Mark Osborne

Despite running at full-capacity, US-headquartered high-efficiency PV module producer SunPower Corp has lowered its full-year revenue guidance as losses mount and margins compress across its utility, commercial and residential markets.

US-headquartered PV manufacturers SunPower and First Solar are expected to collectively sell their stakes in their joint venture yieldco, 8point3 Energy Partners.

Specialist semiconductor and PV equipment supplier Intevac expects to start shipping its largest ever single tool order to a customer in China planning to ramp N-type mono IBC (Interdigitated Back Contact) solar cells and modules, including bifacial modules in the second half of 2017.

Major PV inverter manufacturer SMA Solar Technology has raised its full-year revenue guidance range on a 25% increase in its order backlog on strong market demand in all regions served and notably in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC).

Bankrupt German integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld AG has announced the resignation of its Management Board, excluding founder and chairman, Dr. Ing. Eh Frank Asbeck.

Solar PV mounting systems specialist and project developer Clenergy has reported over 200MW of mounting system sales in Australia in the first half of 2017.

Leading ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar has raised its Potential Induced Degradation (PID) resistance test metrics for its standard 1,000V and its 1,500V solar modules, using an extended IEC62804 standard.

German-based PV inverter manufacturer KACO new energy said it had sales of 1.4GW in the first half of 2017, a new record for the company.

‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member GCL System Integrated Technology (GCL-SI) has officially started production at its joint venture (JV) solar cell plant with Vina Solar in Vietnam as well as an unmanned module assembly pilot project in China.

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) has released new guidance on solar installation targets as part of the current 13th Five-Year-Plan (2016-2020), after recent record first-half year install figures put doubt on whether the solar boom would continue as the original targets would be met two years ahead of expectations.