Qcells Becomes First Polysilicon-Based Solar Manufacturer in the U.S. to Earn Low Carbon Solar Distinction

Qcells, an industry-leading solar manufacturer and provider of complete clean energy solutions, announced it is now the first and only polysilicon-based solar manufacturer to achieve Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)’s Low Carbon Solar standard. Qcells obtained EPEATstatus last year, but, after years of work, hit its stringent low-carbon threshold, which awarded Qcells with this exciting distinction. EPEAT is a globally recognized, premier ecolabel for electronics and other technologies that validatessustainable production practices, making it easier for customers to select low-carbon, environmentally friendly solutions.

In a massive step forward for sustainability in the solar industry, Qcells has achieved Low Carbon status for two products, including a residential solar panel and a community, commercial and industrial (CCI) panel, both assembled at its Dalton, Georgia manufacturing facility. This comes after Qcells achieved initialEPEAT registration on these two panels in June 2024. This means that:

• Qcells’ EPEAT registered modules have a ~73% lower carbon footprint [or lower carbon intensity] than imported solar products from China. 

• In comparison to an average utility-scale 100 MW solar PV project, a same-size PV project with Qcells’ EPEAT registered panels would have 37% lower emissions for the same power output. This means Qcells’ EPEAT registered solar panels are 37% more sustainable than a global standard solar panel. 

“At Qcells, we want our solar products to be the most sustainably built products on the market,” said Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Qcells. “After more than two years of collecting extensive data, we’re excited to see our products meet EPEAT’s rigorous standards. We remain fully committed to manufacturing complete clean energy solutions and building a sustainable future.”

As only 30% of solar products are expected to be able to meet the minimumcriteria to achieve the EPEAT ecolabel, Qcells leads the way as the first domestic manufacturer to provide EPEAT-registered residential solar panels. Qcells is proud to be a domestic manufacturer of solar panels in the U.S. and plans to continue expanding its number of products on the EPEAT registry manufactured at its Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia manufacturing facilities.

EPEAT registration is a thorough process that measures social and environmental impacts of products from extraction to end of life. The lifecycle-based criteria areadjusted as sustainability standards evolve. EPEAT registered products, including Qcells’, are listed on the Global Electronic Council’s EPEAT registry, where customers with ambitious sustainability goals can easily find Qcells’ solar products. Ultimately, EPEAT’s online registry helps to drive supply chain improvements by simplifying the procurement of sustainably manufactured low-carbon solar panels.

Qcells | http://us.qcells.com/