Silfab Solar Acquires Portfolio of EnPV Technology Patents

FORT MILL, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silfab Solar, the solar industry's market leader for innovative and high-performance PV modules, today announced it has acquired EnPV's technology patent portfolio.
The acquisition of these assets and related intellectual property significantly expands Silfab's patent portfolio and adds to its existing pipeline of cutting-edge technologies that will help develop the next generation of U.S. made solar panels. The assets include multiple solar technology patents, as well as an associated trademark.
The procurement of these patents will immediately integrate Self-Aligned Back Contact (SABC) technology -- one of the most advanced architectures for back-contact solar cells into Silfab's technology library. This proprietary method enables precise alignment and improved electrical performance in cell and module fabrication and will support continued innovation in the Silfab Elite Series, specifically in the optimization of the backsheet configuration and integrated cell architecture.
'Silfab Solar is leading the way in the integration of innovative solar cells and modules by investing in new technology specifically designed for the U.S market,' said Paolo Maccario, Silfab President and CEO. 'Acquiring these cutting-edge technology patents and intellectual property will enable us to develop the next generation of solar panels for the Silfab Elite Series and beyond, ensuring we continue to offer our customers high-quality, powerful solar modules manufactured in the U.S. while preserving and protecting strategically important European and American innovation.'
As part of the agreement with EnPV, Silfab will also acquire a team of solar experts who pioneered the technology and will continue advancing the next-generation PV solutions for Silfab.
In 2024, Silfab Solar secured a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) innovation award as part of our $20 million dollar project to develop the most innovative US made, back-contact N-type cells to achieve efficiencies of 26 percent or better.
About Silfab Solar
Silfab Solar is the North American leader in the design, development, and manufacture of high-efficiency, premium-quality PV modules. Silfab leverages more than 40 years of solar experience and best-in-class technologies to produce the highest-rated solar modules. Silfab operates in the state of Washington and Toronto, Canada, and will soon be manufacturing solar cells and PV modules in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Each operating facility features multiple automated production lines, certified to the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standard, and just-in-time manufacturing to deliver Buy American-approved PV modules specifically designed for and dedicated to the North American market. www.silfabsolar.com

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Newsweek

an hour ago

• Newsweek

Map Shows Best Cities To Live in Right Now

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Denmark, Australia and Switzerland are home to some of the world's best cities to live in, a new study has shown. Copenhagen has been named the world's most livable city in 2025, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Global Liveability Index, displacing Vienna in Austria, which came second after a three-year run at the top. The Danish capital achieved perfect scores of 100 in stability, education, and infrastructure, pushing it from second place to first in a global assessment of 173 cities. The EIU's annual index evaluates cities across 30 indicators grouped into five categories, which include stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. While the average global score remained unchanged from 2024 at 76.1 out of 100, the report noted a persistent decline in global stability, driven by rising geopolitical tensions and civil unrest. "Copenhagen's rise to the top underscores the power of consistent investment in public goods," said Matt Watkins, a public affairs strategist and policy analyst, told Newsweek. He consults cities across the United States and a few other nations on urban development, economic mobility and quality-of-life strategies. Melbourne in Australia placed fourth, continuing its strong performance in the rankings, with two other Australian cities—Sydney and Adelaide—also among the top 10. Other cities filling out the top 10 slots included Auckland in New Zealand, Osaka in Japan, and Vancouver in Canada. Watkins noted: "Livability is a choice. These outcomes do not emerge by chance. They happen when governments commit to universal baselines that ensure quality of life—things like clean public transit in Zurich, affordable child care in Copenhagen, strong public education in Melbourne, and access to green space in Auckland." North American cities overall remained in the highest tier of livability, with all 21 assessed scoring above 80. Two Canadian cities, Calgary and Toronto, also experienced drops. "We have lowered the health care scores for all four Canadian cities in our index," the EIU report noted. All three cities in the United Kingdom in the index—London, Manchester, and Edinburgh—saw their placements fall in the wider ranking due to widespread riots and rising homelessness. Stock image: Houses line the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. Stock image: Houses line the Nyhavn canal in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. Getty "Walkability is a common thread among the world's most livable cities," Watkins said. "When people can safely and easily walk to schools, grocery stores, parks, and transit, everything else becomes more connected—public health improves; small businesses thrive; emissions drop; and community life flourishes." The EIU highlighted that, while stability declined globally, other aspects of urban life have improved. "Scores for health care, education and infrastructure all saw marginal improvements on average," the report said. Cities in the Middle East and North Africa region showed the most-notable gains, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, due to significant advancements in health care and education. Watkins emphasized that high-quality infrastructure alone isn't what makes a city truly livable. "What makes a city truly livable is not just infrastructure, but connection," he said. He added: "The most-livable cities foster a sense of belonging—through public spaces that invite gathering; services that reduce isolation; and policies that help people put down roots. Whether it is Vienna's cultural investment or Vancouver's focus on inclusivity, these cities recognize that social cohesion is as important to well-being as hospitals and transit lines." Watkins added that the world's most-livable cities succeed because they treat livability as a public mandate. He said: "These places remind us that good governance is not just about efficiency; it is about creating conditions where people can move freely, connect easily, and live with dignity." Top 10 Most Liveable Cities 1. Copenhagen, Denmark 2. Vienna, Austria 3. Zurich, Switzerland 4. Melbourne, Australia 5. Geneva, Switzerland 6. Sydney, Australia 7. Osaka, Japan 8. Auckland, New Zealand 9. Adelaide, Australia 10. Vancouver, Canada Source: A ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) based on an assessment of 30 indicators grouped into five categories, including stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Hamilton Spectator

3 hours ago

• Hamilton Spectator

Carney travelling to Europe for security, defence talks with EU, NATO

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney will depart for Europe on Sunday for back-to-back summits where he is expected to make major commitments for Canada on security and defence. Carney will be joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Defence Minister David McGuinty and secretary of state for defence procurement Stephen Fuhr at the EU and NATO summits, where military procurement and diversifying supply chains will top the agendas. The international meetings come as Canada looks to reduce its defence procurement reliance on the United States due to strained relations over tariffs and President Donald Trump's repeated talk about Canada becoming a U.S. state. Carney will fly first to Brussels, Belgium, starting the trip with a visit to the Antwerp Schoonselhof Military Cemetery where 348 Canadian soldiers are buried. He will also meet with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. At the EU-Canada summit, Anand and McGuinty are expected to sign a security and defence agreement with the EU in what one European official described Friday as one of the most ambitious deals Europe has ever signed with a third country. The agreement will open the door to Canada's participation in the ReArm Europe initiative, allowing Canada to access a 150-billion-euro loan program for defence procurement, called Security Action for Europe. An EU official briefing reporters on Friday said once the procurement deal is in place, Canada will have to negotiate a bilateral agreement with the European Commission to begin discussions with member states about procurement opportunities. A Canadian official briefing reporters on the summit Saturday said the initial agreement will allow for Canada's participation in some joint procurement projects. However, a second agreement will be needed to allow Canadian companies to bid. At the EU-Canada summit, leaders are also expected to issue a joint statement to underscore a willingness for continued pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions, and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. After Brussels, Carney heads to The Hague in the Netherlands for the NATO leaders' summit on Tuesday and Wednesday. There, Carney will meet with the King of the Netherlands and later with leaders of Nordic nations to discuss Arctic and transatlantic security. At the NATO summit, Carney will take part in bilateral meetings with other leaders. The summit agenda includes a social dinner hosted by the king and queen of the Netherlands and a two-and-a-half hour meeting of the North Atlantic Council. NATO allies are expected to debate a plan to hike alliance members' defence spending target to five per cent of national GDP. NATO data shows that in 2024, none of its 32 members spent that much. The Canadian government official who briefed reporters on background says the spending target and its timeline are still up for discussion, though some allies have indicated they would prefer a seven-year timeline while others favour a decade. Canada hasn't hit a five- per- cent defence spending threshhold since the 1950s and hasn't reached the two per cent mark since the late 1980s. NATO says that, based on its estimate of which expenditures count toward the target, Canada spent $41 billion in 2024 on defence, or 1.37 per cent of GDP. That's more than twice what it spent in 2014, when the two per cent target was first set; that year, Canada spent $20.1 billion, or 1.01 per cent of GDP, on defence. In 2014, only three NATO members achieved the two per cent target — the U.S., the U.K., and Greece. In 2025, all members are expected to hit it. Any agreement to adopt a new spending benchmark must be ratified by all 32 NATO member states. Former Canadian ambassador to NATO Kerry Buck told The Canadian Press the condensed agenda is likely meant to 'avoid public rifts among allies,' describing Trump as an 'uncertainty engine.' 'The national security environment has really, really shifted,' Buck said, adding allies next door to Russia face the greatest threats. 'There is a high risk that the U.S. would undercut NATO at a time where all allies are increasingly vulnerable.' Trump has suggested the U.S. might abandon its mutual defence commitment to the alliance if member countries don't ramp up defence spending. 'Whatever we can do to get through this NATO summit with few public rifts between the U.S. and other allies on anything, and satisfy a very long-standing U.S. demand to rebalance defence spending, that will be good for Canada because NATO's good for Canada,' Buck said. Carney has already made two trips to Europe this year — the first to London and Paris to meet with European allies and the second to Rome to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2025.

Politico

4 hours ago

• Politico

The winners and losers in Trump's NATO arms race

NATO members are rushing to show President Donald Trump they're shoveling money into defense — some with a dose of creative math — as Russia's battle with Ukraine grinds on and war threatens to consume the Middle East. The group's summit this week in The Hague, which Trump plans to attend, will attempt to set a deadline for members to spend 5 percent of GDP on defense. Trump has complained about European defense budgets since his first term, claiming the U.S. gets ripped off by countries that rely on Washington for a security blanket. The way allies approach this at the summit is critical. Leaders will need to walk a tightrope between staying on the president's good side — and continuing to benefit from America's role in NATO — and declaring more independence from Washington. As Trump increases pressure, members are touting new investments and shuffling around money — from a 'defense-adjacent' Sicilian bridge to a stopgap German fund. A POLITICO analysis reveals telling gaps between the big spenders in Eastern Europe and those further afield from Russia, who are still creeping toward a decade-old target. The 32 member states break down into three groups: the winners, the risers and the laggards. Most countries occupy a crowded middle ground, not quite racing toward the new 5 percent goal, but making solid progress in exceeding the current 2 percent mark. 'Most of NATO recognizes that it has to be better,' said a U.S. Defense Department official, who like others, was granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. 'We're looking at these meetings as a very public chance, with the president watching, for them to step up.' Here's how NATO members are faring in the race to spend. Poland has led the pack for the last several years, spending 4.7 percent of its GDP on defense as it splurges on everything from drones to fighter planes. The country, which borders Russia and has dealt with errant missiles killing citizens, is keenly aware of the threat from its eastern flank. That kind of wake-up call has spurred Warsaw to ask the European Commission to shift $6.9 billion of its funding in green projects to defense. The bigger spending has made Poland a favorite in Washington. The Poles are getting creative in their weapons purchases by mixing systems and suppliers from multiple countries to get equipment delivered faster. Poland was the first NATO member to spend billions on South Korean long-range artillery and other systems — a move that other countries frustrated with delayed shipments of U.S. weapons, such as Finland, are emulating. Countries will do 'whatever works' to get to 5 percent, said a diplomat from a NATO member country, including folding infrastructure upgrades into defense spending to push the overall number higher. Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia — former Russian territories that tend to march in lockstep when it comes to defense spending — have outlined plans to hit 5 percent by next year or soon after. They're already among the alliance's top spenders. Baltic officials are embracing a 'porcupine' strategy, modeled off Taiwan's efforts to ward off a Chinese invasion. This involves using small, mobile and lethal weapons fired from shore at any Russian Baltic Sea fleet ships that might threaten them. Greece is a surprise spender on defense, bucking the trend of most Mediterranean countries by dishing out more than 3 percent of its GDP. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in April announced a 12-year, $28 billion defense strategy that will focus on uncrewed vehicles, munitions, drones, satellites and its Achilles' Shield air defense system. The U.S. spends more than any other member on defense, but it still only reaches 3.4 percent of GDP. The country faces its own political challenges in reaching the NATO goal, even with a potential 2035 deadline that allies may recommend at the summit. The United Kingdom and France, Europe's two nuclear states, have made steady increases in recent years but face issues behind the scenes. Britain's defense budget rose from 2.2 percent of GDP in 2023 to 2.3 percent in 2024, with a sharp increase in research and development spending. It also paid extra for major operations such as air defense in the Red Sea and aircraft carriers deployed to the Pacific. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised to take that figure to 2.6 percent by 2026 — thanks in part to folding in intelligence and slashing spending on foreign aid. But he's beset by severe budget issues and has not yet set out a path to his goal of hitting even 3 percent. Paris has steadily increased defense spending since President Emmanuel Macron came to power in 2017. But it only hit 2 percent last year. France is one of the European Union's most indebted countries, and public finances are dire. It's unclear how the government would find extra money to reach the 5 percent goal, especially as Macron has ruled out raising taxes. Germany and Sweden have both rewritten their debt rules as they reach 2 percent and aim higher. German governments saw the NATO target as non-binding for years, and only the advent of war in Europe — dubbed the Zeitenwende, or turning point, by former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz — prompted the country to change course. Berlin in 2024 reported 2.1 percent of GDP on defense spending, exceeding the alliance benchmark for the first time since 1990. But the increase doesn't boost combat strength and relies on some fancy accounting. A sizable chunk of the 2024 defense budget came from a special temporary spending fund. Sweden's defense spending surged following its 2024 accession to NATO from 1.5 percent to 2.2 percent of GDP last year. Stockholm is tweaking its debt rules to allow for up to about $30 million in defense loans by 2035. Then there's Turkey. While Ankara has missed the 2 percent mark in recent years, it has a well-developed arms industry and punches above its spending weight in weapons and the size of its military — the second-largest in NATO. Several strategically vital countries hang well below the 5 percent goal, particularly Canada, Spain and Italy. All three have made pledges to catch up. But politics, accounting tricks and historical habits are slowing progress. Canada spends just 1.37 percent of GDP on defense, with key equipment gaps across its forces. Prime Minister Mark Carney this month promised to hit 2 percent 'this fiscal year,' bringing forward a target initially set up for 2029. The lag has deep roots. Ottawa has long relied on U.S. defense guarantees while prioritizing social spending and climate goals. Carney is framing rearmament as a sovereignty issue in light of Trump's threats to annex Canada, but that would require a rapid ramp-up in procurement and industrial capacity. Spain remains NATO's lowest spender, aside from Iceland, which has no army. Madrid spent 1.3 percent of GDP on defense in 2024. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rolled out an €11 billion military upgrade plan to reach 2 percent this year. It's the country's most ambitious defense posture in decades. But Sánchez is boxed in by his governing coalition. Left-wing allies remain opposed to higher military budgets, and previous attempts to raise spending triggered a backlash. He asked Rutte this month, in a letter obtained by POLITICO, for a carveout to the new spending target. 'It is the legitimate right of every government to decide whether or not they are willing to make those sacrifices,' he wrote, saying it would jeopardize the country's welfare system. Italy was only slightly higher at 1.5 percent last year. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the government will hit the 2 percent target this year, but officials suggest that may happen more through clever accounting. Rome wants civilian infrastructure, such as a planned bridge to Sicily, to count as a defense-adjacent goal. Defense spending remains a politically fraught topic as the country faces high debt levels and strong pressure to protect pensions and welfare. This text is a collaboration of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. Paul McLeary reported from Washington, Chris Lunday reported from Berlin and Esther Webber reported from London. Jacopo Barigazzi in Brussels, Mike Blanchfield in Ottawa, Jack Detsch in Washington, WELT's Philipp Fritz in Warsaw, Max Griera in Brussels, WELT's Thorsten Jugholt in Berlin and Laura Kayali in Paris contributed to this report.