Hanwha Qcells’ solar panels join EPEAT registry, among most sustainably made on U.S. market
Hanwha Qcells’ residential and commercial panels — assembled in the U.S. — have been added to the EPEAT registry, making it mandatory for the U.S. federal government to utilize solar made by leading domestic entities
Hanwha Solutions' Qcells Division (Hanwha Qcells), a global leader in complete clean energy solutions, announced that its residential and commercial solar panels — Q.TRON and Q.PEAK DUO — have successfully met the strict sustainability criteria of the Global Electronics Council (GEC), earning them EPEAT-registered product status. Hanwha Qcells’ world-class panels will now appear on the EPEAT registry, allowing customers to easily find products that meet their environmental, sustainability, and governance (ESG) goals.
The addition of Hanwha Qcells’ panels to the EPEAT registry activates the U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) — a first for solar panels. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the FAR requires the government to procure products that meet important sustainability requirements when three or more EPEAT-registered products by two or more manufacturers in one category are available. In 2021, the Biden Administration announced plans to electrify the federal government’s buildings, transportation, and procurement sectors in pursuit of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. EPEAT will support this by steering billions of dollars in federal government purchasing power toward sustainably made solar energy, manufactured by industry leaders in the U.S.
“After over two years of striving to make more sustainable solar panels, we’re proud to have achieved this huge accomplishment,” said Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Hanwha Qcells. “The EPEAT ecolabel will make it easy for customers who value transparency and sustainability to find our products and work with us. Beyond commercial and residential customers, this now means our U.S.-assembled and sustainably made solar products will help the federal government achieve its climate goals. Overall, customers large and small now have a resource that will help them hit their sustainability goals faster while supporting U.S. jobs.”
The GEC also announced it will require all EPEAT-registered solar panels and inverter products to have an embodied carbon level below a given threshold to gain certification. This new requirement will ensure manufacturers consider their carbon footprint when making solar panels. The GEC’s carbon requirements also ensure that its EPEAT-registered products are at least 25% less carbon intensive than non-EPEAT registered products.
The inclusion of low-carbon standards in EPEAT aligns with Hanwha Qcells’ sustainability priorities as the company continues to pursue its goal of building a full solar supply chain in the U.S.
What is EPEAT?
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EPEAT is the world’s premier global ecolabel for electronics. Products that hold the EPEAT ecolabel have addressed four critical sustainability impact areas: climate change, chemicals of concerns, circularity and sustainable use of resources and corporate environmental and social governance (ESG) performance. These areas of impact and the criteria required by manufacturers to address them are science based and developed by global thought leaders. EPEAT registered products are designed to meet strict sustainability criteria and to have lower impacts on people and the planet than non-registered products. Joining this registry helps customers make informed decisions and choose products that help them meet their own ESG goals. EPEAT offers the most comprehensive online registry of electronics products in existence, with more products from more brands in more countries than any other ecolabel. Manufacturers of all sizes participate, from Fortune 500 global leaders to emerging brands.
Hanwha Solutions
Hanwha Solutions aims to deliver sustainable solutions for the planet through smart energy solutions and customer-focused materials. The company operates its business through three divisions: Qcells, Chemical, and Insight. The Qcells Division offers total energy solutions from photovoltaic module manufacturing, power plant operation to electricity retailing service. Long recognized as a prominent leader in the chemicals industry, the Chemical Division is growing into a global green energy materials company with its cutting-edge solutions for eco-friendly materials. The Insight Division is providing differentiated solutions through comprehensive development and fnancing for projects such as cities, smart green industrial complexes, renewable energy, premium real estate and premium content. With its innovative technologies for sustainable growth, Hanwha Solutions strives to become a global leader in bringing a better future for humanity.
For more information, visit: www.hanwhasolutions.com/en/
Hanwha Qcells
Hanwha Qcells (Hanwha Solutions Qcells division) is one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, recognized for its established reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality solar cells, and modules, a portfolio of intelligent storage systems, and a growing international pipeline of large-scale renewable energy projects. Hanwha Qcells also provides renewable electricity retail services and packages to end customers the world over. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ) with its diverse international manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Hanwha Qcells strives to offer Completely Clean Energy through the full spectrum of photovoltaic products, storage solutions, renewable electricity contracting, and large-scale solar power plants. Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa, and the Middle East, Hanwha Qcells provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental, and residential markets.
For more information, visit: www.qcells.com/us/
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