Suniva and Heliene team up to produce first domestic content-eligible PV modules

Heliene’s recently-expanded Mountain Iron, MN production line produces high-efficiency PV modules (courtesy: Heliene)

Teamwork makes the dream work- if your dream is a domestically-produced crystalline silicon photovoltaic module.

Solar cell manufacturer Suniva and module producer Heliene have announced a three-year strategic sourcing contract that will ultimately produce the first “made in the U.S.A.” PV module eligible for domestic tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Under the terms of the contract, Heliene will incorporate Suniva’s U.S.-made solar cells into its U.S.-made solar modules, with market availability beginning in mid-2024. Heliene’s modules will be the first crystalline solar modules with a U.S.-made solar cell. Currently, all U.S.-made solar crystalline modules use only imported cells.

Suniva, which portends to be the largest and oldest U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells, has been inoperative since 2017. The company announced a restart of its manufacturing operations in Georgia last fall. Heliene makes solar modules in Ontario, Canada and Mountain Iron, Minnesota, and is planning to expand its production capacity by adding new lines this year.

“Heliene is proud to embark on this historic partnership with Suniva at a time when the U.S. is poised to capture a greater share of the global solar market by bolstering domestic manufacturing and onshoring of supply,” said Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Heliene. “Introducing Suniva’s U.S.-made cells into our manufacturing process will enable Heliene to expand its commitment to offering best-in-class modules that enable our customers to qualify for lucrative tax credits and incentives.”

This contract qualifies for the 10% Domestic Content Bonus Investment Tax Credit, which can be obtained by using U.S.-made cells, based on Treasury’s guidance published in May 2023.

Per their announcement, Heliene and Suniva say they’re now well-positioned to rapidly scale domestic cell and module manufacturing to meet the surging demand for secure and reliable domestically-made crystalline PV modules.

“We are thrilled to partner with Heliene, who shares our vision for growing the United States’ solar PV supply chain,” said Cristiano Amoruso, CEO of Suniva. “This contract is a testament to the effectiveness of the Inflation Reduction Act and Treasury’s May 2023 domestic content guidance. We are proud to fulfill our long-standing promise to bring back cell manufacturing to the United States at our Norcross facility.”

UPDATE: Treasury Secretary Yellen warns of Chinese surplus

Per CNBC, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen used Suniva and Heliene’s announcement to frame her concern that China affecting the global economy by flooding markets with its excess cheap clean energy products.

“I am concerned about global spillovers from the excess capacity that we are seeing in China,” Yellen said in a speech at Suniva’s newly-restarted production line in Georgia. “China’s overcapacity distorts global prices and production patterns and hurts American firms and workers, as well as firms and workers around the world.”

Yellen said she intends to put pressure on Chinese officials about these trade practices during her upcoming visit to China.

“I plan to make it a key issue in discussions during my next trip there,” she said. “I will press my Chinese counterparts to take necessary steps to address this issue.”

“President Biden is committed to doing what we can to protect our industries from unfair competition,” she added.