Nanize seeks partners to evaluate coatings for solar module glass.
Tongwei announced on October 14 that Jerry Stokes had confirmed his attendance at the 9th China International Solar and Energy Storage Industry Conference, scheduled for November 17 to 20, 2026, in Chengdu. The announcement identifies Stokes as a Senior Advisor to the Global Solar Council and notes that his 2025 keynote at the previous edition addressed solar power’s growing contribution to the global economy.
Stokes also serves as Chief Commercial Officer of Nanize, a coatings technology company based in Narvik, Norway. His career across solar manufacturing, energy storage and EV charging gives him a view of how different companies make decisions about a new material. The manufacturer needs a repeatable process. The asset owner needs a measurable improvement during operation. Both need evidence from a representative product.
A coating opportunity on solar module glass
Dust and other deposits on photovoltaic modules can reduce the light reaching the cells. How quickly that happens varies with the site, the deposits and the way the modules are maintained. An anti-soiling surface would be valuable to an operator if it helped retain output between cleanings or made the glass easier to clean over its service life.
Nanize develops PFAS-free polysilazane formulations and rapid curing technology. The polymer can cure into a thin, ceramic-like layer, and the company identifies water-repellent, low-friction coatings for renewable energy surfaces as an area of application. Its published metal tests report full cure in under one minute below 100 °C. A module glass partner would establish the coating’s own process window and confirm the optical properties on the intended glass.
What module makers and operators could measure
A glass supplier can first compare coated and reference samples for light transmission, ease of cleaning and changes in appearance after weathering. A module maker can then check how the coating fits its glass supply and qualification process. The existing surface is a useful benchmark, particularly where it already carries an anti-reflective treatment. Compatibility with the complete glass and module design would inform how a coating could be introduced.
An operator can bring a different kind of evidence. Side-by-side exposure at a representative site can show how surfaces behave through local dust, rain and scheduled cleaning. A pilot could track normalized output, the condition of the coating and the time or water needed for routine cleaning. Those results would help the partners judge whether a benefit persists after the first weeks of exposure.
For the supply chain, the most valuable conversation connects those two evaluations. A module maker can identify what it can produce and warrant, while an operator can explain what it would pay to maintain over time. A glass producer, testing laboratory or coating equipment supplier can help translate that discussion into a reproducible evaluation.
International events and solar partnerships
Nanize is actively looking for events worldwide, along with new partners, investors and prospective clients. It welcomes invitations from photovoltaic manufacturing forums, solar and storage exhibitions, and operations and maintenance conferences. A session could bring a module manufacturer, a glass specialist and a project operator together to discuss how an anti-soiling claim should be evaluated.
Solar manufacturers, project owners and coating specialists interested in testing can contact Stokes with their application and intended climate. Event organizers can share the venue, dates and audience. Investors interested in renewable energy materials can discuss how laboratory and field evidence could support a path to market.
Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer | js@nanize.com | www.nanize.com
Sources Tongwei conference announcement · Global Solar Council profile · Nanize leadership · Nanize coating technology · Nanize applications · IEA PVPS soiling report