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Big funding deals maybe a thing of the past but overall VC funding deals remain at record levels, according to the latest quarterly report of solar VC funding activity by Mercom Capital Group. Citing a slow start to 2012, VC funding in the first quarter of 2012 reached only US$329 million the lowest dollar amount recorded since Q4 2010. However, 34 deals were reported, suggesting VC’s are taking a lower risk approach to the sector, according to the report authors.
Leuven, Belgium is hosting the second International Conference on Silicon Photovoltaics this week. Following the success of the first Si PV conference last year in Freiburg, Germany, this year’s edition will again centre around the science and technology of advanced crystalline silicon solar cells and modules and the properties and influence of the crystalline Si substrate on the performance of crystalline Si solar cells.
Outstanding efforts on new technology development and cost efficiency initiatives has ensured Applied Materials won Trina Solar’s ‘Outstanding Contribution of the Year 2011 - World Purchasing Award’ for the second year in a row. Applied noted that it was the only equipment supplier to be recognised by the integrated PV module manufacturer in its annual awards.
Suniva revealed that its ARTisun Select series of solar cells are averaging 19% efficiency in plant-wide production. The new cell efficiencies are available to cell customers and have been incorporated into the company’s Optimus modules. Suniva additionally noted that it has refined the aesthetic specifications for the cells, including a narrower color band, which is said to have created a more cosmetically uniform module.
Update 2. Insolvency administrators HWW Wienberg Wilhelm have been appointed to take control of Q-Cells after the company filed documents in a local court. Management efforts at Q-Cells to restructure bondholder payments to boost liquidity have been derailed due to a ruling of the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court of final appeal on a case not directly related to the struggling PV manufacturer. The ruling means all bondholders must accept changes to payments rather than a majority, which Q-Cells had received. A few Q-Cells bondholders had been reported to have opposed the PV manufacturer’s offer.
Manz has published figures from its 2011 financial results report, showing a healthy level of sales, revenues and business was booked by the company last year. In particular, the company secured new orders in the FPD and Li-Ion segments totalling in the region of €40 million, contributing to an overall 2011 revenue tally of €240.5 million – up from its autumn forecast of €220–230 million. Manz’s order backlog now stands at over €104 million.
SunPower’s third-generation Maxeon solar cell, which claims world-record efficiencies of up to 24%, has entered commercial production. The all-back contact cell is 160mm2 in size and features low reverse-bias breakdown voltage and better temperature coefficient, claiming an increase in energy yield in high-temperature environments and in shady, dusty conditions.
Germany-based ASYS Automation Systems has selected Zeta Instruments’ surface analysis system – Zeta-200 – to verify its screen printing process for the manufacture of its solar cell. ASYS will use the Zeta-200 optical profiler to qualify its screen printing equipment prior to supplying them to solar customers as well as in the development and qualification of its next-generation screen printing systems.
PHOTON International’s annual market survey reveals six out of the top ten global solar manufacturers are Chinese. Suntech Power won first place for the second year running. In 2008, only 33% of solar cells were produced in China, whereas presently, the country makes over 57%. However, for the first time, European and Japanese manufacturers did not appear in the top ten.
Research organization A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics (IME) will join forces with Finnish atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment manufacturer Picosun Oy to create new innovative ALD and plasma-enhanced ALD techniques. It is hoped that these new techniques will facilitate continual growth in the solar and next-generation memory sectors.
