Trina Solar partners with IES-UPM on solar technology research

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
trina solar
Trina Solar and IES-UPM will establish a training centre under this agreement at Image: Trina Solar.

Chinese module manufacturer Trina Solar has signed a collaboration agreement with the Institute of Solar Energy at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (IES-UPM) to drive innovation in the solar industry.

The collaboration aims to innovate in multiple areas such as solar panel efficiency, the resilience and robustness of solar trackers and the improvement of solar energy management. Trina Solar said research and development (R&D) are “critical to the industry’s progress”. Last year, the company allocated US$768 million to its R&D work, 19.7% more than in 2022.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“This partnership will enable our R&D team to work closely with European academic talent, maintain our core competence, and provide more localised energy solutions to the European market,” said Helena Li, executive president of Trina Solar.

Alongside this R&D work, Trina Solar will establish a training centre at IES-UPM. The centre will be equipped with solar modules, trackers and possibly battery energy storage systems (BESS) to “support solar energy development in the region”.

IES-UPM was established in 1979 and has been conducting research into the practical application of solar PV. Looking ahead, the university’s research will focus on multiple areas, such as finding cheaper ways of purifying silicon, developing new solar PV materials and original structures for highly efficient tandem cells, developing more efficient strategies for demand management and assessing the use of batteries to ease the integration of technology into the electricity grid.

As one of China’s leading solar manufacturers, Trina Solar was ranked second in Wood Mackenzie’s latest module manufacturer rankings behind JA Solar. Last year, the company shipped more than 65GW of modules, up from 43.1GW in 2022, representing a 51.3% year-on-year growth. As of the end of the first quarter of 2024, Trina Solar had shipped over 205GW of modules.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

July 4, 2025
Chinese PV provider Skycorp Solar Group has announced a solar plant acquisition and development strategy following unanimous board approval.
July 4, 2025
Risen Energy’s mass-produced heterojunction (HJT) modules have reached a cell conversion efficiency of 26.61%, a record figure for the company.
July 4, 2025
Australian retailer AGL Energy has confirmed its acquisition of South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant (SAVPP) from Tesla.
July 3, 2025
Spanish IPP Zelestra has secured a €235 million (US$277 million) increase to its sustainability-linked loan, bringing the total to €770 million.
Premium
July 3, 2025
Meeting the UK’s solar targets will not simply require the installation of new capacity, but investment in grid infrastructure and training.
July 3, 2025
TotalEnergies has expanded its renewables assets in the Caribbean, sold a stake in projects in Portugal and begun construction on two PV parks in Spain.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK