Editor’s note: This post was originally published on December 6, 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Technology is at the forefront of the engineering industry, as businesses race to be leaders in innovation and offer the latest, cutting-edge products.

With the power to transform the industry, technology introduces innovative ideas, makes jobs safer and more efficient, and unlocks key insights with data.

Because of this, design engineers continually strive to foresee upcoming trends and capitalize on current leading trends.

Below, take a look at five top technology trends design engineers should keep top of mind.

In solar, saving money from start to finish is crucial. While headlines like, “2016 was the year solar panels finally became cheaper than fossil fuels,” can be exciting for the industry, it’s also a pain point for many manufacturers and solar panel mounters.

A record-setting 20,000 solar energy professionals and 600 leading manufacturers gathered for four days in Las Vegas for this year’s annual Solar Power International (SPI). This year’s tradeshow included everything from educational solar 101 sessions, to more in-depth discussions about the Sunvia trade case.

A lot happened at this year’s SPI, so we’ve outlined key takeaways below.

Solar Power International 2016 brought together nearly 18,000 visitors, and with those visitors came innovations, ideas and projections for the future of solar. With 600 vendors and more than 40 scheduled events, it was almost as difficult to keep up with the goings-on at SPI as it is to keep tabs on the rapid growth of the solar industry.

In case you missed anything, below is a wrap-up of the show’s key takeaways.

Solar panel prices continue to decrease, and as a result, solar panel and mounting manufacturers must find new ways to stay competitive. The new cost-reduction goal is to substantially reduce mounting system production costs. 

The Hynes Industries team just returned from Solar Power International, the solar industry’s premier, comprehensive, educational conference and product exhibition. SPI brings the full range of industry ideas, experts, professionals and information together in one event.

Solar panel prices are steadily falling, pushing cost-reduction measures upstream. As a result, solar panel and mounting manufacturers must find new ways to cut costs and stay competitive.

American Roll Form has watched—and participated in—the solar industry’s rapid expansion in recent years. As the photovoltaics industry matures, several key factors will play into its ability to gain traction in the utility space.