Roadmap for An Effective Global Solar Supply Value Chain

Identifying a few solar manufacturers and continuously depending on them may be detrimental in the long-term sustenance of solar industry and its business in an asset management company (SAC). The true supply chain management (SCM) is to shield the industry from all vagaries that disrupt the smooth supplies of solar materials. It is well-known fact that innovative designs, at the lowest prices, at the earliest possible time would be the hallmark of SCM. Nevertheless, as a relatively new industry with over three decades, the solar technology industry lacks the deeper worldwide manufacturing ecosystem that shrouds more mature industries. In this paper, we discuss and address the issues related to safeguard manufacturing practices in-house versus outsourcing process keeping the global resource limitations. Fueled by intense competition and coupled with complex regulations and the increasing costs of transportation and raw materials, an immature supply chain can have unintended consequences. While SACs thrive to stay competitive despite fast changing technology options, it is crucial for asset management companies to align with these changing scenarios. We discuss a few ways to leverage the supply chain to turn out projects through the process of new technology introduction (NTI) and to scale smoothly at the lowest possible costs.