SET Solar - Vertically Integrated PV Joint Venture between China and America

We interviewed Roland, CEO of SET-Solar, at the 2009 InterSolar conference in San Francisco, CA. SET-Solar Corp is a comprehensive technology provider, based in Mountain View, California. It is a joint venture established by one of the largest Chinese semi-conductor and photovoltaic manufacturing companies and an American PV company. SET-Solar Corp plans to utilize its Chinese manufacturer’s strength in polysilicon and wafer supply and its American partner’s advanced solar cell technologies as well as its resources in the U.S. market. The joint venture aims to establish a vertically integrated operation in the U.S. market with services ranging from the production of polysilicon to ingots and wafers, to solar cells, panels and solar system installation.

According to Roland, Set Solar is unique in that, as mentioned above, the company owns the entire manufacturing chain, from the polysilicon manufacturing to the finished PV modules. Since they oversee all these areas of production, they can guarantee the reliability and quality of their PV modules. Set Solar products have a warranty period that is relatively more favorable to the end user than what is the common 10 10 or 20 20, which stand for 10% degradation for 10 years and 20% degradation for 20 years. Set Solar offers 2 and 5 more years on their warranty for 10 and 20 year use, respectively.

Other competitive points include the fact that Set Solar personally provides service for all their U.S customers. In addition, Set Solar has green corporate practices, including the reclamation of everything that is a by-product of their polysilicon manufacturing process. Set Solar does not sell directly to consumers; they sell exclusively to integrators and distributors.

Set Solar just entered the market in mid-May of this year and, as Roland was proud to say, they have already made sales in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Check out Set Solar and keep looking through our site for more videos about sustainable companies and products.