A sustainable product starts with sustainable manufacturing
Whether it is optimisation of production and supply chain, traceability, reducing the carbon footprint, ESG compliance or new cell and module technologies. Innovations in our industry are rapidly following one another. But at SoliTek, they see that, for example, the efficiency of solar panels is no longer the only determining factor: " More and more, the importance of sustainability is increasing. This includes factors such as the materials used, their origin, production methods and the overall social responsibility of the supplier."
That's why we like to tell you how our suppliers make their production processes more sustainable.
Used materials and their origin
Our brands are increasingly using recycled materials in their solar panels. We already noticed this in the production of backsheets, but now we also see manufacturers using recycled glass to produce glass-glass panels. But, that is not the only innovation. For instance, we see solar cells getting increasingly thin, aiming to reach a thickness below 100um. This requires less material and reduces the carbon footprint. In addition, the material itself will also increasingly change. For example, is it possible to use materials other than aluminium as frames, or are frameless solar panels the future? One thing will not change: it will remain important that product performance remains high or even improves.
Longer lifespan
Solar panels' lifespan plays a big role in reducing waste: the longer the lifespan, the less waste needs to be recycled. But what is a long lifespan? And are there any differences between types of solar panels? When determining longevity, we look at the product warranty of solar panels. N-type panels often have a longer product warranty (25 years) than p-type panels (15 years). An absolute leader in this is SoliTek, which has a 30-year product warranty on many of its panels.
Use of clean energy during production
Using clean energy in the production process is what brands in the solar industry strive for. They could generate this energy themselves from renewable energy sources or by buying green energy from the grid. For example, consider a rooftop solar power plant and using geothermal systems to heat and cool facilities.
How do we judge sustainability?
How do we know if a brand is sustainable? One indicator is the Cradle to Cradle label. This evaluates brands based on the following:
Minimising waste, hazardous chemicals and inefficient use of resources in the production process.
Reuse of materials, energy efficiency and social responsibility.
Gold for SoliTek
SoliTek has been awarded as the first and only company in the solar industry to receive Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Gold certification. This milestone, achieved as a result of strategic decisions and sustainability efforts, makes us at ESTG proud to have an exceptional brand like SoliTek in our product range.