Your daily dose of Photovoltaic Technology Developments and Solar News
PV Modules
Opinion
Going further downstream: interview with Åsmund Fodstad, VP REC Solar
REC Solar's core business supplying materials for the photovoltaic manufacturing industry is robust. With many new contract announcements and a series of long-term contracts already in place, the successes of REC are well known. What is not known is REC's plans for their downstream strategic development. Photovoltaics International was able to catch up with Åsmund Fodstad at Intersolar. In this exclusive interview, Åsmund details plans for REC's current distribution strategy for modules as the company sets its sights on a 300% growth in module production volume coupled with a planned 50% reduction in costs throughout the supply chain between 2006 and 2010. Read more >>
News
SunPower secures 3-year 100MW supply deal with German power plant integrator
SunPower Corporation has secured a customer contract with German solar power plant integrator City Solar Kraftwerke AG, which includes at least 100MW of its T10 Solar Roof Tile for commercial rooftop installations, and the) T0 Tracker and T20 Tracker for utility-scale, ground mounted systems as part of a three-year deal.
3S delivers its first semi-automatic production line to Eurener Energia Solar
Eights months after 3S Swiss Solar Systems first entered into business with semi-automatic production lines, it has delivered its first line to the Alicante-based Eurener Energia Solar, which had previously been operating with the manual 3S production line since 2006. Eurener has installed a semi-automatic 20MW line, which includes an automatic string soldering station from Somont, a laminating line from 3S and a module tester from Pasan.
SCHOTT Solar and Enerpoint enter into long-term contract for solar modules
SCHOTT Solar and Enerpoint S.p.A. recently completed a contract, which calls for SCHOTT to deliver a gradually increasing supply of polycrystalline silicon modules for an unspecified amount of years, to Enerpoint with a total power output of 35MW. Enerpoint now becomes the official dealer for SCHOTT Solar modules in Italy.
BP Solar to close PV module plant in Australia
BP Solar’s 50MW photovoltaic cell and module manufacturing plant in Sydney Olympic Park, Australia is to close at the end of March 2009, as the company focuses production at larger scale facilities in other parts of the world. Approximately 200 jobs will be affected by the closure, but BP Solar said it would continue to market and sell its solar systems in the country.
Trina Solar launches UMG-based PV module line
Trina Solar has developed a new module product line fully based on upgraded metallurgical grade (UMG) silicon material. The Chinese company said that the UMG product launch is part of a strategy to extend its portfolio to meet the demand for lower-cost photovoltaic module systems.
CNPV receives IEC certification from TUV Rheinland Group
CNPV announced that TÜV Rheinland Group awarded the International Elector Technical Commission certification (IEC) to CNPV’s crystalline solar photovoltaic modules power range from 160-185Wp. The IEC61215Ed2 and IEC61730, correspondingly EN6125Ed2 and EN61730, encompass the examination of all parameters which are accountable for the ageing of PV modules and describes the different qualification tests on the basis of the artificial load of the materials.
Featured Articles
First Edition: Failure analysis of design qualification testing: 2007 vs. 2005
Design and performance qualification testing of PV modules consists of a set of well-defined accelerated stress tests with strict pass/fail criteria. ASU-PTL is an ISO 17025-accredited testing laboratory and has been providing photovoltaic testing services since 1992. This paper presents a failure analysis on the design qualification testing of both crystalline silicon (c-Si) and thin-film technologies for two consecutive periods: 1997-2005 and 2005-2007.
Large area thin-film solar module lamination
Product Briefings
New Product: 3S XL Laminating Line handles high volume production with 40% cycle-time reduction
Product Briefing Outline: The new 3S Swiss Solar Systems AG XL Laminating Line is designed to provide a fully-automated high volume lamination process of solar modules at highest speed: cycle times can be reduced up to 40%, according to the company. The system has a total capacity of up to 34 modules per hour which equals an annual capacity of up to 60MWp. It combines two vacuum chambers with the patented hybrid heating plate of the 3S Laminator S3622 with a cooling press. The two vacuum chambers are separately controlled in terms of evacuation, ventilation and heating. The system can handle both c-Si and thin film sizes.
New Product: Scapa offers specialist product range for solar module framing
Product Briefing Outline: Scapa, a manufacturer of technical, self-adhesive tapes, has launched a range of products for the photovoltaic module manufacturing industry. The high-performance technical products are used in a number of applications including bonding/sealing aluminium framed modules, permanent bonding of the junction box, laminate fabrication, cell positioning and cable management. Scapa offers a wide range of double-sided adhesive coated polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PUR) and acrylic foams (AFT) that meet specific industry standards and requirements.
