Agenda

The solar industry’s rapid technological evolution (from PERC to TOPCon, heterojunction, and back contact cell technologies) has accelerated the rate at which new technologies reach the market. This makes comprehensive understanding of next-generation technologies and their underlying data critical for driving end-user confidence. Testing occurs at every stage of a module’s lifecycle, from initial R&D laboratory validation through factory quality control, delivery inspection, and ongoing field operation monitoring, with each phase generating critical data that collectively ensures reliable product performance and long-term durability. This session brings together module manufacturers, downstream buyers, and third-party testing organizations to explore how robust testing methodologies and transparent data sharing can build market trust in innovative solar technologies while managing the inherent risks of rapid innovation cycles. 

The systematic collection of field data has become essential for understanding both performance characteristics and failure modes across solar projects, with large datasets now available that can be examined and anonymized through AI-powered analytics to unlock valuable industry insights. This comprehensive data serves dual critical purposes that drive solar industry advancement: first, informing future procurement and planning decisions by providing evidence-based guidance that ensures sites meet their financial performance targets and investment expectations; and second, creating a vital feedback loop into R&D and module development processes that enables manufacturers to identify and address failure mechanisms at the module level, ensuring products can reliably deliver performance throughout their intended operational lifetime. 

The energy storage market is booming and many PV module buyers are now also purchasing battery systems for co-location with their solar installations, creating new challenges for procurement teams. With battery technology changing rapidly, varying business models and uses for the batteries across different markets, and new companies constantly entering the market, buyers need to ask the same critical questions they face when buying PV modules: What are the technology options for the project and what will the battery need to do? Are the batteries reliable and will they perform over time? What warranty terms are offered and how comprehensive is the coverage? Is there supply chain transparency and does it meet ESG compliance requirements?

Presentations from Hithium and CEA will provide comprehensive insights into market status and emerging trends shaping the energy storage sector. Following these market updates, the session transitions into an interactive panel discussion featuring Javier Piqueras Rubow from Cubico, whose extensive experience in procuring both PV modules and battery systems offers valuable real-world perspective. The panel will explore the critical evaluation criteria and strategic considerations that drive battery procurement decisions in today’s evolving market.

This session will look at strategies for embedding sustainability criteria into PV module purchasing decisions amid evolving regulatory frameworks. Participants will explore how to effectively implement key environmental metrics mandated by the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and EU Ecodesign regulations, including carbon footprint assessment, recyclability index requirements, and responsible material sourcing verification. Industry experts will demonstrate how to balance traditional procurement factors with emerging sustainability standards.

This closing session brings together industry leaders to explore the evolving landscape of solar module procurement as we look toward 2026. Experts will analyse how technology advancements, supply chain realignments, and regulatory frameworks is reshaping procurement strategies across Europe.

The discussion will address critical questions facing procurement teams: How will ESG compliance requirements continue to evolve? What pricing trends can buyers expect as new capacity comes online? How should organizations balance technology risk against potential performance gains? What strategies will prove most effective for securing allocation in potentially constrained markets?