This article is sponsored by Shoals.
The U.S. solar market has experienced substantial growth. In 2024 alone, solar accounted for an impressive 66 percent of new electricity capacity added to the grid, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood MacKenzie. This surge was fueled by soaring electricity demand from data centers, generative AI, and the electrification of homes and industries across the country.
However, solar project developers, EPCs, and IPPs face industry challenges that are not just the result of rapid industry transformation. These challenges are reshaping how developers think about system design, procurement, and risk management, pushing the industry to prioritize domestic sourcing, supply chain resilience, and vendor collaboration. The reshoring of solar manufacturing is emerging as more than just a reaction to tariffs or short-term policy shifts, but rather a long-term strategy to de-risk solar projects.
Shoals Technologies Group is at the forefront of this shift. The company is developing a robust, homegrown supply chain for its electrical balance of systems (EBOS) solutions — the critical infrastructure that manages the flow of electricity from solar panels to the grid. EBOS components include wiring systems, disconnect switches, combiner boxes, and other electrical protections, and are the connective tissue of every project. They play a crucial role in ensuring system reliability and performance.
Shoals has invested heavily in meeting the growing domestic demand with the construction of a new 640,000-square-foot facility in Tennessee that will increase production capacity by more than 50 percent. “We do in-house manufacturing at Shoals, which also allows us to implement advanced design and engineering while maintaining high quality standards,” says Kevin Boyce, Director of Solar Product Line Management at Shoals, in a recent Solar Power World webinar.
Beyond scaling capacity, Shoals is also building strong domestic partnerships. The company continues its two-decade collaboration with First Solar, supplying custom junction boxes and wire harnesses. “Together, we’re helping lead the way in reshoring the U.S. solar supply chain and investing in an energy future that is stronger, more resilient, and made in the U.S,” says Kyle Garvin, OEM Account Executive at Shoals. The collaboration expands First Solar’s impact on the industry, amplifying its contributions to job creation and the U.S. economy.
Image: Shoals.
Shoals has also kept pace with the challenges of the dynamic solar industry by continuously innovating and evolving its product roadmap to meet the moment. Over the past few years, the company has introduced new solutions in direct response to how EPCs and developers are building solar differently. From a growing need for faster install times to the way systems are maintained in the field, Shoals has remained agile, listening closely to customers and responding with engineering that reflects those needs. For instance, many EPCs are now clustering load-break disconnects (LBDs) in a single location to simplify maintenance and reduce O&M costs. In response, Shoals developed Long Tail BLA (LT BLA), a new solution specifically designed to support this type of layout.
The company is also expanding into the battery energy storage system (BESS) and data center space, where demand is accelerating. As more solar projects pair with BESS for grid stability and load shifting, Shoals is introducing solutions to support this evolution.
And as the industry moves towards higher voltage for solar projects, the company is redesigning its flagship patented trunk bus Big Lead Assembly (BLA) and other solutions to handle 2kV systems.
In the end, building solar in the U.S. with American labor, materials, and ingenuity and collaborating with domestic partners isn’t a patriotic talking point. It’s a strategic imperative. Domestic manufacturing, continual product innovation, and a simplified, localized supply chain are key to de-risking utility-scale solar projects, reducing long-term costs, and ensuring the energy transition stays on track, no matter what’s happening on the world stage.
Join the industry leaders who trust Shoals to de-risk solar deployments through innovation and U.S.-based manufacturing. Contact Shoals today to discuss your project goals and share your drawings.
