The solar manufacturing landscape is shifting — and the decisions being made today will define the industry for the next decade. Solar Manufacturing USA, taking place in Austin, Texas in September 2026, is where that conversation happens. A focused two-day conference for senior professionals across the solar manufacturing value chain, produced by pv magazine and Finlay Colville. Expect sharp content, expert speakers, and real connections.
A focused meeting point for the people making decisions on factory execution, equipment, materials, process flows, technology ownership and long-term manufacturing strategy in the US.
US solar manufacturing is moving into a more demanding phase today. The first wave of announcements focused on capacity plans, factory openings and job creation potential. The next phase focuses on how production lines are specified, how factories are built and run, how technologies are selected, and how the sector defines a credible long-term roadmap.
Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 has been designed specifically for the manufacturing side of the industry, bringing together the companies building domestic production, the suppliers enabling factory ramp-up, the experts benchmarking quality and performance, and the technology voices shaping what-comes-next.
This is not a downstream solar event, and it is not a general policy forum. It is a focused meeting point for the people making decisions on factory execution, equipment, materials, process flows, technology ownership and long-term manufacturing strategy in the United States.
Who attends:
Where buyers, manufacturers and suppliers meet
Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 brings the full U.S. solar manufacturing ecosystem into one room, with particular emphasis on the buyers, investors and third-party entities whose participation helps define the commercial relevance of the event. Held in Austin, Texas, the event also gives delegates access to the state where solar manufacturing activity is becoming most concentrated, with opportunities for follow-on meetings and factory visits beyond the two-day programme.
Buyers, developers and investors: Module buyers, procurement teams, and investors looking to understand what is really being produced in the U.S., how supply chains are evolving across polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules, and which manufacturers are emerging as credible long-term partners.
Manufacturers and fab developers: Existing manufacturers across polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, modules and thin film, alongside companies with fabs under construction and those planning new domestic production over the next few years.
Equipment, materials and turnkey suppliers: Equipment suppliers, materials companies, EPCs, turnkey factory and line providers, infrastructure specialists and adjacent industrial players seeking to support or expand within the U.S. solar manufacturing base.
Third-party validation and due diligence: Factory auditors, testing and inspection firms, independent engineers and due-diligence specialists supporting lenders, buyers and manufacturers with benchmarking, performance validation and quality assurance.
Industry bodies and R&D partners: Domestic labs, R&D institutions, manufacturing coalitions and industry bodies seeking partnerships, technology pathways and stronger links between U.S. innovation and commercial production.
Austin is the gateway to a state where U.S. solar manufacturing is becoming increasingly localized, scaled and visible. For many delegates, the value of attending will extend beyond the conference itself to include follow-on meetings and factory visits in Texas.
Attendees are expected to include CTOs, heads of R&D, manufacturing and operations leaders, procurement teams, commercial and strategy executives, and specialists involved in supply-chain, quality and market-entry decisions.
Organizers: pv magazine · Finlay Colville
September 22, 2026
Welcome & Introductory Remarks
9:00am – 9:10am, CDT | Language: English
Event Host: Ryan Kennedy; Senior Editor, pv magazine USA
Introducing the inaugural Solar Manufacturing USA event, Senior Editor at pv magazine USA, Ryan Kennedy will outline the structure of the two-day agenda, the topics included, and the various networking activities planned.
Moderators
Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
Read Bio
Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
Ryan joined pv magazine in 2021, bringing experience from a top residential solar installer and a U.S.-based inverter manufacturer. He holds a Master of Energy and Environmental Management degree at the University of Connecticut and a degree in Management with a certification in Sustainable Business Practices from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Inaugural Event Special Focus: U.S. & Global PV Manufacturing Dynamics – Part 1
9:10am – 9:50am CDT | Language: English
Invited Keynote Speaker: Charlie Gay; Founder, Greenstar Foundation
Conference Chair Keynote: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
Guest Moderator: Markus Beck; Head of Business Development North America, RCT Solutions
The event starts with the first of four special sessions dedicated to U.S. and global PV manufacturing dynamics, delivered by some of the most accomplished and well-known experts in the industry.
Speakers
Charlie Gay
Greenstar Foundation
Founder
Read Bio
Charlie Gay
Greenstar Foundation
Founder
Charles F. Gay, Ph.D., is a pioneer and global leader in solar technology with more than 50 years in the field. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry (1968) and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry (1978) from UC Riverside. He has led world-first manufacturing milestones at ARCO Solar, Siemens Solar, ASE Americas, and Applied Materials, and served as Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (2016–2019) and Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (1994–1997). He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2013 and is an inventor on more than 15 issued U.S. patents.
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Moderators
Markus Beck
RCT Solutions
Head of Business Development North America
Read Bio
Markus Beck
RCT Solutions
Head of Business Development North America
Dr. Beck is an innovator and strategist with over 3 decades of senior and executive RD&D, project & operations management expertise in the photovoltaic industry. He served as Chief Technologist at First Solar in the United States and Vice President of the PV Development Team at Samsung in Korea, as well as in other leadership positions at 3 PV startups and has advised several global companies in the renewable energy sector on technology and business-related aspects. In his role as the Program Manger for the Manufacturing and Competitiveness sub-program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Dr. Beck focused on private-public partnerships through strategy and program development supporting industry-lead innovation and new product development and demonstration across the full PV value chain. He recently joined RCT Solutions, a global owner’s and lender’s engineering firm successfully executing over 100GW of projects to date. Dr. Beck will focus on supporting PV manufacturing activities in the North American market.
Dr. Beck holds a PhD in physical chemistry and has been awarded over a dozen scholarships and awards in the field of PV research and manufacturing. He is the primary inventor on 22 patents. As a subject-matter expert of ANSI US-TAG and IEC TC82 WG2, for two decades he has been actively engaged in global PV-standards activities. Dr. Beck has served on numerous DOE PV review boards and chaired the IEEE Santa Clara Valley PV Chapter from 2013–2015. He is a subject-matter expert for the peer-reviewed journals Thin Solid Films and Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, and in 2012 was appointed to the editorial board of the latter.
Strategies Underpinning the New Landscape of Domestic U.S. PV Manufacturing – Part 1
9:50am – 10:30am CDT | Language: English
Keynote Speaker: Dan Barcelo; Founder & CEO, T1 Energy
Session Speaker: To be announced
Moderator: Philip Shen; Managing Director, Roth Capital Partners
This session features companies that are pivotal to the build-out of new solar cell and module factories in the United States over the next 5-10 years.
Speakers
Dan Barcelo
T1 Energy
Founder & CEO
Moderators
Philip Shen
Roth Capital Partners
Managing Director
Read Bio
Philip Shen
Roth Capital Partners
Managing Director
Philip Shen is a Managing Director, Senior Research Analyst at ROTH, specializing in equity research coverage of the cleantech sector, focusing on renewables. Since 2010, he has established a strong reputation and network within the industry, allowing him to stay at the forefront of developments impacting solar stocks and the broader industry. Various financial media publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, have sought his insights. In 2023, Institutional Investor magazine placed him as a “Runner Up” for his Clean Energy coverage.
Prior to joining Roth Capital Partners, Mr. Shen served as a Research Associate at J.P. Morgan and Bear Stearns. His exceptional performance was recognized with notable awards, including the StarMine Analyst Award for being the No. 1 Earnings Estimator of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment in 2015, as well as the Thomson Reuters Award for being the No. 1 Stock Picker of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment in 2016. Furthermore, he was part of a Bear Stearns and J.P. Morgan team that consistently ranked as “Second Team” for Machinery coverage according to Institutional Investor magazine in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Mr. Shen holds a B.S. in computer science from Brown University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
U.S. Solar Cell Leadership Series – Part 1
10:30am – 10:50am CDT | Language: English
Session Speaker: Adam Tesanovich; Co-Founder & CEO, TALON PV
Moderator: Philip Shen; Managing Director, Roth Capital Partners
The first of three special talks from pure-play cell producers in the United States, set to play a key role in the emerging domestic silicon-based ecosystem.
Speakers
Adam Tesanovich
TALON PV
Co-Founder & CEO
Read Bio
Adam Tesanovich
TALON PV
Co-Founder & CEO
Adam Tesanovich brings over two decades of expertise in entrepreneurship, operations management, supply chain efficiency, financial management, regulatory compliance, risk management, and commercial strategy. Mr. Tesanovich is Co-Founder and CEO of TALON PV, a Texas based manufacture of 4.8 GW of TOPCon Solar Cells. Mr. Tesanovich leads the the company’s strategy growth and operational excellence. His decorated career spans two decades in management, business development, marketing, supply chain, product development, operations, and strategy. His big picture vision and strategic implementation has expanded Eagle Group to over a billion-dollar revenue business operating globally. Mr. Tesanovich has helped lead Eagle Group to award winning success being three times awarded to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America, Houston Business Journals Fastest 50 Middle Market Companies, Inc. 5000 Best Places to Work among additional awards.
Moderators
Philip Shen
Roth Capital Partners
Managing Director
Read Bio
Philip Shen
Roth Capital Partners
Managing Director
Philip Shen is a Managing Director, Senior Research Analyst at ROTH, specializing in equity research coverage of the cleantech sector, focusing on renewables. Since 2010, he has established a strong reputation and network within the industry, allowing him to stay at the forefront of developments impacting solar stocks and the broader industry. Various financial media publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Barron’s, have sought his insights. In 2023, Institutional Investor magazine placed him as a “Runner Up” for his Clean Energy coverage.
Prior to joining Roth Capital Partners, Mr. Shen served as a Research Associate at J.P. Morgan and Bear Stearns. His exceptional performance was recognized with notable awards, including the StarMine Analyst Award for being the No. 1 Earnings Estimator of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment in 2015, as well as the Thomson Reuters Award for being the No. 1 Stock Picker of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment in 2016. Furthermore, he was part of a Bear Stearns and J.P. Morgan team that consistently ranked as “Second Team” for Machinery coverage according to Institutional Investor magazine in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
Mr. Shen holds a B.S. in computer science from Brown University and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
Coffee Break
10:50am – 11:20am CDT
Strategies Underpinning the New Landscape of Domestic U.S. PV Manufacturing – Part 2
11:20am – 11:40am CDT | Language: English
Keynote Speaker: Jim Wood; CEO, SEG Solar
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
A chance to hear the progress and updated plans from SEG Solar, a Texas-based PV module producer whose recent capacity expansion plans are set to propel the company to one of top producers of silicon-based modules in the United States from 2027 onwards.
Speakers
Jim Wood
SEG Solar
CEO
Read Bio
Jim Wood
SEG Solar
CEO
Jim Wood is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SEG Solar Inc., a Houston, Texas–based, 100% U.S.-owned solar module manufacturer headquartered in Houston, widely recognized as the energy capital of the United States, where he resides. He is a co-founder of the company and is responsible for overall corporate strategy, operations, and commercial activities.
Mr. Wood has over 20 years of experience in the solar industry. Prior to founding SEG Solar, he held senior sales and commercial leadership roles at two Tier 1 solar module manufacturers, with experience spanning utility-scale, commercial, and distributed generation markets. He began his career on the installation side of the industry and was previously a NABCEP-certified solar installer, providing practical experience across both project development and manufacturing.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Inaugural Event Special Focus: U.S. & Global PV Manufacturing Dynamics – Part 2
11:40am – 12:20pm CDT | Language: English
Invited Keynote Speaker: Paul Basore; Formerly, DOE Chief Scientist for Solar Energy Technologies
Global Technology Leadership Speaker: Guoqiang Xing; CTO, Tongwei
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
A further two presentations in the special U.S. and global PV manufacturing dynamics series.
Speakers
Paul Basore
Formerly, DOE Chief Scientist for Solar Energy Technologies
Read Bio
Paul Basore
Formerly, DOE Chief Scientist for Solar Energy Technologies
Extensive career in solar power spanning university, government and industrial positions across three continents. Managed the establishment and operation of five solar R&D facilities and developed software tools that are widely used for silicon photovoltaic solar cell characterization and manufacturing cost modeling. Advisor to federal, city, and university solar programs.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
De-Risking the U.S. Solar Manufacturing Transition: Bridging the Gap Between Domestic Supply Chains, Product Quality & Bankability – Part 1
12:20pm – 12:40pm CDT | Language: English
Keynote Speaker: Cherif Kedir; CEO and President, RETC, part of the VDE Group
Guest Moderator: John Smirnow; Principal, Smirnow Law
Keynote presentation from RETC, a leading U.S. based company focused on test protocols for domestic manufactured PV products.
Speakers
Cherif Kedir
RETC, part of the VDE Group
CEO and President
Read Bio
Cherif Kedir
RETC, part of the VDE Group
CEO and President
Cherif is a solar industry veteran with over two decades of experience in product engineering and development, yield and performance enhancement, test site development, and durability, bankability, and certification testing. He also has an extensive background in semiconductors, specifically with product engineering, testing, and failure analysis. Cherif leads an RETC team dedicated to helping the renewable energy industry thrive.
Moderators
John Smirnow
Smirnow Law
Principal
U.S. Solar Cell Leadership Series – Part 2
12:40pm – 1:00pm CDT | Language: English
Session Speaker: Matt Card; President & COO, Suniva
Guest Moderator: John Smirnow; Principal, Smirnow Law
The second major contribution to the event specific to leading pure-play cell producers in the United States today – this time featuring Suniva.
Speakers
Matt Card
Suniva
President & COO
Read Bio
Matt Card
Suniva
President & COO
Matt Card is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Suniva, America’s oldest and largest producer of photovoltaic solar cells. One of Suniva’s first dozen employees, Matt has been instrumental in building Suniva’s worldwide presence since 2008, having led or managed the development of many of the company’s key customer relationships, and has been deeply involved in the ongoing evolution of U.S. solar trade policy and domestic manufacturing regulations. During his tenure as President and Chief Operating Officer, Suniva grew to become the largest merchant manufacturer of photovoltaic cells in the United States – culminating in 2024, as Suniva rebuilt and relaunched its Norcross, Georgia, manufacturing facility, becoming the first expansion of U.S. solar cell manufacturing in almost a decade. The company now looks to expand further, as it has announced I’st second U.S. factory – a 4.5GW facility in Laurens, South Carolina, planned to open in Q2 202,7 bringing Suniva to approximately 5.5GW of domestic merchant cell capacity.
Moderators
John Smirnow
Smirnow Law
Principal
Lunch Break
1:00pm – 2:00pm CDT
Inaugural Event Special Focus: U.S. & Global PV Manufacturing Dynamics – Part 3
2:00pm – 2:20pm CDT | Language: English
Invited Keynote Speaker: Terry Jester; Chairman, Highland Materials
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
The third session specific to U.S. and global PV manufacturing trends, featuring Terry Jester.
Speakers
Terry Jester
Chairman
Read Bio
Terry Jester
Chairman
Ms. Jester is one of the world’s longest tenured solar engineering and operations executives. Ms. Jester has been focused on solar PV for the last 45+ years. She recently retired after serving as Managing Director of North American operations for Kiwa PI Berlin, a leading risk management and quality assurance service provider for solar power plant equipment. She has held executive management positions at several solar manufacturing companies and other renewable energy industries around the globe-including board positions with numerous companies, particularly with Highland Materials where she serves as Chairman of the Board, and Next Energies Technologies where she serves as an Independent Director.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
U.S. Solar Cell Leadership Series – Part 3
2:20pm – 2:40pm CDT | Language: English
Session Speaker: Ken Johnston; Vice President, ES Foundry
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
The third presentation of the day on the pure-play solar cell companies in the United States that are set to play a major role in the domestic silicon-based sector.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Designing & Operating PV Factories in the United States with Equipment & Materials Ownership – Part 1
2:40pm – 3:20pm CDT | Language: English
Opening Session Speaker: Kamel Ounadjela; General Manager, International Business Unit, LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology
Session Speaker: Peter Fath; Founder & CEO, RCT Solutions
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
The first of two sessions focusing on how to set up U.S. based solar production lines and the raw materials supply chains, with a focus on the equipment used.
Speakers
Kamel Ounadjela
LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology
General Manager, International Business Unit
Read Bio
Kamel Ounadjela
LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology
General Manager, International Business Unit
Dr. Kamel Ounadjela is the General Manager of LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology Co., Ltd., leading the company’s activities in the USA, Europe, and Turkey. He brings over two decades of experience in the solar industry, driving breakthroughs from advanced technology innovation to opening new global markets. In 2006, he founded and operated Calisolar/Silicor, one of the first solar cell manufacturing facilities in the United States. Dr. Ounadjela is an inventor with several patents in solar and semiconductor technologies, and the author of more than 200 technical publications.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Voices of Module Buyers & Investors in the United States: Requests to the Emerging Domestic PV Manufacturing Sector – Part 1
3:20pm – 3:40pm CDT | Language: English
Invited Panellist: Tim Crane; Senior Director, Supply Chain, Palmetto
Invited Panellist: Kevin Graves; Senior Director of Engineering and Procurement, Oriden
Invited Panellist: Tom McNulty; Director, Supply Chain and Quality, OneEnergy
Invited Panellist: Angad Sachdeva; Director of Solar Technology, Apex Clean Energy
Guest Moderator: Mike Carr; Executive Director, SEMA Coalition
The first of two special panel sessions on Day One, featuring some of the key procurement decision-makers for solar products in the United States today.
Speakers
Tim Crane
Palmetto
Senior Director, Supply Chain
Read Bio
Tim Crane
Palmetto
Senior Director, Supply Chain
Tim Crane is Senior Director of Supply Chain at Palmetto, where he leads sourcing, planning, and procurement across the company’s hardware portfolio, with direct accountability for approved vendor and product management and compliance with FEOC, UFLPA, and Domestic Content requirements.
Tim brings two decades of solar procurement leadership to the panel, having built and directed sourcing organizations at Sunrun, Tesla/SolarCity, and Mainstream Energy (parent of REC Solar and AEE Solar). Across these roles he has led global hardware sourcing strategy covering modules, inverters, batteries, and mounting systems — consistently delivering material cost reductions while maintaining the service and quality standards that large residential and commercial portfolios demand.
Throughout his career, Tim has operated at the intersection of two competing imperatives that define serious procurement leadership: the relentless pressure to reduce cost of acquisition, and the equally real obligation to ensure that what gets specified and purchased will perform bankably over a 25-year asset life. His work has consistently required reconciling those demands while navigating supply chain traceability, ethical sourcing, and third-party quality assurance — the same issues now at the center of the U.S. manufacturing conversation.
Kevin Graves
Oriden
Senior Director of Engineering and Procurement
Read Bio
Kevin Graves
Oriden
Senior Director of Engineering and Procurement
Kevin has 18 years of solar deployment experience across a range of sectors and geographies, including 15 years of engineering management. He cut his teeth in the industry at REC Solar, Prospect Solar, and Direct Energy Solar / Centrica Business Solutions. In his 7 years at Oriden, he has overseen the engineering team supporting projects in all stages of development and procurement of modules, BESS, EPC services, and long lead HV equipment. Kevin has an M.S. in Engineering Management from Robert Morris University and a B.S. in Engineering Science from Pennsylvania State University. When he’s not procuring for clean energy projects, Kevin might be playing with his kids, cycling, playing ice hockey, practicing yoga, or taking on projects around the house.
Tom McNulty
OneEnergy
Director, Supply Chain and Quality
Angad Sachdeva
Director of Solar Technology
Apex Clean Energy
Read Bio
Angad Sachdeva
Director of Solar Technology
Apex Clean Energy
Angad has been with Apex Clean Energy for four years leading PV technology review and module procurement for its solar project pipeline. He draws on 12 years of industry experience in solar resource assessment and design, with previous roles at Avangrid and Borrego (now New Leaf Energy).
Moderators
Mike Carr
SEMA Coalition
Executive Director
Read Bio
Mike Carr
SEMA Coalition
Executive Director
Mike has worked for 30 years designing policies and building consensus to advance clean energy technologies.
He specializes in finding innovative approaches to solving the unique problems of emerging, disruptive technologies that can transcend our current difficult political environment.
Working with U.S. industry leaders over the last 5 years, Mike launched and serves as Executive Director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition (SEMA). SEMA achieved an early policy win by developing, with allied interests in Congress, the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit and the Domestic Content Bonus Incentive enacted into law in 2022. SEMA then continued to work to improve implementation guidance for the following 2 years and successfully defended the credit in the most recent tax bill passed in July of 2025. Under Mike’s leadership SEMA has built strong, bipartisan ties in Congress as well as the Administration, becoming a leading voice in continuing manufacturing reshoring efforts.
His federal government experience – spanning the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Senate Energy Committee, and the U.S. Department Energy – has been focused on creating policy incentives and frameworks to enable the U.S. clean energy industry to flourish and deliver its benefits both in affordable energy and quality jobs to Americans.
His most recent federal service was as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Senior Advisor to the Director of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis at the US Department of Energy from 2012 to 2015. He was a member of the leadership team advising the Secretary on clean energy policy, in addition to being a guiding force on the R&D and deployment agenda within EERE.
Prior to DOE, Mike served as Senior Counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from 2004 to June 2012. In that influential role, he conceived of, drafted, and guided through Congress a number of incentive programs and laws that now direct major Department of Energy programs. Prominent examples include the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program (used by Tesla, Ford, and Nissan to significantly expand US manufacturing of cutting-edge vehicles), and the L-Prize (which helped catalyze the commercial introduction of consumer LED light bulbs). All of these policies enjoyed broad bipartisan support.
He holds a law degree, with a Certificate of Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, from Lewis and Clark College and a Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado – Boulder.
Coffee Break
3:40pm – 4:00pm CDT
Understanding New Domestic Solar PV Manufacturing in the United States & Product Differentiation – Part 1
4:00pm – 4:40pm CDT | Language: English
Opening Session Speaker: To be announced; Nextnova
Session Speaker: Sriram Das; Executive Chairman, DYCM Power
Presentations companies that have recently added new module capacity in the United States and are set to integrate upstream through cell production line additions.
Speakers
Sriram Das
DYCM – Power
Founder & CEO
Read Bio
Sriram Das
DYCM – Power
Founder & CEO
Sriram has been Managing Director of Das & Co since 2010, with responsibility for new business development and sustainable investment opportunities. Das & Co. invests in businesses that increase global economic sustainability by reducing the carbon emission of energy production and other activities. Prior to Das & Co., Sriram worked at Merrill Lynch, where he started his career in the Global Power and Utilities Group.
He is also co-founder of portfolio company DYCM Power, and serves as head of Landmark Banyan Real Estate Advisors LLC, which advises the Landmark and Banyan Real Estate Funds.
Sriram graduated from Harvard University an A.B. in Social Studies. He also earned an M.B.A in Finance and Strategy from Yale University.
Moderators
Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
Read Bio
Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
Jochen Rentsch holds a PhD in physics from Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and worked at Fraunhofer ISE from 2001 to 2026, focusing on silicon solar cell and production technology development. Over this period, he led both research and large-scale industrial transfer projects, building strong links between cutting-edge R&D and industry implementation. At Fraunhofer ISE, he headed a group and later a department dedicated to advancing silicon solar cell technologies and their manufacturing processes. In the last five years of his tenure, he served as Head of Technology Transfer, driving the commercialization of research results and supporting industry partners in adopting innovative renewable energy solutions. In early 2026, he became co-founder and CEO of Nexus GreenTech, a company specializing in business consultancy for renewable energy technologies. Nexus GreenTech supports companies and investors in developing, scaling, and industrializing sustainable energy technologies and value chains.
Designing & Operating PV Factories in the United States with Equipment & Materials Ownership – Part 2
4:40pm – 5:20pm CDT | Language: English
Opening Session Speaker: KY Goon; CEO, TT VISION Technologies
The second of two sessions focusing on the optimization of production equipment in the new silicon-based factories.
Speakers
KY Goon
TT Vision Technologies
CEO
Read Bio
KY Goon
TT Vision Technologies
CEO
A proven visionary and strategic leader that translates business strategies into maximum profits commensurate with the best interest of shareholders, customers, employees, and the public. An expert in enhancing profitability; developing strategic lending initiatives; and growing each segment of a high-performance products. Very knowledgeable of Solar Industry and proven track record in semiconductor equipment field. Dedicated to maintaining a reputation built on quality, service, and uncompromising ethics.
Moderators
Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
Read Bio
Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
Jochen Rentsch holds a PhD in physics from Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and worked at Fraunhofer ISE from 2001 to 2026, focusing on silicon solar cell and production technology development. Over this period, he led both research and large-scale industrial transfer projects, building strong links between cutting-edge R&D and industry implementation. At Fraunhofer ISE, he headed a group and later a department dedicated to advancing silicon solar cell technologies and their manufacturing processes. In the last five years of his tenure, he served as Head of Technology Transfer, driving the commercialization of research results and supporting industry partners in adopting innovative renewable energy solutions. In early 2026, he became co-founder and CEO of Nexus GreenTech, a company specializing in business consultancy for renewable energy technologies. Nexus GreenTech supports companies and investors in developing, scaling, and industrializing sustainable energy technologies and value chains.
Voices of Module Buyers & Investors in the United States: Requests to the Emerging Domestic PV Manufacturing Sector – Part 2
5:20pm – 5:40pm CDT | Language: English
Invited Panellist: Nick de Vries; CTO, Silicon Ranch
Invited Panellist: Juan Carlos Rosa; Director of Procurement, Lightsource bp
Invited Panellist: Xavier Quniet; VP Procurement, Treaty Oak Clean Energy
The second of two special panel sessions on Day One, hearing from more procurement decision-makers for U.S.-made solar products.
Speakers
Nick de Vries
Silicon Ranch
CTO
Read Bio
Nick de Vries
Silicon Ranch
CTO
A veteran of both the US Army and the renewable energy sector with nearly a quarter of a century of experience bringing the solar industry to scale, and making PV plants more capable. As CTO, Nick is responsible the technological and ecological vison of the company, as well as the cultivation of domestic sources of supply. Silicon Ranch owns and operates–projects that Nick designed over a decade ago, including the first transmission interconnected PV plant in the Southeast. Prior to Silicon Ranch he held positions at Applied Materials and Tesla manufacturing both crystalline and thin film cells and modules.
Nick holds 5 patents in both PV module manufacturing and design, and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University. He serves as an industry advisor, and reviewer for the Department of Energy’s PACT and DuraMAT consortiums. As well as the Principal Investigator of a DOE funded program exploring the appropriate co-location of solar projects with regenerative cattle ranching.
Juan Carlos Rosa
Lightsource bp
Director of Procurement
Read Bio
Juan Carlos Rosa
Lightsource bp
Director of Procurement
Juan Carlos currently leads the procurement of PV modules and other equipment categories in the U.S. for Lightsource bp. Previously, Juan Carlos held a similar position at RWE and also sold wind turbines at Goldwind. Prior to that, Juan Carlos obtained his Master’s degree in Industrial Technology and Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bacherlor’s of Science in Electromechanical Engineering from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid.
Xavier Quinet
Treaty Oak Clean Energy
VP Procurement
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Xavier Quinet
Treaty Oak Clean Energy
VP Procurement
Xavier Quinet is a procurement executive with over 25 years of experience in industrial and renewable energy sectors. He currently serves as VP of Procurement at Treaty Oak Clean Energy in Austin, Texas and leads strategic sourcing for utility-scale solar and BESS projects. Previously, he held senior roles at BayWa r.e. Americas and ENGIE Solar, overseeing procurement and EPC construction of hundreds of megawatts across North America and internationally.
Moderators
Nate Picarsic
Horizon Advisory
Founder
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Nate Picarsic
Horizon Advisory
Founder
Nate Picarsic is the founder of Horizon Advisory, a leading supply chain and geopolitical risk data firm. He holds affiliations as a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Krach Institute. His commentaries on supply chains, investment, and technology have been published in outlets ranging from Bloomberg to TechCrunch. He holds a BA from Harvard College and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School and the Defense Acquisition University.
Evening Party Hosted by Roth Capital Partners
7:00pm – 9:00pm CDT
September 23, 2026
Welcome to Day Two
9:00am – 9:10am CDT | Language English
Event Host: Ryan Kennedy; Senior Editor, pv magazine USA
Opening remarks from Ryan on what to expect during the second day of the event.
Moderators
Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
Read Bio
Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
Ryan joined pv magazine in 2021, bringing experience from a top residential solar installer and a U.S.-based inverter manufacturer. He holds a Master of Energy and Environmental Management degree at the University of Connecticut and a degree in Management with a certification in Sustainable Business Practices from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Production Equipment, Inspection, & Automation for PV Factories in the United States
9:10am – 11:00am CDT | Language English
Session Speaker: Michael Vees; Sales Director, RENA Technologies
Session Speaker: Eckhard Schaefer; Senior VP Solar Products, Photonics Systems USA
Session Speaker: To be announced; Mondragon Assembly
Session Speaker: To be announced; HighLine Technology
Guest Moderator: Raymond De Munnik; Chief Strategic Advisor; Vikram Solar
Inside the factories, hear from some of the leading companies making the production equipment, inspection and automation tools.
Speakers
Michael Vees
RENA Technologies
Sales Director
Eckhard Schaefer
Photonics Systems Group
SR VP Solar Products
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Eckhard Schaefer
Photonics Systems Group
SR VP Solar Products
Dr. Gang Xiong has more than 20 years of experience in solar industry including 19 years at First Solar. He has successfully led multiple projects from early-stage R&D to high-volume manufacturing. Dr. Xiong’s team have established multiple cell and module efficiency records on CdTe solar cells. He is also one of the pioneers of perovskite industrial research and scaling. Dr. Xiong is currently the SVP of Vital Materials, a global leader in materials technology that can supply BOM and manufacture equipment in high quality to PV industry. He is also an adjunct professor at UNSW School of PV and Renewable Energy Engineering.
Jake Veloza
Eternal Sun WAVELABS
Sales Manager, Americas, Iberia, & UK
Moderators
Raymond De Munnik
Vikram Solar
Chief Strategic Advisor
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Raymond De Munnik
Vikram Solar
Chief Strategic Advisor
Raymond de Munnik is a global executive and recognized expert in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries, with over 20 years of experience in technology innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization. He has successfully led high-tech process and product development from concept through industrialization and market adoption. Raymond is known as an early pioneer in the implementation of passivated contact solar cell technology in mass production and continues to support the advancement of next-generation PV manufacturing through strategic leadership and industry collaboration.
Coffee Break
11:00am – 11:20am CDT
De-Risking the U.S. Solar Manufacturing Transition: Bridging the Gap Between Domestic Supply Chains, Product Quality & Bankability – Part 2
11:20am – 12:00pm CDT | Language: English
Session Speaker: Mike Scott; Senior Manager, QA, Intertek CEA
Session Speaker: To be announced
Guest Moderator: Teresa Barnes; Multi-Institutional Research Leader; National Laboratory of the Rockies
This session bridges the gap between compliance and field reliability by exploring how to effectively scale domestic U.S. manufacturing. Nextpower will break down the scaling of materials for trackers and modules, while Intertek CEA will detail factory quality assurance audits required to secure bankable supply.
Speakers
Mike Scott
Intertek CEA
Senior Manager, QA and ESG
Read Bio
Mike Scott
Intertek CEA
Senior Manager, QA and ESG
Dr. Michael Scott brings over 24 years of experience in photovoltaics, spanning academic research to high-volume manufacturing.
Before joining Intertek CEA, he held several highly technical engineering and leadership positions at SunPower and SolarWorld. His expertise extends beyond conventional crystalline silicon (c-Si) manufacturing; Dr. Scott delved into third-generation thin-film PV technologies during his graduate studies and professional research.
His academic journey culminated in a PhD in Chemistry, where his research focused on charge separation and transport within photovoltaic devices. Dr. Scott’s contributions have undoubtedly shaped the solar industry.
Moderators
Teresa Barnes
National Laboratory of the Rockies
Multi-Institutional Research Leader
Domestic Materials Supply for New Cell & Module Factories in the United States
12:20pm – 12:40pm CDT | Language English
Session Speaker: Gang Xiong; Senior VP of Thin Film Technology, Vital Materials
Other Session Speakers: To be announced
Guest Moderator: Teresa Barnes; Multi-Institutional Research Leader; National Laboratory of the Rockies
This session features presentations from suppliers establishing domestic production to serve new cell factories (with wafers, metallization paste and processing consumables) and the materials needed for module assembly.
Speakers
Gang Xiong
Vital Materials
Sr. VP of Thin Film Technology
Read Bio
Gang Xiong
Vital Materials
Sr. VP of Thin Film Technology
Dr. Gang Xiong has more than 20 years of experience in solar industry including 19 years at First Solar. He has successfully led multiple projects from early-stage R&D to high-volume manufacturing. Dr. Xiong’s team have established multiple cell and module efficiency records on CdTe solar cells. He is also one of the pioneers of perovskite industrial research and scaling. Dr. Xiong is currently the SVP of Vital Materials, a global leader in materials technology that can supply BOM and manufacture equipment in high quality to PV industry. He is also an adjunct professor at UNSW School of PV and Renewable Energy Engineering.
Moderators
Teresa Barnes
National Laboratory of the Rockies
Multi-Institutional Research Leader
De-Risking the U.S. Solar Manufacturing Transition: Bridging the Gap Between Domestic Supply Chains, Product Quality & Bankability – Part 3 (Independent Engineers)
12:40pm – 1:00pm CDT | Language English
Invited Panellist: Rob Foree; Project Manager, Black & Veatch
Invited Panellist: Henry Hieslmair; Principal Engineer, Solar Technology, DNV Energy USA
Invited Panellist: Jordan Nicholson; Director, Client Services, Luminate
Invited Panellist: Jon Previtali; Founder & CEO, New Energy Diligence
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
This session features leading Independent Engineers (IEs) discussing their role in evaluating and qualifying new domestic U.S. PV operations. Panellists will explain how technical audits, factory acceptance testing, and supply chain assessments directly influence project bankability. The discussion will outline the specific engineering benchmarks used to verify domestic production quality and facilitate project financing.
Speakers
Rob Foree
Black & Veatch
Project Manager
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Rob Foree
Black & Veatch
Project Manager
Mr. Rob Foree is a Project Manager with over 12 years of energy industry experience and lead’s Black & Veatch’s independent assessment and bankability practice for new and novel energy generating technologies with the goal of providing insight and detailed review of the product’s design, performance, reliability, manufacturing and quality. Mr. Foree specializes in independent technical assessments and due diligence for solar PV modules (PERC, TOPCon, HJT, and Perovskites), all types of solar racking systems (fixed, single-axis tracker, rooftop, floating, and dual-axis), and various battery energy storage (BESS) technologies. He has led and performed numerous assessments for well known PV module, racking, and battery providers across the globe and is knowlegable about the best practices and risks assocciated with these technologies.
Henry Hieslmair
DNV Energy USA
Principal Engineer, Solar Technology
Read Bio
Henry Hieslmair
DNV Energy USA
Principal Engineer, Solar Technology
Dr. Henry Hieslmair joined DNV in 2017 and has been focused on various module topics including photovoltaic system degradation, PV module useful life assessments, PV module waste volume, toxicity and circularity (Nature Physics 19.10 (2023)), module O&M modeling, utility plant construction automation, and emerging module technologies. Henry Hieslmair has worked in the PV solar industry since 1993 when he began his PV career at Siemens Solar Industries in Camarillo CA (previously ARCO Solar). Subsequently, he pursued his graduate and post-graduate work at U.C. Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories where he focused on process improvements for multi and monocrystalline PV silicon. After his studies, he cofounded a start-up where he designed and developed a thin multicrystalline interdigitated-back-contact PV cell and module. In 2010, as an early employee at another start-up, he helped pioneer the first high productivity (>3000 wafer per hour) ion implantation tools for the PV industry for phosphorous and boron doping (was utilized for early TOPCon manufacturing). Subsequently, at SunEdison, he worked to commercialize their Continuous Czochralski silicon growth method, performed cell-to-module loss analyses, developed module testing procedures, and performed extensive analysis on boron-oxygen light induced degradation. Over the course of his career, Henry has also consulted for many firms involved in silicon PV including DOE Sunshot program, Solexel, Kleiner Perkins, and Crystal Solar. He has 7 patents and has authored or co-authored over 50 conference and journal articles on PV materials science, device operation, and manufacturing.
Jordan Nicholson
Luminate
Director, Client Services
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Jordan Nicholson
Luminate
Director, Client Services
Mr. Nicholson has over 20 years of experience in the power and energy industry, with a focus in independent engineering and execution of EPC portfolios in both the renewable power and oil and gas industry. His background includes direct leadership and management of over $1.5 billion in power and energy infrastructure projects comprising of major utility-scale EPC contracts, PV module and other equipment supply agreements as well as managing the full project life cycle from feasibility through commissioning and operations. Prior to joining Luminate, Mr. Nicholson held leadership positions in project development, supply chain management and project management of PV solar, BESS and other energy infrastructure that have included concept development, interconnection management, EPC contracting and negotiation, and managing large multi-discipline project teams.
Jon Previtali
New Energy Diligence
Founder & CEO
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Lunch Break & Networking
1:00pm – 2:00pm CDT
Inaugural Event Special Focus: U.S. & Global PV Manufacturing Dynamics – Part 4
2:00pm – 2:20pm CDT | Language English
Global Technology Leadership Speaker: Adam Detrick, Director of Product Management & Technical Services, JinkoSolar
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
The final part of the special focus on U.S. & global manufacturing trends, this session will examine how a silicon-based ecosystem, spanning ingot to module production and related materials supply, can come to fruition. Specific attention and analysis will be presented related to Jinko’s leading global status in realizing a fully-integrated 56 GW facility – the world’s largest silicon-based manufacturing plant.
Speakers
Adam Detrick
JinkoSolar
Director of Product Management & Technical Services
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Understanding New Domestic Solar PV Manufacturing in the United States & Product Differentiation – Part 2
2:20pm – 3:00pm CDT | Language English
Panellist: Frank Faller; Chief Technology Officer, Elite Solar
Other panellists to be announced.
Moderator: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
This hybrid session will capture the domestic PV manufacturing plans from a range of leading companies at the heart of U.S. supply-chains today.
Speakers
Frank Faller
Elite Solar
Chief Technology Officer
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Frank Faller
Elite Solar
Chief Technology Officer
Frank Faller is the Chief Technology Officer of ELITE Solar, where he leads the company’s technical strategy and innovation roadmap for utility-scale solar project development across Europe.
With over three decades of experience in the solar PV industry, Dr. Faller brings deep expertise spanning R&D, manufacturing, system design, and technology commercialization. His career has bridged leading roles in both research institutions and industry, enabling him to drive technical excellence from lab to large-scale deployment.
Prior to joining ELITE Solar, Dr. Faller held senior positions across the global solar sector, overseeing advancements in solar cell and module technologies, scaling production lines, and improving system performance. His work has played a pivotal role in shaping efficient, bankable solutions for large-scale PV projects.
Dr. Faller earned his Ph.D. from the University of Freiburg, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)—a globally renowned center for solar research and innovation.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Coffee Break
3:00pm – 3:15pm CDT
Perovskite Special Session: Technology, Performance Benefits, Mass Production Status & Field Qualification
3:15pm – 4:50pm CDT | Language English
Global Technology Leadership Speaker: Ralf Preu; Director Photovoltaics, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE
Session Speaker: Scott Graybeal; CEO, Caelux
Session Speaker: Tomas Leijtens; Chief Technology Officer, Swift Solar
Session Speaker: Laureen Sanderson; CCO, CubicPV
Session Speaker: Laura Miranda; Chief Strategy Officer, Oxford PV
Moderator: Ralph Romero; Senior Managing Director, Black & Veatch
This session will provide the audience with a detailed understanding of how perovskite-based tandem architectures offer significant performance advantages compared to the solar industry’s mainstream single-junction solar cells.
Speakers
Ralf Preu
Fraunhofer ISE
Director Photovoltaics
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Ralf Preu
Fraunhofer ISE
Director Photovoltaics
Entering the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in 1993, PD Dr. Ralf Preu is director of the Division Photovoltaics with a focus on production technology and industry transfer. He studied physics at the Universities of Freiburg and Toronto and economy at the University of Hagen; he received his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Electronics from the University of Hagen in 2000. He has been teaching photovoltaics at the University of Freiburg since 2008 and habilitated in 2023. He has published more than 300 papers at scientific journals and international conferences and has been a contributor and chair for committees in the field of PV Research & Development (2026: ETIP Chair of WG PV Technology, FNEE PV Spokesman WG Production, EU PVSEC Topic Chair PV Module). He is a co-inventor of 30 patent families. Ralf Preu received the Meyer-Struckmann Award in 2003, the Innovation Award in Laser Technology in 2014 and Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize in 2016 for his work in the PV technology field.
Scott Graybeal
Caelux
CEO
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Scott Graybeal
Caelux
CEO
Scott Graybeal is a veteran executive who led the Energy Solutions Segment at Flex Ltd (NASDAQ: FLEX), a $2B division within the company serving the solar, energy storage, and LED lighting markets. Under his leadership, Flex Energy became the third largest producer of PV modules outside of mainland China, and patented several key solar manufacturing innovations. Scott’s career spans several industries from construction tech to solar to semiconductors. Before joining Caelux, Scott was COO of Veev Group & CEO of Veev Build and has held key leadership roles at Intevac, Amonix, Oerlikon Solar, Veeco Instruments, Applied Materials, and General Electric.
Scott has guest lectured on renewables and entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon and Georgetown. He served with distinction as a nuclear submarine officer and is a certified nuclear engineering officer by the Departments of the Navy and Energy. Scott earned his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and his BS in Chemistry from UC San Diego.
Tomas Leijtens
Swift Solar
Chief Technology Officer
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Tomas Leijtens
Swift Solar
Chief Technology Officer
Tomas Leijtens is CTO and Co-Founder of Swift Solar, a leading developer of perovskite tandem solar technology. A globally recognized expert in perovskite photovoltaics, Leijtens has spent more than a decade advancing next-generation solar cells, with a particular focus on improving stability, efficiency, and commercial scalability. Prior to co-founding Swift Solar, he served as a research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and conducted research at Stanford University and the University of Oxford. His work includes pioneering contributions to the development of the first perovskite-silicon and all-perovskite tandem solar cells, helping lay the foundation for the emerging tandem solar industry. Leijtens holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Oxford and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. He has authored hundreds of scientific publications and patents and has been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow and a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
Laureen Sanderson
CubicPV
CCO
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Laureen Sanderson
CubicPV
CCO
Laureen is CCO of CubicPV, which is creating a solar future defined by more powerful perovskite tandem solar modules. She is a renewable energy executive with nearly 25 years’ of experience in business development, corporate strategy, and marketing and communications.
Moderators
Ralph Romero
Black & Veatch
Senior Managing Director
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Ralph Romero
Black & Veatch
Senior Managing Director
Dr. Romero is a Senior Managing Director of Black & Veatch Management Consulting. He leads the Bankability and Technology Advisory practice. Dr. Romero specializes in the assessment of risks of new technologies and the development of strategies to mitigate the risks. His team performs bankability studies of new technologies and provides technology advisory services tailored to meet clients’ needs in areas of technology validation, design, performance, reliability, manufacturing, and others. Dr. Romero is a renowned photovoltaics specialist.
Closing Remarks
4:50pm – 5:00pm CDT | Language English
Conference Chair: Finlay Colville; Founder, Terawatt PV Research
Final comments and takeaways from Finlay, with some of the key topics that will dominate investments and technology decisions across the domestic U.S. PV sector during the 2027-2030 period.
Moderators
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Agenda
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Moderators
Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
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Ryan Kennedy
Senior Editor
Ryan joined pv magazine in 2021, bringing experience from a top residential solar installer and a U.S.-based inverter manufacturer. He holds a Master of Energy and Environmental Management degree at the University of Connecticut and a degree in Management with a certification in Sustainable Business Practices from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Read Bio
Finlay Colville
Terawatt PV Research
Founder
Finlay Colville has been actively engaged with the solar industry for more than 20 years and is recognised as a leading analyst in the sector. For 15 years, Finlay managed market research business units at Solarbuzz and PV-Tech. He established Terawatt PV Research in 2025 as the working platform for his activities going forward.
Speakers
Dan Barcelo
T1 Energy
Founder & CEO
Teresa Barnes
National Laboratory of the Rockies
Multi-Institutional Research Leader
Paul Basore
Formerly, DOE Chief Scientist for Solar Energy Technologies
Read Bio
Paul Basore
Formerly, DOE Chief Scientist for Solar Energy Technologies
Extensive career in solar power spanning university, government and industrial positions across three continents. Managed the establishment and operation of five solar R&D facilities and developed software tools that are widely used for silicon photovoltaic solar cell characterization and manufacturing cost modeling. Advisor to federal, city, and university solar programs.
Markus Beck
RCT Solutions
Head of Business Development North America
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Markus Beck
RCT Solutions
Head of Business Development North America
Dr. Beck is an innovator and strategist with over 3 decades of senior and executive RD&D, project & operations management expertise in the photovoltaic industry. He served as Chief Technologist at First Solar in the United States and Vice President of the PV Development Team at Samsung in Korea, as well as in other leadership positions at 3 PV startups and has advised several global companies in the renewable energy sector on technology and business-related aspects. In his role as the Program Manger for the Manufacturing and Competitiveness sub-program at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office Dr. Beck focused on private-public partnerships through strategy and program development supporting industry-lead innovation and new product development and demonstration across the full PV value chain. He recently joined RCT Solutions, a global owner’s and lender’s engineering firm successfully executing over 100GW of projects to date. Dr. Beck will focus on supporting PV manufacturing activities in the North American market.
Dr. Beck holds a PhD in physical chemistry and has been awarded over a dozen scholarships and awards in the field of PV research and manufacturing. He is the primary inventor on 22 patents. As a subject-matter expert of ANSI US-TAG and IEC TC82 WG2, for two decades he has been actively engaged in global PV-standards activities. Dr. Beck has served on numerous DOE PV review boards and chaired the IEEE Santa Clara Valley PV Chapter from 2013–2015. He is a subject-matter expert for the peer-reviewed journals Thin Solid Films and Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, and in 2012 was appointed to the editorial board of the latter.
Matt Card
Suniva
President & COO
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Matt Card
Suniva
President & COO
Matt Card is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Suniva, America’s oldest and largest producer of photovoltaic solar cells. One of Suniva’s first dozen employees, Matt has been instrumental in building Suniva’s worldwide presence since 2008, having led or managed the development of many of the company’s key customer relationships, and has been deeply involved in the ongoing evolution of U.S. solar trade policy and domestic manufacturing regulations. During his tenure as President and Chief Operating Officer, Suniva grew to become the largest merchant manufacturer of photovoltaic cells in the United States – culminating in 2024, as Suniva rebuilt and relaunched its Norcross, Georgia, manufacturing facility, becoming the first expansion of U.S. solar cell manufacturing in almost a decade. The company now looks to expand further, as it has announced I’st second U.S. factory – a 4.5GW facility in Laurens, South Carolina, planned to open in Q2 202,7 bringing Suniva to approximately 5.5GW of domestic merchant cell capacity.
Mike Carr
SEMA Coalition
Executive Director
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Mike Carr
SEMA Coalition
Executive Director
Mike has worked for 30 years designing policies and building consensus to advance clean energy technologies.
He specializes in finding innovative approaches to solving the unique problems of emerging, disruptive technologies that can transcend our current difficult political environment.
Working with U.S. industry leaders over the last 5 years, Mike launched and serves as Executive Director of the Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition (SEMA). SEMA achieved an early policy win by developing, with allied interests in Congress, the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit and the Domestic Content Bonus Incentive enacted into law in 2022. SEMA then continued to work to improve implementation guidance for the following 2 years and successfully defended the credit in the most recent tax bill passed in July of 2025. Under Mike’s leadership SEMA has built strong, bipartisan ties in Congress as well as the Administration, becoming a leading voice in continuing manufacturing reshoring efforts.
His federal government experience – spanning the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Senate Energy Committee, and the U.S. Department Energy – has been focused on creating policy incentives and frameworks to enable the U.S. clean energy industry to flourish and deliver its benefits both in affordable energy and quality jobs to Americans.
His most recent federal service was as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Senior Advisor to the Director of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis at the US Department of Energy from 2012 to 2015. He was a member of the leadership team advising the Secretary on clean energy policy, in addition to being a guiding force on the R&D and deployment agenda within EERE.
Prior to DOE, Mike served as Senior Counsel to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from 2004 to June 2012. In that influential role, he conceived of, drafted, and guided through Congress a number of incentive programs and laws that now direct major Department of Energy programs. Prominent examples include the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program (used by Tesla, Ford, and Nissan to significantly expand US manufacturing of cutting-edge vehicles), and the L-Prize (which helped catalyze the commercial introduction of consumer LED light bulbs). All of these policies enjoyed broad bipartisan support.
He holds a law degree, with a Certificate of Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, from Lewis and Clark College and a Bachelor’s from the University of Colorado – Boulder.
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Tim Crane
Palmetto
Senior Director, Supply Chain
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Tim Crane
Palmetto
Senior Director, Supply Chain
Tim Crane is Senior Director of Supply Chain at Palmetto, where he leads sourcing, planning, and procurement across the company’s hardware portfolio, with direct accountability for approved vendor and product management and compliance with FEOC, UFLPA, and Domestic Content requirements.
Tim brings two decades of solar procurement leadership to the panel, having built and directed sourcing organizations at Sunrun, Tesla/SolarCity, and Mainstream Energy (parent of REC Solar and AEE Solar). Across these roles he has led global hardware sourcing strategy covering modules, inverters, batteries, and mounting systems — consistently delivering material cost reductions while maintaining the service and quality standards that large residential and commercial portfolios demand.
Throughout his career, Tim has operated at the intersection of two competing imperatives that define serious procurement leadership: the relentless pressure to reduce cost of acquisition, and the equally real obligation to ensure that what gets specified and purchased will perform bankably over a 25-year asset life. His work has consistently required reconciling those demands while navigating supply chain traceability, ethical sourcing, and third-party quality assurance — the same issues now at the center of the U.S. manufacturing conversation.
Sriram Das
DYCM – Power
Founder & CEO
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Sriram Das
DYCM – Power
Founder & CEO
Sriram has been Managing Director of Das & Co since 2010, with responsibility for new business development and sustainable investment opportunities. Das & Co. invests in businesses that increase global economic sustainability by reducing the carbon emission of energy production and other activities. Prior to Das & Co., Sriram worked at Merrill Lynch, where he started his career in the Global Power and Utilities Group.
He is also co-founder of portfolio company DYCM Power, and serves as head of Landmark Banyan Real Estate Advisors LLC, which advises the Landmark and Banyan Real Estate Funds.
Sriram graduated from Harvard University an A.B. in Social Studies. He also earned an M.B.A in Finance and Strategy from Yale University.
Adam Detrick
JinkoSolar
Director of Product Management & Technical Services
Raymond De Munnik
Vikram Solar
Chief Strategic Advisor
Read Bio
Raymond De Munnik
Vikram Solar
Chief Strategic Advisor
Raymond de Munnik is a global executive and recognized expert in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries, with over 20 years of experience in technology innovation, manufacturing, and commercialization. He has successfully led high-tech process and product development from concept through industrialization and market adoption. Raymond is known as an early pioneer in the implementation of passivated contact solar cell technology in mass production and continues to support the advancement of next-generation PV manufacturing through strategic leadership and industry collaboration.
Frank Faller
Elite Solar
Chief Technology Officer
Read Bio
Frank Faller
Elite Solar
Chief Technology Officer
Frank Faller is the Chief Technology Officer of ELITE Solar, where he leads the company’s technical strategy and innovation roadmap for utility-scale solar project development across Europe.
With over three decades of experience in the solar PV industry, Dr. Faller brings deep expertise spanning R&D, manufacturing, system design, and technology commercialization. His career has bridged leading roles in both research institutions and industry, enabling him to drive technical excellence from lab to large-scale deployment.
Prior to joining ELITE Solar, Dr. Faller held senior positions across the global solar sector, overseeing advancements in solar cell and module technologies, scaling production lines, and improving system performance. His work has played a pivotal role in shaping efficient, bankable solutions for large-scale PV projects.
Dr. Faller earned his Ph.D. from the University of Freiburg, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)—a globally renowned center for solar research and innovation.
Rob Foree
Black & Veatch
Project Manager
Read Bio
Rob Foree
Black & Veatch
Project Manager
Mr. Rob Foree is a Project Manager with over 12 years of energy industry experience and lead’s Black & Veatch’s independent assessment and bankability practice for new and novel energy generating technologies with the goal of providing insight and detailed review of the product’s design, performance, reliability, manufacturing and quality. Mr. Foree specializes in independent technical assessments and due diligence for solar PV modules (PERC, TOPCon, HJT, and Perovskites), all types of solar racking systems (fixed, single-axis tracker, rooftop, floating, and dual-axis), and various battery energy storage (BESS) technologies. He has led and performed numerous assessments for well known PV module, racking, and battery providers across the globe and is knowlegable about the best practices and risks assocciated with these technologies.
Charlie Gay
Greenstar Foundation
Founder
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Charlie Gay
Greenstar Foundation
Founder
Charles F. Gay, Ph.D., is a pioneer and global leader in solar technology with more than 50 years in the field. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry (1968) and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry (1978) from UC Riverside. He has led world-first manufacturing milestones at ARCO Solar, Siemens Solar, ASE Americas, and Applied Materials, and served as Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (2016–2019) and Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (1994–1997). He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2013 and is an inventor on more than 15 issued U.S. patents.
KY Goon
TT Vision Technologies
CEO
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KY Goon
TT Vision Technologies
CEO
A proven visionary and strategic leader that translates business strategies into maximum profits commensurate with the best interest of shareholders, customers, employees, and the public. An expert in enhancing profitability; developing strategic lending initiatives; and growing each segment of a high-performance products. Very knowledgeable of Solar Industry and proven track record in semiconductor equipment field. Dedicated to maintaining a reputation built on quality, service, and uncompromising ethics.
Kevin Graves
Oriden
Senior Director of Engineering and Procurement
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Kevin Graves
Oriden
Senior Director of Engineering and Procurement
Kevin has 18 years of solar deployment experience across a range of sectors and geographies, including 15 years of engineering management. He cut his teeth in the industry at REC Solar, Prospect Solar, and Direct Energy Solar / Centrica Business Solutions. In his 7 years at Oriden, he has overseen the engineering team supporting projects in all stages of development and procurement of modules, BESS, EPC services, and long lead HV equipment. Kevin has an M.S. in Engineering Management from Robert Morris University and a B.S. in Engineering Science from Pennsylvania State University. When he’s not procuring for clean energy projects, Kevin might be playing with his kids, cycling, playing ice hockey, practicing yoga, or taking on projects around the house.
Scott Graybeal
Caelux
CEO
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Scott Graybeal
Caelux
CEO
Scott Graybeal is the Chief Executive Officer of Caelux, a company that is commercializing perovskite solar technology that enables high density Double Power Layer modules. Caelux is headquartered in California with operations in Taiwan and India.
Scott has spent nearly two decades in solar, with hands-on leadership across the full value chain — from process equipment to project development to module manufacturing. He previously led the Energy Solutions Segment at Flex Ltd (NASDAQ: FLEX), a $2B division serving the solar, energy storage, and LED lighting markets, where under his leadership Flex Energy became the third largest producer of PV modules outside of mainland China and patented several key solar manufacturing innovations. He led Flex’s acquisition of Nextracker (NXT on Nasdaq). Scott’s broader career spans construction tech and semiconductors. Before joining Caelux, he was COO of Veev Group and CEO of Veev Build, and he has held key leadership roles at Intevac, Amonix, Oerlikon Solar, Veeco Instruments, Applied Materials, and General Electric.
Scott has guest lectured on renewables and entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon and Georgetown. He served with distinction as a nuclear submarine officer and is a certified nuclear engineering officer by the Departments of the Navy and Energy. Scott earned his MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and his BS in Chemistry from UC San Diego.
Henry Hieslmair
DNV Energy USA
Principal Engineer, Solar Technology
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Henry Hieslmair
DNV Energy USA
Principal Engineer, Solar Technology
Dr. Henry Hieslmair joined DNV in 2017 and has been focused on various module topics including photovoltaic system degradation, PV module useful life assessments, PV module waste volume, toxicity and circularity (Nature Physics 19.10 (2023)), module O&M modeling, utility plant construction automation, and emerging module technologies. Henry Hieslmair has worked in the PV solar industry since 1993 when he began his PV career at Siemens Solar Industries in Camarillo CA (previously ARCO Solar). Subsequently, he pursued his graduate and post-graduate work at U.C. Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories where he focused on process improvements for multi and monocrystalline PV silicon. After his studies, he cofounded a start-up where he designed and developed a thin multicrystalline interdigitated-back-contact PV cell and module. In 2010, as an early employee at another start-up, he helped pioneer the first high productivity (>3000 wafer per hour) ion implantation tools for the PV industry for phosphorous and boron doping (was utilized for early TOPCon manufacturing). Subsequently, at SunEdison, he worked to commercialize their Continuous Czochralski silicon growth method, performed cell-to-module loss analyses, developed module testing procedures, and performed extensive analysis on boron-oxygen light induced degradation. Over the course of his career, Henry has also consulted for many firms involved in silicon PV including DOE Sunshot program, Solexel, Kleiner Perkins, and Crystal Solar. He has 7 patents and has authored or co-authored over 50 conference and journal articles on PV materials science, device operation, and manufacturing.
Tony Hui
Autowell Technology
Americas Key Account Manager & General Manager Assistant
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Tony Hui
Autowell Technology
Americas Key Account Manager & General Manager Assistant
Tony Hui serves as Assistant General Manager for the Americas Market and is part of the North America and South Asia Sales Team. He has extensive experience managing key accounts and delivering turnkey solutions for major clients.
Terry Jester
Chairman
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Terry Jester
Chairman
Ms. Jester is one of the world’s longest tenured solar engineering and operations executives. Ms. Jester has been focused on solar PV for the last 45+ years. She recently retired after serving as Managing Director of North American operations for Kiwa PI Berlin, a leading risk management and quality assurance service provider for solar power plant equipment. She has held executive management positions at several solar manufacturing companies and other renewable energy industries around the globe-including board positions with numerous companies, particularly with Highland Materials where she serves as Chairman of the Board, and Next Energies Technologies where she serves as an Independent Director.
Cherif Kedir
RETC, part of the VDE Group
CEO and President
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Cherif Kedir
RETC, part of the VDE Group
CEO and President
Cherif is a solar industry veteran with over two decades of experience in product engineering and development, yield and performance enhancement, test site development, and durability, bankability, and certification testing. He also has an extensive background in semiconductors, specifically with product engineering, testing, and failure analysis. Cherif leads an RETC team dedicated to helping the renewable energy industry thrive.
Tomas Leijtens
Swift Solar
Chief Technology Officer
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Tomas Leijtens
Swift Solar
Chief Technology Officer
Tomas Leijtens is CTO and Co-Founder of Swift Solar, a leading developer of perovskite tandem solar technology. A globally recognized expert in perovskite photovoltaics, Leijtens has spent more than a decade advancing next-generation solar cells, with a particular focus on improving stability, efficiency, and commercial scalability. Prior to co-founding Swift Solar, he served as a research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and conducted research at Stanford University and the University of Oxford. His work includes pioneering contributions to the development of the first perovskite-silicon and all-perovskite tandem solar cells, helping lay the foundation for the emerging tandem solar industry. Leijtens holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Oxford and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. He has authored hundreds of scientific publications and patents and has been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Fellow and a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
Jason May
QSM Group
Executive Chairman
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Jason May
QSM Group
Executive Chairman
Jason May is a seasoned executive with deep expertise in high-purity industrial minerals, solar supply chains and advanced manufacturing. With over 20 years of experience, he has led mineral projects from identification to production, focusing on materials critical to solar and semiconductor manufacturing.
Tom McNulty
OneEnergy
Director, Supply Chain and Quality
Jenya Meydbray
Nextpower
VP & General Manager
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Jenya Meydbray
Nextpower
VP & General Manager
As vice president and general manager of the advanced steel frames business at Nextpower, Jenya Meydbray leads go-to-market strategy, sales execution, and growth initiatives in emerging markets.
Prior to joining Nextpower, Jenya served as chief commercial officer at Nevados. He co-founded PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) in 2010 and served as chief executive officer for more than a decade. During his tenure, he developed the first extended reliability and performance test protocols for the downstream PV industry and pioneered innovative methodologies for evaluating PV performance at the power plant level to support risk assessment and mitigation.
Earlier in his career, Jenya was senior quality and reliability engineer at SunPower, where he designed accelerated test methods for high-efficiency solar cells and modules. He began his professional career at NASA Ames Research Center’s hyper-gravity facilities and also served as vice president of technology at Cypress Creek Renewables, a utility-scale solar project developer. Jenya earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Jordan Nicholson
Luminate
Director, Client Services
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Jordan Nicholson
Luminate
Director, Client Services
Mr. Nicholson has over 20 years of experience in the power and energy industry, with a focus in independent engineering and execution of EPC portfolios in both the renewable power and oil and gas industry. His background includes direct leadership and management of over $1.5 billion in power and energy infrastructure projects comprising of major utility-scale EPC contracts, PV module and other equipment supply agreements as well as managing the full project life cycle from feasibility through commissioning and operations. Prior to joining Luminate, Mr. Nicholson held leadership positions in project development, supply chain management and project management of PV solar, BESS and other energy infrastructure that have included concept development, interconnection management, EPC contracting and negotiation, and managing large multi-discipline project teams.
Kamel Ounadjela
LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology
General Manager, International Business Unit
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Kamel Ounadjela
LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology
General Manager, International Business Unit
Dr. Kamel Ounadjela is the General Manager of LAPLACE Renewable Energy Technology Co., Ltd., leading the company’s activities in the USA, Europe, and Turkey. He brings over two decades of experience in the solar industry, driving breakthroughs from advanced technology innovation to opening new global markets. In 2006, he founded and operated Calisolar/Silicor, one of the first solar cell manufacturing facilities in the United States. Dr. Ounadjela is an inventor with several patents in solar and semiconductor technologies, and the author of more than 200 technical publications.
Nate Picarsic
Horizon Advisory
Founder
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Nate Picarsic
Horizon Advisory
Founder
Nate Picarsic is the founder of Horizon Advisory, a leading supply chain and geopolitical risk data firm. He holds affiliations as a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Krach Institute. His commentaries on supply chains, investment, and technology have been published in outlets ranging from Bloomberg to TechCrunch. He holds a BA from Harvard College and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School and the Defense Acquisition University.
Jon Previtali
New Energy Diligence
Founder & CEO
Xavier Quinet
Treaty Oak Clean Energy
VP Procurement
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Xavier Quinet
Treaty Oak Clean Energy
VP Procurement
Xavier Quinet is a procurement executive with over 25 years of experience in industrial and renewable energy sectors. He currently serves as VP of Procurement at Treaty Oak Clean Energy in Austin, Texas and leads strategic sourcing for utility-scale solar and BESS projects. Previously, he held senior roles at BayWa r.e. Americas and ENGIE Solar, overseeing procurement and EPC construction of hundreds of megawatts across North America and internationally.
Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
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Jochen Rentsch
Nexus GreenTech
Managing Director
Jochen Rentsch holds a PhD in physics from Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and worked at Fraunhofer ISE from 2001 to 2026, focusing on silicon solar cell and production technology development. Over this period, he led both research and large-scale industrial transfer projects, building strong links between cutting-edge R&D and industry implementation. At Fraunhofer ISE, he headed a group and later a department dedicated to advancing silicon solar cell technologies and their manufacturing processes. In the last five years of his tenure, he served as Head of Technology Transfer, driving the commercialization of research results and supporting industry partners in adopting innovative renewable energy solutions. In early 2026, he became co-founder and CEO of Nexus GreenTech, a company specializing in business consultancy for renewable energy technologies. Nexus GreenTech supports companies and investors in developing, scaling, and industrializing sustainable energy technologies and value chains.
Ralph Romero
Black & Veatch
Senior Managing Director
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Ralph Romero
Black & Veatch
Senior Managing Director
Dr. Romero is a Senior Managing Director of Black & Veatch Management Consulting. He leads the Bankability and Technology Advisory practice. Dr. Romero specializes in the assessment of risks of new technologies and the development of strategies to mitigate the risks. His team performs bankability studies of new technologies and provides technology advisory services tailored to meet clients’ needs in areas of technology validation, design, performance, reliability, manufacturing, and others. Dr. Romero is a renowned photovoltaics specialist.
Juan Carlos Rosa
Lightsource bp
Director of Procurement
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Juan Carlos Rosa
Lightsource bp
Director of Procurement
Juan Carlos currently leads the procurement of PV modules and other equipment categories in the U.S. for Lightsource bp. Previously, Juan Carlos held a similar position at RWE and also sold wind turbines at Goldwind. Prior to that, Juan Carlos obtained his Master’s degree in Industrial Technology and Management from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bacherlor’s of Science in Electromechanical Engineering from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid.
Angad Sachdeva
Director of Solar Technology
Apex Clean Energy
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Angad Sachdeva
Director of Solar Technology
Apex Clean Energy
Angad has been with Apex Clean Energy for four years leading PV technology review and module procurement for its solar project pipeline. He draws on 12 years of industry experience in solar resource assessment and design, with previous roles at Avangrid and Borrego (now New Leaf Energy).
Laureen Sanderson
CubicPV
CCO
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Laureen Sanderson
CubicPV
CCO
Laureen is CCO of CubicPV, which is creating a solar future defined by more powerful perovskite tandem solar modules. She is a renewable energy executive with nearly 25 years’ of experience in business development, corporate strategy, and marketing and communications.
Eckhard Schaefer
Photonics Systems Group
SR VP Solar Products
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Eckhard Schaefer
Photonics Systems Group
SR VP Solar Products
Dr. Gang Xiong has more than 20 years of experience in solar industry including 19 years at First Solar. He has successfully led multiple projects from early-stage R&D to high-volume manufacturing. Dr. Xiong’s team have established multiple cell and module efficiency records on CdTe solar cells. He is also one of the pioneers of perovskite industrial research and scaling. Dr. Xiong is currently the SVP of Vital Materials, a global leader in materials technology that can supply BOM and manufacture equipment in high quality to PV industry. He is also an adjunct professor at UNSW School of PV and Renewable Energy Engineering.
Mike Scott
Intertek CEA
Senior Manager, QA and ESG
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Mike Scott
Intertek CEA
Senior Manager, QA and ESG
Dr. Michael Scott brings over 24 years of experience in photovoltaics, spanning academic research to high-volume manufacturing.
Before joining Intertek CEA, he held several highly technical engineering and leadership positions at SunPower and SolarWorld. His expertise extends beyond conventional crystalline silicon (c-Si) manufacturing; Dr. Scott delved into third-generation thin-film PV technologies during his graduate studies and professional research.
His academic journey culminated in a PhD in Chemistry, where his research focused on charge separation and transport within photovoltaic devices. Dr. Scott’s contributions have undoubtedly shaped the solar industry.
John Smirnow
Smirnow Law
Principal
Adam Tesanovich
TALON PV
Co-Founder & CEO
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Adam Tesanovich
TALON PV
Co-Founder & CEO
Adam Tesanovich brings over two decades of expertise in entrepreneurship, operations management, supply chain efficiency, financial management, regulatory compliance, risk management, and commercial strategy. Mr. Tesanovich is Co-Founder and CEO of TALON PV, a Texas based manufacture of 4.8 GW of TOPCon Solar Cells. Mr. Tesanovich leads the the company’s strategy growth and operational excellence. His decorated career spans two decades in management, business development, marketing, supply chain, product development, operations, and strategy. His big picture vision and strategic implementation has expanded Eagle Group to over a billion-dollar revenue business operating globally. Mr. Tesanovich has helped lead Eagle Group to award winning success being three times awarded to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America, Houston Business Journals Fastest 50 Middle Market Companies, Inc. 5000 Best Places to Work among additional awards.
Michael Vees
RENA Technologies
Sales Director
Jake Veloza
Eternal Sun WAVELABS
Sales Manager, Americas, Iberia, & UK
Nick de Vries
Silicon Ranch
CTO
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Nick de Vries
Silicon Ranch
CTO
A veteran of both the US Army and the renewable energy sector with nearly a quarter of a century of experience bringing the solar industry to scale, and making PV plants more capable. As CTO, Nick is responsible the technological and ecological vison of the company, as well as the cultivation of domestic sources of supply. Silicon Ranch owns and operates–projects that Nick designed over a decade ago, including the first transmission interconnected PV plant in the Southeast. Prior to Silicon Ranch he held positions at Applied Materials and Tesla manufacturing both crystalline and thin film cells and modules.
Nick holds 5 patents in both PV module manufacturing and design, and a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University. He serves as an industry advisor, and reviewer for the Department of Energy’s PACT and DuraMAT consortiums. As well as the Principal Investigator of a DOE funded program exploring the appropriate co-location of solar projects with regenerative cattle ranching.
Jim Wood
SEG Solar
CEO
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Jim Wood
SEG Solar
CEO
Jim Wood is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SEG Solar Inc., a Houston, Texas–based, 100% U.S.-owned solar module manufacturer headquartered in Houston, widely recognized as the energy capital of the United States, where he resides. He is a co-founder of the company and is responsible for overall corporate strategy, operations, and commercial activities.
Mr. Wood has over 20 years of experience in the solar industry. Prior to founding SEG Solar, he held senior sales and commercial leadership roles at two Tier 1 solar module manufacturers, with experience spanning utility-scale, commercial, and distributed generation markets. He began his career on the installation side of the industry and was previously a NABCEP-certified solar installer, providing practical experience across both project development and manufacturing.
Gang Xiong
Vital Materials
Sr. VP of Thin Film Technology
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Gang Xiong
Vital Materials
Sr. VP of Thin Film Technology
Dr. Gang Xiong has more than 20 years of experience in solar industry including 19 years at First Solar. He has successfully led multiple projects from early-stage R&D to high-volume manufacturing. Dr. Xiong’s team have established multiple cell and module efficiency records on CdTe solar cells. He is also one of the pioneers of perovskite industrial research and scaling. Dr. Xiong is currently the SVP of Vital Materials, a global leader in materials technology that can supply BOM and manufacture equipment in high quality to PV industry. He is also an adjunct professor at UNSW School of PV and Renewable Energy Engineering.