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No one loves the sun as much as the president of the United States and his energy secretary. Dr Steven Chu took up President Barack Obama’s appointment as US Secretary of Energy in 2009 and has since either re-stated existing federal commitments to solar or made fresh commitments to the technology.
Manz showcased its new equipment for wet-chemical processing of crystalline silicon solar cells at SNEC 2012 in Shanghai this May. The IPSG CEI 4800 is designed for chemical edge isolation (CEI) and phosphor silicate glass (PSG) post process removal. The tool is capable of handing 4800 wafers per hour and sold as a bundle with the Manz SpeedPicker for loading and unloading.
While some analysts are calling for calm and urging cooperation, the US head of SolarWorld has voiced confidence in the US Department of Commerce’s announcement for anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports of solar material claiming it will restore competition within the industry.
First generation PV thin-film adopters are falling like flies as Berlin-based Inventux files for bankruptcy. Inventux was a customer of Oerlikon Solar and an early adopter of its micromorph silicon turnkey technology. A temporary insolvency administrator has been appointed by the local court in Berlin-Charlottenburg, which is understood to be looking for new investors and secure some of the 200 jobs at risk at the company.
Endemic overcapacity and continued price declines towards manufacturing cost levels within the polysilicon sector have forced Korea’s largest poly producer to delay previously announced plans to build further plants. OCI is estimated to have reached an annual capacity of 42,000MT at the end of 2011 and had plans to reach 62,000MT with contributions from its 20,000MT P4 plant and a 24,000MT P5 plant that was revealed in April 2011, with the project expected to be operational at the end of 2013.
The news tearing through the solar industry this week has been the preliminary determination by the US Department of Commerce attributing dumping margins on US manufacturers' Chinese competitors. The murkiness within the industry is echoed by another solar shakeout. This time it's thin-film developer Inventux. OCI's plans to expand the capacity of its polysilicon plan have been put on hold. Trina Solar has also published its financial results, missing its first quarter guidance, but is expecting a strong shipment rebound in the second quarter. Finally, we end this week's newscast with news that Martifer Solar has set itself a goal of 100MW to be reached in 2012.
In anticipation of others to follow suit, Taiwan-based Motech Industries will be offering a ‘Solar Cell Certificate of Origin,’ to customers wanting to avoid the newly imposed import tariffs on Chinese solar cells and modules. Motech makes c-Si solar cells in Taiwan, which are excluded from the import duties as well as having a module assembly plant in Newark, Delaware.
American-based Fluor Corporation has finished constructing one of LDK Solar’s polysilicon plants in China, the company has announced. Fluor provided EPC services for the plant in Xinyu City, China.
Ascent Solar has entered into a development agreement with Shenzhen Radiant Enterprise and the Third Railway Survey and Design Institute (TSDI), the company has announced. Under the agreement, the three companies aim to install Ascent solar panels into already existing as well as future railway stations in China. TSDI has been involved in designing over 50,000km of Chinese railways, as well as the design of the Beijing South railway station.
At Intersolar Europe 2012, Suntech will introduce a compact and lighter design of its 60-cell solar module series, the company has announced. The slim framework of the Suntech W-series has a capacity of 260W and consists of 60 six-inch monocrystalline cells, at measurements of 1640x992x35mm.
