Top Stories 2008 – PV Modules – tests, ramps and orders

This year’s modules news saw developments in several elements of the industry sector, from conversion efficiencies to orders, and from module testing to future ramp outlays. Solarfun’s announcement of its ramp schedule for 2009 was a strong story, as all eyes are on the industry given developments in tariffs, credit crunch woes and the hope for potential uptake in the solar industry as a whole. Solarfun’s exciting announcement of an expected 2009 capacity of 580MW will hopefully encourage other companies to plough ahead with production.

IBM Research and TOK joined the efficiency fray in June with its 15%-plus conversion efficiencies claims for CIGS solar cell modules, while U.S.-based SUNRGI introduced its ‘Xtreme Concentrated Photovoltaics’ (XCPV) solar system technology, which, it claims, will lower costs in the industry to 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Sputnik Engineering achieved approval from Unisolar for use of its transformerless inverters with all of Unisolar’s products. This official approval bolsters the already strong working relationship between the companies, which have been collaborating since 2005.

India’s PLG Power Limited’s placing an order with Spire also proved to be a much-read story on our site. The purchase of the 25MW turnkey photovoltaic (PV) module production line signals PLG’s first foray into the photovoltaics industry, and we hope to see further developments in the country’s growing market before too long.

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Publications

  • Photovoltaics International 14th Edition

    Photovoltaics International 14th Edition

    Published in November 2011, the 14th edition of Photovoltaics International provides a variety of technical papers from some of the industry’s stalwarts. Features include: TÜV Rheinland on junction box testing; Laser Zentrum Hannover on laser edge isolation of mc-Si cells; Calisolar on the importance of traceability; Fraunhofer ISE on EWT cells; and EPIA on Europe’s LCOE.

  • 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 2011 Production Annual

    Manufacturing The Solar Future: The 2011 Production Annual

    Manufacturing the Solar Future is the primary source guide for detailed information on the PV production process. This annual provides technical details on how the leading companies and research organizations worldwide are addressing this need by dramatically improving their manufacturing processes.

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Solar Media