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QCells Furloughs 1000 Workers Because of Solar Cells Stuck at Customs
What’s new
Qcells is temporarily furloughing approximately 1,000 workers and reducing hours and pay at its Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia, factories due to repeated detentions of imported solar cells and other components by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Why it matters
Qcells has committed $2.5 billion to build a U.S. solar supply chain and is ramping American cell manufacturing, including a $2.3 billion Cartersville plant to make ingots, wafers, and cells (key components of solar panels). As of now, they import the cells from overseas factories and assemble them in the U.S.
Solar cells are ultra-thin slices of purified silicon that turn sunlight into electricity. Dozens of cells are wired together to make a solar panel. If you don’t have cells, you can’t make solar panels.
Qcells says some detained shipments have been released, but delays forced them to scale back production. The company expects to resume full production soon, and says furloughed employees will keep full benefits.
Reports say Qcells cells began being detained in June, under enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Qcells maintains that none of its materials come from China or Xinjiang.
South Korea Mandates Solar on Parking Lots
What’s new
South Korea became the latest country to mandate solar on parking lots. Starting Nov. 28, 2025, all public parking lots in the country larger than 1,000 square meters must add solar.
Why it matters
Parking lot solar is a win-win for everyone. It makes use of space that’s already paved and cannot be used for anything else, adds shade and weather cover for cars, and means that farmland and more natural spaces don’t need to be used to generate electricity with solar.
France passed a similar law earlier this year, requiring solar on all lots larger than 1500 square meters. Hopefully, the U.S. starts to follow suit. We have 2 billion parking spaces, which take up as much space as the entire country of Belgium. Covering a small fraction of that total in solar panels could make a dramatic difference in our power needs and improve the quality of life for millions of people.
Nextracker is Now Nextpower
What’s new
Nextracker, a publicly traded company that started as a tracker manufacturer (the racks on big utility-scale solar installations that follow the sun across the sky), is rebranding to Nextpower and shifting to a full, integrated energy tech platform.
Why it matters
Power demand is surging from AI/data centers, EVs, and building electrification. Solar can add the most new capacity fastest and at the lowest cost, but the new administration wants to see localized supply chains throughout the solar industry.
Nextpower aims to ease this headache for developers and be a one-stop provider of utility-scale solar from steel to software.
Sources
South Korean solar firm cuts pay and hours for Georgia workers as US officials detain imports - CBS Atlanta
Qcells furloughs 1,000 workers at US solar factories due to stalled shipments | Reuters
South Korea mandates solar systems at public parking lots from late November
Who Are The Winners in Parking Lot Solar Power?
Solar tracker giant Nextracker rebrands as Nextpower
Nextracker Rebrands as Nextpower to Reflect the Company’s Position as an Integrated Power Technology Innovator
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exactsolar.substack.com
View all episodes
By Exact SolarWhat’s new
Qcells is temporarily furloughing approximately 1,000 workers and reducing hours and pay at its Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia, factories due to repeated detentions of imported solar cells and other components by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Why it matters
Qcells has committed $2.5 billion to build a U.S. solar supply chain and is ramping American cell manufacturing, including a $2.3 billion Cartersville plant to make ingots, wafers, and cells (key components of solar panels). As of now, they import the cells from overseas factories and assemble them in the U.S.
Solar cells are ultra-thin slices of purified silicon that turn sunlight into electricity. Dozens of cells are wired together to make a solar panel. If you don’t have cells, you can’t make solar panels.
Qcells says some detained shipments have been released, but delays forced them to scale back production. The company expects to resume full production soon, and says furloughed employees will keep full benefits.
Reports say Qcells cells began being detained in June, under enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Qcells maintains that none of its materials come from China or Xinjiang.
South Korea Mandates Solar on Parking Lots
What’s new
South Korea became the latest country to mandate solar on parking lots. Starting Nov. 28, 2025, all public parking lots in the country larger than 1,000 square meters must add solar.
Why it matters
Parking lot solar is a win-win for everyone. It makes use of space that’s already paved and cannot be used for anything else, adds shade and weather cover for cars, and means that farmland and more natural spaces don’t need to be used to generate electricity with solar.
France passed a similar law earlier this year, requiring solar on all lots larger than 1500 square meters. Hopefully, the U.S. starts to follow suit. We have 2 billion parking spaces, which take up as much space as the entire country of Belgium. Covering a small fraction of that total in solar panels could make a dramatic difference in our power needs and improve the quality of life for millions of people.
Nextracker is Now Nextpower
What’s new
Nextracker, a publicly traded company that started as a tracker manufacturer (the racks on big utility-scale solar installations that follow the sun across the sky), is rebranding to Nextpower and shifting to a full, integrated energy tech platform.
Why it matters
Power demand is surging from AI/data centers, EVs, and building electrification. Solar can add the most new capacity fastest and at the lowest cost, but the new administration wants to see localized supply chains throughout the solar industry.
Nextpower aims to ease this headache for developers and be a one-stop provider of utility-scale solar from steel to software.
Sources
South Korean solar firm cuts pay and hours for Georgia workers as US officials detain imports - CBS Atlanta
Qcells furloughs 1,000 workers at US solar factories due to stalled shipments | Reuters
South Korea mandates solar systems at public parking lots from late November
Who Are The Winners in Parking Lot Solar Power?
Solar tracker giant Nextracker rebrands as Nextpower
Nextracker Rebrands as Nextpower to Reflect the Company’s Position as an Integrated Power Technology Innovator
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit exactsolar.substack.com