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Regardless of weak demand in the PV sector during the first half of the year, polysilicon producer Wacker reported continued strong demand and stable pricing, which means it expects to be virtually sold out at both its existing and new polysilicon plant being built in the US through to the end of 2015.
Materials supplier Ferro reported net sales of $594 million for the three-month period ended June 30, an increase of 9% from a year ago, with net income reaching $20 million, well up from $8 million in the prior-year quarter. But declines in gross profit and a drop in income from the company’s electronic materials segment, which includes its solar cell conductive ink and paste business, were attributed to what Ferro called “reduced customer demand resulting from excess inventory of completed solar power modules.”
The ongoing wafer supply deal dispute between China Sunergy and REC Wafer entered a new phase with a Norwegian court ruling in favour of China Sunergy. REC Wafer is said to appeal the decision made by the Norwegian Court of Appeal.
Russia-based polysilicon producer Nitol Solar has appointed Valery Rostokin as its new CEO. Rostokin replaces Dmitriy Kotenko, who has stepped aside to take up a position on the board of directors and as the company’s strategic development advisor.
Despite the first-half slump in PV installations and significant inventory build across the PV supply chain, leading polysilicon producer Hemlock Semiconductor would seem to be riding its 50th year in business in style, as Dow Corning management noted that the polysilicon JV arm had remained ‘sold-out’ in the first half of the year and the situation would remain the same for sometime.
Silicon ink innovator Innovalight has been acquired by DuPont. The acquisition would ‘expedite’ the adoption of both silicon ink and selective emitter solar cells with higher efficiencies by c-Si PV manufacturers, DuPont said in a statement. Innovalight has already garnered some Tier 1 PV manufacturers as customers, including JA Solar, Yingli Green and Hanwha SolarOne. DuPont is a major supplier of metallization pastes under its ‘Solamet’ brand. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Applied Nanotech Holdings and Chinese company YHCC signed a licensing agreement for Applied Nanotech’s solar ink and paste technology. The announcement is the first license agreement between the two companies after they entered into a strategic relationship in February.
Sandvika, Norway-based REC ASA has published its second-quarter financials for 2011, which show revenues of NOK 3,391 million, down 17% on the previous quarter. Significant weakening of the solar market led to a slowdown in demand for the company’s products, while polysilicon production operations are also under pressure from Chinese competitors.
PV module backsheet material specialist, Dunmore has recruited Fraunhofer USA’s Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE) to consult with its ‘FastCert’ customers on reducing the cost of producing solar modules by increasing performance and lowering material and manufacturing costs. By providing its backsheet material customers access to a network of research and development knowledge, Dunmore hopes that PV module manufacturers gain greater success in the certification processes.
DuPont has extended the rights of a license agreement with Toppan,that will double Toppan’s immediate supply capability for the full-scale commercial production of DuPont Tedlar PV2400 polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film.
