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  • Intersolar North America adds PV Production and Technology Hall for July meeting. Image: Intersolar

    Intersolar North America 2012 adds new display hall for July meeting

    27 April 2012, 19:04

    Citing the ever increasing market for equipment, raw materials and services in PV production, Intersolar North America 2012, held July 9 – 12 in San Francisco, has added the new PV Production and Technology Hall in Moscone North. The event organizers anticipate that the addition will provide more opportunities for networking across all segments of the PV manufacturing supply chain.

  • Solar cell production equipment was the key technology segment, accounting for 70% of sales in 2011, VDMA said.

    VDMA reports on the state of German PV equipment industry

    27 April 2012, 11:54

    German-based companies involved in the supply of manufacturing equipment for the global solar industry had a record sales year in 2011, according to the latest report from trade association, VDMA. German equipment suppliers benefited from a focus on advanced cell technology that supported a global market share of 46% in 2011. However, overcapacity is impacting sales to major markets in Asia, particularly China, in 2012.

  • Water treatment specialist, Stulz H + E has been acquired by RENA for an undisclosed sum.

    RENA acquires water treatment specialist to expand outside solar sector

    26 April 2012, 14:48

    Water treatment specialist, Stulz H + E has been acquired by RENA for an undisclosed sum. The company said that the German Federal Cartel Office had approved the transaction, which is expected to be completed in the second half of 2012.

  • HHI operates Korea's largest module and cell manufacturing production line. Image: Reuters

    Hyundai Heavy Industries achieves record 19.7% efficiency with selective-emitter cell

    24 April 2012, 10:26 | Comments (1)

    Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has announced the achievement of 19.7% conversion efficiency for its copper-contact solar cells. The record, for a selective-emitter cell, was obtained using standard 156mm commercially available p-type silicon wafers and has been verified by Fraunhofer ISE.

  • The provisional liquidator of Q-Cells, Henning Shor from insolvency firm, HWW Wienberg Wilhelm said that there had already been both foreign and domestic interest shown in acquiring the bankrupt PV manufacturer.

    Solar shakeout: foreign and domestic buyer interest shown in Q-Cells

    23 April 2012, 12:39

    The provisional liquidator of Q-Cells, Henning Shor from insolvency firm HWW Wienberg Wilhelm, said that there has already been both foreign and domestic interest shown in acquiring the bankrupt PV manufacturer. With the aim of selling the majority of Q-Cells’ operations as going concerns, the liquidator said in a statement that it had appointed the Frankfurt office of M & A advisory firm Deloitte to handle the search for and selection of potential buyers.

  • A 1-year, US$70 million R&D and supply project is underway between materials supplier, Heraeus and Yingli Green.

    Heraeus teams with Yingli Green on ‘PANDA’ cell silver metallization pastes

    19 April 2012, 11:32

    A one-year, US$70 million R&D and supply project is underway between materials supplier, Heraeus and Yingli Green. Resources are being allocated from Heraeus’ three global technology centres to develop next-generation silver metallization pastes for Yingli’s N-type ‘PANDA’ silicon solar cells.

  • The market research firm said that PV equipment revenues (covering c-Si ingot-to-module and thin-film) for the first quarter of 2012, declined to US$1.75 billion, a 10-quarter low, down 27% on the prior quarter and 51% year-on-year.

    NPD Solarbuzz: Applied Materials could lose equipment supplier top spot in 2012

    16 April 2012, 14:38

    Lean pickings in the PV equipment sector in 2012 could lead to a shakeup in the equipment supplier pecking order, according to the latest report from NPD Solarbuzz. Having relinquished its number one spot in the semiconductor industry last year - the first time in several decades - Applied Materials could also lose its leadership position in the PV industry that has been a 14-quarter reign that began in 2008.

  • Fab 3 had 10 lines in production at the end of the third quarter of 2011.

    SunPower to stop using Fab 1 facility

    16 April 2012, 11:13

    Having already reduced production capacity to control inventory build, SunPower is making further manufacturing cost reductions that had not previously been cited within its ‘Manufacturing Step Reduction Program.’ The company said it would stop using its Fab 1 facility in the Philippines and consolidate production at Fab 2 in the Philippines and its newer facility, Fab 3 in Malaysia, operated as a JV with AU Optronics.

  • G. Ganapathiraman, executive director of BHEL.

    Report: BHEL expanding solar module manufacturing division

    11 April 2012, 19:32

    The Hindu Business Line has reported that power equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) has made almost a US$4 million (Rs 20 crore) investment into the expansion of its PV module manufacturing division, escalating its line from a 8MW capacity to a 26MW capacity. The increase is expected to be completed by September.

  • Trident Solar has introduced a new 1-year warranty program on its ‘256Jet-S’ inkjet technology

    Trident Solar offers new warranty on inkjet print head technology

    10 April 2012, 15:13

    Touting its solar specific design of its inkjet print heads, Trident Solar has introduced a new one-year warranty program on its ‘256Jet-S’ inkjet technology, claiming longevity, 25-times greater that alternative inkjet print heads and over 100-times greater than lithographic screen technology.

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  • Photovoltaics International 16th Edition

    Photovoltaics International 16th Edition

    This sixteenth edition of Photovoltaics International marks four years of production of the quarterly journal. As always, our focus is on efficiency and quality improvement and cost reduction in manufacturing. As 2012 rolls along, companies are falling by the wayside due to supply and demand issues, ASP declines and drastic governmental subsidy cuts. A clear picture of 2012 is offered through papers from the likes of TÜV Rheinland, Fraunhofer ISE, SEMI PV Group and EPIA, amongst others.

  • Photovoltaics International Lite, Volume 05 - 2011

    Photovoltaics International Lite, Volume 05 - 2011

    This digital interactive Lite sees Tom Cheyney follow Agua Caliente’s progress on becoming one of first truly utility-scale PV power farms, where 40–50MW (AC) will be commissioned by the end of the year. We also feature one of the world’s largest silicon thin-film PV power plants, Avenal; a report on warnings of the collapse of module prices from Solarbuzz and PI-Berlin presents tips on PV module testing. A print version of this edition will be distributed at Solar Power International 2011 in Dallas, Texas.

  • Manufacturing The Solar Future: The 2012 Production Annual

    Manufacturing The Solar Future: The 2012 Production Annual

    Manufacturing the Solar Future 2012, the second in the Photovoltaics International PV Production Annual series, delivers the next installment of in-depth technical manufacturing information on PV production processes.

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