Product Reviews

  • ACI-ecoteck GmbH & Co ecoSplit IXL

    New Product: ACI-ecotec offers inline high-speed solar wafer separation with reduced breakage

    14 October 2010, 15:58

    Product Briefing Outline: ACI-ecotec GmbH & Co. KG has developed a new inline wafer separation system suitable for separating mono- and polycrystalline wafers in all common formats with thicknesses of up to 120 µm. The new ecoSplit IXL has an output capacity of at least 3000 wafers per hour, and the especially gentle, patented separation technology makes it possible to reduce breakage rates to a low as 0.1%.

  • 3M’s ‘Ultra Barrier Solar Film’ designed for flexible thin-film applications

    14 October 2010, 13:38

    Product Briefing Outline: 3M has introduced its Ultra Barrier Solar Film for flexible thin-film technologies into volume manufacturing. The product is the result of more than a decade of development in transparent barrier technology, having the potential to drastically reduce the total system costs for rooftop solar installations. The film’s unique module form factor also offers an array of niche applications.

  • Satcon Equinox inverter

    Utility-scale inverter from Satcon provides 98.5% efficiency

    13 October 2010, 14:52

    Product Briefing Outline: Satcon Technology has launched its next generation power conversion solution, Satcon ‘Equinox’. The Equinox 500 kilowatt solution is now available in both North America and Europe and is designed to improve system wide energy harvest and solar plant yield, enabling the large-scale solar industry’s lowest Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).

  • STMicroelectronics bypass diode

    STMicroelectronics offers direct upgrade for bypass diode to prevent hotspot effects

    13 October 2010, 14:51

    Product Briefing Outline: STMicroelectronics has introduced the SPV1001, which replaces the simple bypass diode with an intelligent device that enhances efficiency and offers the same package outline. The new device can deliver a fast Return-On-Investment, in terms of releasing additional energy for solar panel applications.

  • Dow Enlight Module Testing

    Dow Chemical ‘Enlight’ encapsulant films reduce cycle times up to 30%

    11 October 2010, 14:44

    Product Briefing Outline: Dow Chemical has launched it ‘Enlight’ polyolefin encapsulant films, which are claimed to enhance efficiencies in PV module production and lead to lower conversion costs. The films also can provide greater module stability and improved electrical performance versus traditional encapsulants, such as EVA-based products, which improves the reliability and extends the service life of PV modules. The new encapsulant films are suitable for c-Si and thin-film modules.

  • Canadian solar bipv

    New Product: Canadian Solar introduces BIPV module line

    09 October 2010, 16:08

    Product Briefing Outline: Canadian Solar BIPV modules use double low iron tempered glass with solar cells laminated in between, making them ideal for roofs, skylights and/or facades. The modules use double low iron tempered glass with solar cells laminated in between, this means that the fundamental ideal of building material to generate electrical power is now a reality. With a 55W-115W/m2 output depending on cell spacing; the cells are made up of crystalline (mono or poly 125mm/ 156mm).

  • Control Techniques SPV System Internal

    Control Techniques transformerless central inverter maximizes energy yield in low light

    06 October 2010, 15:03

    Product Briefing Outline: Control Techniques has launched a ‘transformerless’ central inverter system for utility scale photovoltaic power plants that is designed to maximize investor returns through optimized availability, efficiency and yield. Control Techniques’ SPV is constructed using 145kWp, 176kWp and multiple 176kWp parallel connected inverter modules to produce any desired power rating up to 1760kWp and employs a second generation Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm.  Over the last 2 years Control Techniques inverters have been installed in over 80 large scale PV power plants with a combined power of 150MW.  Confirmed orders for over 330MW have been received.

  • PV360

    PV360 from Ultrasonic Systems offers highly uniform and thinner cell coating deposition

    06 October 2010, 14:54

    Product Briefing Outline: Ultrasonic Systems, Inc. (USI) has released its third generation PV360 for PV wafer coating applications. The PV360 uses nozzle-less ultrasonic technology for highly uniform, thinner coating deposition of solar cells when compared to conventional spray technologies. Optimized for high-volume, in-line manufacturing, the system can process up to 4,300 wafers (125mm sized wafers) per hour.

  • Umicore

    Umicore’s CIGS production scrap recycling closes the materials loop

    27 September 2010, 15:11

    Product Briefing Outline: Umicore Precious Metals Refining has introduced a CIGS production scrap recycling service with an initial capacity of 50Mt per annum. This new service allows the recycling of production waste (e.g. chamber residues) generated by CIGS solar cell producers, and valorizes copper, indium, gallium and selenium.

  • The Microinverter

    Enphase offers integrated microinverter AC module platform with CEC efficiency of 96

    23 September 2010, 15:49

    Product Briefing Outline: Enphase Energy has unvieled its next-generation microinverter platform. The new microinverter achieves a CEC efficiency of 96%, which the company claims is a new record for microinverter technology. The design of the new platform allows for direct integration into solar modules, enabling a new breed of AC Module (ACM) products. The first ACM products using the new microinverter technology will be available in the first half of 2011.

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Publications

  • Photovoltaics International 16th Edition

    Photovoltaics International 16th Edition

    This sixteenth edition of Photovoltaics International marks four years of production of the quarterly journal. As always, our focus is on efficiency and quality improvement and cost reduction in manufacturing. As 2012 rolls along, companies are falling by the wayside due to supply and demand issues, ASP declines and drastic governmental subsidy cuts. A clear picture of 2012 is offered through papers from the likes of TÜV Rheinland, Fraunhofer ISE, SEMI PV Group and EPIA, amongst others.

  • 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 2012 Production Annual

    Manufacturing The Solar Future: The 2012 Production Annual

    Manufacturing the Solar Future 2012, the second in the Photovoltaics International PV Production Annual series, delivers the next installment of in-depth technical manufacturing information on PV production processes.

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