, validating that measurable quality improvements are achievable when they are prioritized.

“Truck rolls skyrocket and profits plummet when construction quality is an afterthought,” said Amanda Bybee, CEO of Amicus O&M Cooperative. “The cliché is true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If asset owners want to hit revenue targets, projects must be built right the first time. Today's O&M budgets cannot cover extensive remediation.”

85% of projects analyzed for the report contained major issues that require urgent corrective action while 7% of projects had critical issues that triggered immediate de-energization (partial or total) and same-day remediation. HelioVolta observed wiring- and connector-related issues in 80% and 83% of projects respectively: the 3% improvement in connector issue rates since the 2024 SolarGrade PV Health Report suggests increased adoption of installation best practices for these components. 

“Frankly, our findings are profoundly disappointing. As solar advocates, our team is pained to report that most projects we inspect will underperform or even fail our findings go unaddressed,” said James Nagel, COO of HelioVolta. “We’re publishing our analysis to drive the industry to higher quality standards. The best EPCs in our dataset prove we can do better.”

HelioVolta developed the report using the HelioVolta Quality Standard™ (HQS), a proprietary methodology that categorizes contractor performance by issue severity and frequency. HelioVolta’s field engineers use SolarGrade software to document inspections and standardize observations across regions, contractors, and system types.

To learn more, download the full 2025 SolarGrade PV Health Report at http://bit.ly/4lGKJkG.

Attendees of the RE+ Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada are invited to discuss the report with HelioVolta at the SolarGrade Booth #V2829 in Level 1 of the Venetian Expo Center from September 9th through 11th.

HelioVolta will also present findings from the SolarGrade PV Health Report in a live webinar on October 2nd at 1 PM EDT. Register here: http://bit.ly/3VcWcNO

HelioVolta | www.heliovolta.com

Yokogawa has established sustainability guiding principles called Trusted Green that cover Yokogawa Group products over their entire lifecycle, from planning and development to the procurement of parts and materials, production, service, collection, and recycling.

For many years, Yokogawa has emphasized the establishment of environmental design standards for products, development of life cycle assessment (LCA) criteria for product design, disclosure of LCA information on core products, and evaluation of environmental performance at production plants. In addition to these ongoing initiatives, Yokogawa has reexamined its approach to sustainable products with a view to achieving a circular economy, and has established the Trusted Green sustainability guiding principles that take the entire product supply chain and lifecycle into account.

Yokogawa will continue to partner with its customers to support their manufacturing by providing products and lifecycle services that are environmentally conscious, safe, and dependable for long-term use.

The Trusted Green guiding principles are based on the three pillars of providing highly reliable products, reducing their environmental footprint over the entire product lifecycle, and building a circular ecosystem.

１.    Provision of highly reliable products

Yokogawa recognizes that providing highly reliable products can make a significant contribution to solving environmental issues. The robustness and long-term stability of the company’s measurement and control solutions support safe and stable production activities for our customers over the long term, and optimize the use of energy and raw materials. Yokogawa will continue to work to reduce the environmental impact of our customers' operations by further strengthening collaboration between development, production, and services.

2.    Reduction of environmental footprint over the entire product lifecycle

Yokogawa is striving to reduce its environmental footprint in the manufacturing of parts and materials, the production and transportation of products, and their power consumption during use. Yokogawa designs its products with energy conservation, repair, and recycling in mind, based on the consideration that they will be in use for long periods of time at customer sites. The company will strengthen cooperation between all its departments with the aim of further reducing the environmental footprint throughout the product lifecycle.

3.    Building a circular ecosystem

Our customers’ manufacturing facilities remain in use for long periods of time, and replacements will need to be made with the products that are in use there. Depending on the customer’s plant, this can involve thousands of units, and their replacement should be planned and carried out by taking into consideration the need to recycle used products. Additionally, as it is necessary to consider the reuse of information and engineering-related data, Yokogawa uses designs that emphasize continuity. The company aims to build a circular ecosystem by collaborating with customers and other relevant stakeholders to promote the recycling of used products.

Based on its vision for society in the year 2050, Yokogawa has set the Three Goals for sustainability, which call for the achievement of net-zero emissions to stop climate change, ensuring well-being and a quality life for all, and making the transition to a circular economy with the circulation of resources and efficiency. Based on the Trusted Green guiding principles, Yokogawa will contribute to the achievement of a sustainable society by providing environmentally conscious, safe, and highly reliable products.

Yokogawa | https://www.yokogawa.com/about/sustainability/

Brass Knuckle loves bringing the highest-quality hand, eye, and ergonomic protection to job sites everywhere. It also loves its distributors, because they are Brass Knuckle’s connection to customers. The company believes in giving distributors access to the best products, with great margins, that will keep customers coming back again and again.

To make the case for its benefit to distributors, Brass Knuckle has created the Distributor Advantages brochure. It outlines how Brass Knuckle looks out for distributors just as its products look out for wearers in the field. Download Distributor Advantages here.

Customers, of course, come to distributors for safety products. Brass Knuckle takes seriously its responsibility to deliver quality products that workers will want to wear. Brass Knuckle innovates to give distributors the advantage they need to stay ahead of the competition, building new opportunities as it offers better margins.

The safest product in the world means nothing if workers won’t wear it. Compliance is key. This is another area where Brass Knuckle excels. All products are made to be highly wearable and great-looking. Brass Knuckle’s signature blend of comfort, style, and safety is the envy of the industry. All backed by the testing, certifications, and standards to back up every claim that complies with or exceeds any governing body standard.

High quality at more competitive prices means distributors earn higher margins. Brass Knuckle does it by developing and manufacturing exceptional safety products that inspire compliance, sourcing directly from the same plants as the big national brands. They share this global supply access with their distribution partners — an extremely profitable opportunity.

Brass Knuckle | https://www.brassknuckleprotection.com/

Mission Solar Energy announced two key leadership appointments that will accelerate the company’s market expansion, reinforce its reputation for best-in-class customer service, and strengthen its position as one of the nation’s leading solar panel suppliers. 

Lance Wilson has been promoted to Vice President of Sales. Since joining Mission Solar, Lance has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s sales strategy, building strong customer relationships, and driving growth across key market segments. His deep industry knowledge and proven leadership will now guide Mission Solar’s sales organization as it expands its national footprint. 

Joining the team is Kyle Kim, who has been appointed Vice President of Commercial Operations. Kyle brings extensive operational expertise and a track record of delivering results in high-growth environments. In his new role, he will focus on optimizing commercial operations, streamlining processes, and enhancing customer experience, ensuring Mission Solar continues to deliver unmatched value to its partners. 

“Lance and Kyle bring complementary strengths that will be instrumental as we take Mission Solar to the next level,” said Sam Martens, President of Mission Solar Energy. “Lance’s ability to build lasting customer partnerships, coupled with Kyle’s operational expertise, gives us the leadership firepower to continue delivering exceptional products and service while making major strides in the solar markets.” 

Mission Solar | https://www.missionsolar.com/

Multiple news outlets have reported a continued and targeted effort by the Trump administration to remand permits and approvals for several offshore wind projects off the coast of Massachusetts. 

In response, Oceantic Network has released the following statement from Sam Salustro, SVP Policy & Market Strategy:

“The unlawful and escalating actions by the Trump administration against fully permitted offshore wind projects up and down the East Coast represent one of the largest, economically devastating assaults on U.S. workers, businesses, and energy in generations. Halting construction and revoking permits on approved projects after years of thorough agency review will raise electricity prices for millions across the country, jeopardize billions of dollars in private investment, threaten our national shipbuilding, steel, and manufacturing supply chains, and undermine our nation’s energy security.   

“The Trump administration is singling out an American energy industry, undermining a 40-state, $25 billion domestic supply chain while holding American business investments hostage. This is from a political playbook that should make every industry worry whether they will be targeted by this administration or the next. We call on federal leaders to halt this targeted attack and restore certainty and predictability to our energy industry and the thousands ready to get back to work.” 

Additional Information: 

• 2025 Offshore Wind Jobs Report 
• Joint Labor Day Statement on Offshore Wind from Governor Kathy Hochul, Governor Maura Healey, Governor Ned Lamont, Governor Dan McKee, and Governor Phil Murphy 
• Oceantic Network National & State-Level Supply Chain Fact Sheets 

Oceantic Network | https://oceantic.org/ 

A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reveals that the combination of solar and wind accounted for 91% of new U.S. electrical generating capacity added in the first half of 2025. In June, solar alone provided 82% of new capacity, making it the 22nd consecutive month in which solar has held the lead among all energy sources.

Solar was 82% of new generating capacity in June and 75% in the first half of 2025:

In its latest monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” report (with data through June 30, 2025), FERC says 63 “units” of solar totaling 2,439 megawatts (MW) were placed into service in June, accounting for over 81.5% of all new generating capacity added during the month.

The new facilities include six solar farms with capacities of 199-MW or more: the 417.7-MW Ash Creek Solar Project and the 206.1-MW Mercury Solar & Storage Project both in Hill County, TX; the 300-MW Box Canyon Solar Project in Pinal County, AZ; the 250-MW Morris Solar Project in Adair County, MO; the 200.0-MW Big Star Solar & Storage Project in Bastrop County, TX; and the 199.0-MW Speedway Solar Project in Shelby County, IN.

The 14,567-MW of utility-scale (i.e., >1-MW) solar added during the first six months of 2025 was almost three-quarters (74.9%) of the total new capacity placed into service by all sources.

Solar has now been the largest source of new generating capacity added each month for twenty-two consecutive months: September 2023 – June 2025. During that period, total utility-scale solar capacity grew from 91.82 gigawatts (GW) to 151.73-GW. No other energy source added anything close to that amount of new capacity. Wind, for example, expanded by 10.53-GW while natural gas increased by just 2.73-GW.

Solar, wind and biomass were over 91% of new capacity added in the first half of 2025:

Between January and June, new wind has provided 3,139-MW of capacity additions – almost double the new capacity provided by natural gas (1,727-MW). Wind thus accounted for 16.1% of all new capacity added during the first six months of 2025. In June alone, the 144.0-MW Crossover Wind Project in Cross County, AR came on-line along with the 58.8-MW Moscow Wind Power Project in Somerset County, ME.

For the first half of 2025, the combination of solar and wind (plus 3-MW of biomass) was 91.04% of new capacity while natural gas provided just 8.88%; the balance came from oil (14-MW).

Solar + wind are almost a quarter of U.S. utility-scale generating capacity; all renewables combined are nearly a third:

Utility-scale solar’s share of total installed capacity of (11.34%) is now almost equal to that of wind (11.83%). Taken together, they constitute nearly one-fourth (23.17%) of the U.S.’s total available installed utility-scale generating capacity.

Moreover, at least 25-30% of U.S. solar capacity is in the form of small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that are not reflected in FERC’s data. [1] Including that additional solar capacity would bring the share provided by solar + wind to more than a quarter of the nation’s total.

With the inclusion of hydropower (7.62%), biomass (1.07%) and geothermal (0.31%), renewables currently claim a 32.17% share of total U.S. utility-scale generating capacity. If small-scale solar capacity is included, renewables are now about one-third of total U.S. generating capacity.

Solar remains on track to become the second largest source of U.S. generating capacity:

FERC reports that net “high probability” additions of solar between July 2025 and June 2028 total 92,660-MW – an amount more than four times the forecast net “high probability” additions for wind (23,136-MW), the second fastest growing resource. Notably, FERC’s most recent three-year forecasts for growth by both solar and wind are the highest they have been thus far in 2025.

FERC also foresees net growth for hydropower (583-MW) and geothermal (92-MW) but a decrease of 131-MW in biomass capacity.

Taken together, the net new “high probability” capacity additions by all renewable energy sources over the next three years - i.e., the bulk of the Trump Administration’s remaining time in office - would total 116,340-MW.  

On the other hand, there is no new nuclear capacity in FERC’s three-year forecast while coal and oil are projected to contract by 25,017-MW and 1,572-MW respectively. Natural gas capacity would expand by 8,748-MW.

Adjusting for the different capacity factors of gas (59.7%), wind (34.3%), and utility-scale solar (23.4%), electricity generated by the projected new solar capacity to be added in the coming three years would be more than four times greater than that produced by the new natural gas capacity while the electrical output by the new wind capacity would be 52% more than that by gas. [2]

If FERC’s current “high probability” additions materialize, by July 1, 2028, solar will account for over one-sixth (17.1%) of the nation’s installed utility-scale generating capacity. Wind would provide an additional one-eighth (12.6%) of the total. Thus, each would be greater than coal (12.1%) and substantially more than either nuclear power or hydropower (7.3% and 7.1% respectively).

Assuming current growth rates continue, the installed capacity of utility-scale solar is likely to surpass that of wind capacity this year and exceed that of coal by the end of next year. Installed solar capacity is already almost 50% greater than that of nuclear power. Thus, within two years, solar should be in second place for installed generating capacity – behind only natural gas.

The combined capacities of all renewables, including small-scale solar, could overtake natural gas within three years:

The mix of all utility-scale renewables is now adding about two percentage points each year to its share of generating capacity. At that pace, by July 1, 2028, renewables would account for over three-eighths (38.1%) of total available installed utility-scale generating capacity - rapidly closing the gap with natural gas (40.0%). Solar and wind would constitute more than three-quarters of the installed capacity of renewable sources. If those trendlines continue, utility-scale renewable energy capacity should surpass that of natural gas in 2029 or sooner.

However, as noted, FERC’s data do not account for the capacity of small-scale solar systems. If that is factored in, within three years, total U.S. solar capacity (i.e., small-scale plus utility-scale) could approach 350-GW. In turn, the mix of all renewables would then be about 40% of total installed capacity - or more - while natural gas’ share would drop to about 38%.

Moreover, FERC reports that there may actually be as much as 230,770-MW of net new solar additions in the current three-year pipeline in addition to 68,627-MW of new wind, 7,923-MW of new hydropower, 202-MW of new geothermal, and 27-MW of new biomass. By contrast, net new natural gas capacity potentially in the three-year pipeline totals just 30,251-MW. Consequently, renewables’ share could be even greater by early summer 2028.

Evidence of the energy transition grows stronger as renewables’ share of generating capacity continues to increase while that of fossil fuels and nuclear power shrinks:

A year ago, the mix of all renewables accounted for 29.95% of total generating capacity. Solar alone was 8.99% while wind was 11.75%. Over the course of twelve months - i.e., by the end of June 2025 - renewables’ share had risen to 32.17% with solar at 11.34% and wind at 11.83%.

On the other hand, natural gas’ share had slipped from 43.32% to 42.34% as coal fell from 15.76% to 14.82% and oil dropped from 2.77% to 2.71%. Similarly, nuclear power’s share of generating capacity decreased from 8.04% to 7.80%.  

"Notwithstanding the hostility towards solar and wind shown by the Trump Administration and its Republican supporters in Congress, both technologies are moving full-speed ahead," noted the SUN DAY Campaign's executive director Ken Bossong. "In fact, FERC’s latest data suggest growth by renewables may actually be accelerating." 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission | https://ferc.gov/

# # # # # # # # #  

FERC's 7-page "Energy Infrastructure Update for June 2025" was posted on September 2, 2025. It can be found at:https://cms.ferc.gov/media/energy-infrastructure-update-june-2025.

[1] In a September 12, 2023 news release, EIA stated: “More than one-third of U.S. solar power capacity is small-scale solar. … We expect small-scale solar capacity … will grow from 44-GW in June 2023 to 55-GW by the end of 2024.”

See: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/BTL/2023/09-smallscalesolar/article.php

[2] Generating capacity is not the same as actual generation. Fossil fuels and nuclear power usually have higher "capacity factors" than do wind and solar. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports capacity factors in calendar year 2024 for nuclear power, combined-cycle natural gas plants and coal were 92.3%, 59.7%, and 42.6% respectively while those for wind and utility-scale solar PV were 34.3% and 23.4%. See Tables 6.07.A and 6.07.B in EIA's most recent "Electric Power Monthly" report. 

Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE: GNRC), a global leader in energy solutions, announced an innovative, 820W microinverter, which takes electricity from two solar panels and converts it from the DC (direct current) power they produce into AC (alternating current) power that a home or the electric grid can use.  

Generac PWRmicro is a powerful, installer-friendly and reliable microinverter designed to maximize energy captured from today's high-powered solar panels. With 820 watt output and a streamlined installation process, homeowners can realize their solar system’s fullest output potential while installers will enjoy a faster and more confident installation and commissioning experience. Reliability is built into every component of PWRmicro, enhancing performance, improving the installer and user-experience and it is backed by a 25-year warranty from a company homeowners can count on.  

PWRmicro seamlessly integrates with PWRcell 2 and Generac’s next generation home standby generators to provide homeowners the ultimate home energy solution – one that can offset energy costs while also providing a “bottomless battery” for virtually endless backup power. 

“For more than 65 years, we’ve been a trusted name in energy resilience with a proven track record built on quality and reliability, and today we’re raising the bar again,” said Norm Taffe, Executive VP and President of Energy Technology, Generac. “We’re proud to launch a solution that will help redefine solar power for homeowners, demonstrating our commitment to developing holistic, next-generation energy solutions for homeowners. We are uniquely positioned to serve our customers and help shape the future of how homes stay powered and families stay safe.” 

Key benefits of PWRmicro include: 

• Greater homeowner savings through higher energy yield: With up to 40% more power output than the leading microinverter product line, PWRmicro reduces clipping while individually optimized DC inputs maximize energy production and increase savings.   
• Faster commissioning with Generac Field Pro: Instant discovery identifies each microinverter before commissioning, streamlining the process and dramatically reducing setup time. Installers can leverage grid power to commission PWRmicro at night, allowing them to finish the job even after the sun goes down. 
• Easy to install and user friendly: PWRmicro delivers a faster, easier installation experience, empowering installers to be more efficient with their time.  
• Designed and tested to meet the industry's most rigorous quality and reliability standards: PWRmicro has undergone extensive design iteration and reliability and quality testing to ensure the product can perform for over 25 years, even under the harshest environments. 
• Improved device communications and system updates: With robust power line communication and firmware directly stored on Field Pro, Generac’s mobile application designed for installers and technicians makes installation and troubleshooting fast and easy. Firmware updates happen overnight reducing commissioning time, and live device data and system self-test can help troubleshoot common installation issues. 

“With more power, robust reliability, and a streamlined design, PWRmicro empowers homeowners to get the most from their solar investment while giving installers a faster, simpler and more confident installation experience,” said Jim Dawe, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Clean Energy, Generac. “Our solution delivers powerful performance, installer-friendly design and total reliability, giving homeowners peace of mind.” 

Beginning in Q4, Generac is expanding its unified home energy management experience by bringing its Clean Energy products, including PWRcell and PWRmicro, into the ecobee app and supported ecobee thermostats. Homeowners will be able to seamlessly monitor and control both their Clean Energy systems and ecobee devices from one place. 

To learn more about Generac’s clean energy product innovations stop by Generac’s booth at RE+ V11313.  

Generac | https://www.generac.com/