Create Energy Partners with Stäubli for Next Gen Solar Connectors

PVTIME – US solar hardware manufacturer Create Energy has announced a strategic partnership with Swiss connector giant Stäubli. Together, they will produce a new generation of solar connectors, which are designed to address long-standing challenges in the tracking systems market and set new standards for safety, reliability, and performance.

Engineered to withstand the unique mechanical stresses and environmental conditions of solar tracking systems, the product leverages Stäubli’s technical expertise and material advantages to extend service life, reduce maintenance costs, and boost overall energy output. Create Energy’s founder and CEO, Dean Solon, highlighted that the misapplication of PV connectors in tracking systems has long compromised the integrity and long-term performance of electrical balance of system (EBOS) setups — an issue that the new connector aims to resolve.

Production is set to begin in 2026, with distribution to North American and international markets to follow. Solon, who has known Ian Pratt and the Stäubli North America team for over 20 years, emphasised that the collaboration delivers a purpose-built solution to drive industry progress.

Create Energy is building a one-stop shop for US solar and renewable energy manufacturing, offering PV hardware, EBOS components, energy storage solutions, and EV infrastructure through its OnTrack programme. Solon outlined a vision to transform the market by eliminating cost markups from multiple suppliers, explaining that the company’s menu-style offering allows customers to access all the components required for a solar array, from modules and tracking systems to EBOS connectors and inverters, on demand, with ample stock held for immediate shipment.

This approach aligns with the broader industry trend of integrating the hardware and balance-of-system sectors. The partnership complements Create’s existing collaborations with European manufacturers, including a September agreement with German inverter maker SMA Solar, to establish US-based production lines. Together, they plan to manufacture SMA’s Sunny Highpower PEAK3 string inverters and PowerSkid turnkey solutions in the US, marking SMA’s return to manufacturing in the country following the closure of its previous facility in 2016.

Stäubli has also committed to expanding its US manufacturing presence, having invested millions of dollars in its California and South Carolina plants last year.