The hardest and most ‘controversial’ aspect of analyzing capacity expansion announcements is converting them to actual or ‘effective’ new nameplate capacity.
SolarWorld has launched a new era of modules for free-field and flat roof systems. The new ‘Sunmodule Bisun’ is a solar module active on both sides (bifacial) that converts light from all directions into electrical energy. This ensures up to 25 % more yield per installed kWp, depending on the surface on which it is installed. The modules are expected to be provided in 270Wp through 331Wp configurations. SolarWorld has also developed a new racking system for flat roofs that is optimized for the bifacial technology.
Leading global ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar has officially announced that it is withdrawing from the EU minimum import price agreement, following a number of major China-based PV manufacturers and Taiwan-based producers.
Renewable energy firm BayWa r.e has partnered with US PV project developer, Geenex Solar to build 350MW of PV power plant projects across North Carolina and Virginia. BayWa r.e. will provide turn-key engineering, procurement, construction, financing and O&M services.
Integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld is offering US solar installers commercial project funding resources amounting to US$225 million, guaranteed by REC Solar majority-owner Duke Energy, in California, Hawaii and the Northeast states of Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.
According to Deutsche Bank’s US market analyst Vishal Shah, strong PV manufacturing capacity expansion growth in the second half of 2016 and 2017 is expected to lead to a global 16% solar module oversupply through the period.
India-based PV module manufacturer Vikram Solar has revealed plans to expand capacity to 2GW by 2019, up from recently completed expansions that have taken nameplate module capacity to 500MW.
Renewables firm SunEdison currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings said in a SEC filing that it had received around 100 bids for parts and all assets of the company, yet the ‘sum of the parts’ equated to approximately US$1.25 billion to US$1.7 billion of potential total gross proceeds, far below incurred debts estimated at almost US$12 billion, excluding its two yieldco’s.
JRT Photovoltaics, a subsidiary of the Jonas & Redmann Group has optimized the testing and sorting of solar cells, claiming to significantly reducing the total cost of ownership (COO) with its ‘CTS 3600’ single-track cell tester & sorter
Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software firm camLine has won a bid to supply its software to the planned AVANCIS, 300MW CIGS thin-film production plant in Anhui, China.
