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DuPont will be supplying its polyvinyl fluoride films to another Chinese company: Changzhou Trina Solar Energy, a subsidiary of Trina Solar. The companies will collaborate on research and development efforts to advance the efficiency and lifetime of solar cells and modules alongside lowering levelized cost of PV energy.
The most recent NPD Solarbuzz Polysilicon and Wafer Supply Chain Quarterly highlighted the fact that PV polysilicon and wafer prices dropped nearly 50% in 2011 and with demand for solar systems expected to either stay fixed or drop further, polysilicon and wafer revenues will most likely follow suit. The report predicts that revenues for polysilicon will fall 35%, while wafer revenues decrease by 47%, mostly due to a surplus of polysilicon and wafer production, which has led to some manufacturers slowing or stopping production at factories while reducing utilization. Solarbuzz noted that polysilicon factory utilization is expected to tumble from 76% in 2011 to 66% in 2012, while wafer utilization is projected to decrease from 64% to 57%.
UK-based Romag and Chinese LDK Solar have formed a research and development alliance to share their knowledge and expertise in the progress of solar technologies. This collaboration is the first of its kind for a UK PV module manufacturer.
Having posted record revenue of CHF 1.32 billion in 2011, major PV equipment supplier, Meyer Burger acknowledge that 2012 would be a lean year due to overcapacity and significant cuts to capital spending from PV manufacturers. The company guided revenue to be down significantly in 2012 and in the range of CHF 600–800 million and an EBITDA margin between 4–8%. Management noted that it didn’t expect a recovery in demand for equipment until 2013 and had started a restructuring plan to reduce operating costs with a 15% workforce reduction.
A strategic technology and purchasing partnership has been agreed between DuPont and China Sunergy as well as China Electric Equipment Group (CEEG) that encompasses PV materials for both solar cells and modules through to power transformer, insulation and aircraft composite materials that will be in place for three-years. The deal follows-on from DuPont’s recent agreements with Yingli Green and Suntech. Financial details were not disclosed.
NovoPolymers has announced the development of a new range of encapsulants for PV modules. NovoVellum MF01 and NovoVellum FW01 have already been launched, whilst several others are awaiting IEC certification tests.
ET Solar expects to migrate 50% of its ingot and wafer production capacity to ‘quasi-mono’ production by the end of 2012 as the company displayed its new ‘Moly’ module series for the first time at the Ecobuild exhibition in London, England. ET Solar said that it expected the production costs would decline to multicrystalline cost levels with the increased production and technology upgrades planned with its DSS furnace supplier, GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT).
Dow Chemical announced that it had officially opened its Dow Seoul Technology Centre in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do. The R&D centre will focus on technological advances in display technologies and semiconductor-related applications including lithography, organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), display materials and advanced chip packaging.
In reporting its financial results for 2011, IQE noted that in spite of H2 inventory correction, the company had come out ahead in several areas, including revenues. 2011 revenue was US$119.16 million (£75.3 million) over 2010’s US$115.05 million (£72.7 million), representing a 4% increase. Additionally, the company saw gross margins up from 22.8% to 24.1% and an EBITDA that grew 6% from US$20.73 million (£13.1 million) in 2010, to US$22.15 million (£14 million) in 2011.
A five-year (sunset) review by the US International Trade Commission against anti-dumping duties on silicon metal from China has been completed. The ITC concluded that revoking the existing anti-dumping order would be likely to lead to a continuation or recurrence of previous actions.
