The solar industry is simultaneously experiencing the highest demand, fastest technological innovation, and greatest uncertainty in its history. These three facets have all contributed to a rapidly changing environment where technologies, factories, workshops, and workers are updated, replaced, and brought online at an unprecedented pace—the perfect recipe for defects.

The demand for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is increasing globally, but it comes with challenges such as chronic underperformance and safety risks. The overreliance on automated production lines and inexperienced operators has led to serious quality issues, causing costly delays and safety concerns. Addressing these issues is crucial for safe and efficient BESS production and deployment.

The demand for green hydrogen has surged due to the global push for renewable energy, and recent developments, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, have accelerated the energy transition and incentivized the development of green hydrogen capacity. However, challenges have emerged with the exponential scaling of global electrolyzer shipments. Amongst them, the uncertainty in the availability of large-scale electrolyzer manufacturing facilities and concerns about unproven scaling of electrolyzer technologies.

The clean energy industry faces several quality challenges and risks associated with the balance of system or balance of plant (BoS or BoP). These include ensuring the reliability and durability of BoS components, ensuring component compatibility with system design, the potential for counterfeit or substandard components, and inadequate installation and commissioning practices. To mitigate these risks, it is crucial to implement robust quality control and testing procedures throughout the supply chain and establish and enforce industry standards for BoS and BoP components and installations.