Toledo Solar founder Aaron Bates on the 'untruths' of American solar manufacturing

Factor This!

This episode of Factor This! is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler company.
Episode 31 of the Factor This! podcast features Aaron Bates, the CEO and founder of Toledo Solar, a manufacturer of cadmium telluride thin-film solar modules.
Bates cares deeply about who is making solar modules and, just as importantly, where. And he has strong opinions about the direction the solar industry is heading.
In response to the Inflation Reduction Act, Toledo Solar is scaling its production capacity to 2.3 gigawatts by 2027. It's bringing the technology that made First Solar a household name to the commercial and residential sectors, and doing it right down the street from First Solar's factory in Ohio.
Bates discusses Toledo Solar and its ties to Ohio's rich history of manufacturing, silicon vs. CadTe modules, tariffs, and what he calls the "untruths" behind Made in America solar.
About the sponsor:
This episode of Factor This is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler Company.
Heila is changing the way complex microgrids are managed and operated with its EDGE control and optimization platform, which makes each asset in a system smarter while making the whole microgrid more efficient and resilient.
The EDGE helps EPCs and developers simplify microgrid deployment through a flexible approach that ensures systems operate reliably while unlocking new revenue streams.

Heila is a proud sponsor of the 2023 GridTech Connect Forum. Register now at www.gridtechconnect.com to learn more about Heila and the EDGE platform.
Factor This! is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Registration is LIVE for GridTECH Connect Forum - California. Join us in Newport Beach June 24-26 for the interconnection event. We're bringing together utilities, developers, and regulators to take on one of the biggest challenges facing the energy transition. Click here to save 10% on your ticket. Join partners from PG&E, CAISO, ENGIE, AES, and more.

Watch every new episode of the Factor This! podcast on the Renewable Energy World YouTube channel, and make sure to subscribe while you're there!