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The Future of Solar Photovoltaics with Erin Mahan, SunSpec Alliance

In this episode, Vikram speaks with Erin Mahan, Director of Membership at SunSpec Alliance, a global standards body for distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar and battery storage.

Highlights:

• Background & Motivation: Erin comes from a multi-generational utility family. Her career focus on regulatory compliance and energy standards began after witnessing the fallout from the Enron collapse.
• SunSpec’s Role: Formed after the 2008 financial crisis, SunSpec develops open standards like SunSpec Modbus and California’s Common Smart Inverter Profile to ensure DER device interoperability, safety, and long-term viability.
• Interoperability & Risk: Non-standard systems raise costs and risks. SunSpec certification ensures compatibility, cuts CapEx/OpEx, increases bankability, and helps assets operate and integrate reliably across geographies.
• Cybersecurity: With growing DER penetration, SunSpec is aligning with IEC 62443 and developing cybersecurity standards to protect against digital threats, rogue firmware, and remote update vulnerabilities.
• Fire Safety & Rapid Shutdown: Erin explains the importance of rapid shutdown systems in rooftop PV, and how SunSpec tests for reliability under extreme conditions, crucial for protecting lives and preventing liability.
• UK & Global Expansion: SunSpec is active in the UK, EU, China, and the US. Erin emphasizes the UK's strong grid legacy and regulatory sophistication, making it a strategic partner in standardization and DER deployment.
• Future Trends: SunSpec supports EV integration, home automation, and grid-forming capabilities. It also sees growth in AI-powered energy management and battery storage, driven by blackout risks and frequency instability.
• How to Join: Manufacturers and stakeholders can join SunSpec to gain certification, access tools, and shape future standards through technical workgroups, events, and direct engagement.

Takeaway:
SunSpec plays a critical role in making the DER industry scalable, secure, and bankable. Open standards and third-party validation are essential to de-risking solar’s future

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In this engaging episode of The Future of Solar Photovoltaics Podcast, host Vikram Kumar welcomes back Matthew Xenakis, UK and Ireland Sales Manager for JA Solar, for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving solar industry. As the podcast celebrates its 14th episode, now listened to in 83 countries, the discussion highlights global milestones, industry challenges, and forward-looking trends.

Key topics include:

• Global Growth: The leap from one to two terawatts of global solar capacity within a year, led by China’s unparalleled scale and innovation.
• UK Market Analysis: Insights into the UK's 1.7 GWp solar deployment in 2023, labour shortages, rising costs, and the challenges of meeting ambitious government targets.
• Compliance & Safety: How JA Solar ensures ethical sourcing, traceability, and safety standards in an increasingly competitive and regulated market.
• Technology Advancements: The rise of bifacial and higher-capacity modules, the evolution of energy storage, and innovative solutions to unlock constrained grid connections.
• Lessons from the Past: Reflections on the industry's cultural shifts post-Brexit and COVID, the critical importance of skilled labour, and fostering collaboration to meet global energy security needs.

The episode also pays tribute to industry colleague Stuart Bradshaw and emphasizes the significance of maintaining standards and honouring those who paved the way.

Whether you're an industry veteran or a newcomer, this episode offers valuable insights, practical takeaways, and an optimistic vision for solar's future.

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Valerio Pelizzi, a seasoned electrical engineer and renewable energy expert, shares his journey from growing up in Rome to becoming a leading figure in the solar PV and storage industry. Valerio shares his passion for engineering, key career milestones, and his hands-on leadership style. He offers insights into cutting-edge renewable energy technologies and discusses his ambitious projects, including integrating Solar PV, Storage, and Hydrogen solutions. He shares the challenges he overcame in Italy to becoming one of the senior figures in the UK and Italian PV Sector. Certainly one to watch for the future.