A new technical study that is more detailed and extensive than previously achieved, the US Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has significantly increased the potential for US building rooftops to generate electricity from solar PV (photovoltaics) systems.
Integrated China-based monocrystalline PV producer, Solargiga Energy Holdings as expected from preliminary announcements, reported only a small increase in revenue for 2015, however the company returned to a small net profit, compared to a net loss in 2014.
Renusol is introducing its new ballasted flat-roof mounting system FS10-S and FS18-S for mounting south-facing photovoltaic panels. It requires few components and uses especially short rails, making the system price-efficient and quick to install. As it has little surface area exposed to the wind and is equipped with wind deflectors, minimal ballasting is required, making the new mounting system especially suited for commercial and agricultural buildings with lightweight roofs.
China-based polysilicon and wafer producer Daqo New Energy reported that external sales volume and cost structure exceeded prior guidance as demand remained strong in the fourth quarter and full year 2015.
Leading polysilicon and wafer producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings was able to increase production in 2015 resulting in slightly higher total revenue and improved gross margin on further production cost reductions.
Integrated PV manufacturer REC Solar is to invest a total of $200 million Singapore dollars (US$182.3 million) in expanding and upgrading production at its facilities in Singapore. The company also plans to invest a further US$50 million in R&D activities at the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), with emphasis on a type of PV module.
China-based PV energy provider (PVEP) United Photovoltaics Group has received back its US$64.4 million deposit originally given to Hareon Solar to start build 930MW of PV power plants, which were never actually built.
According to SolarWorld’s 186-page annual report for 2015, and a presentation by Dr. Holger Neuhaus, Managing Director, SolarWorld Innovations GmbH at the inaugural PV CellTech conference held in Malaysia last week, high-efficiency products will be the key focus of its expanded manufacturing capacity and technology migrations in 2016.
Former major PV equipment provider, GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) has successfully emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of New Hampshire, US after seeking protection in October, 2014.
Solar PV and polysilicon manufacturing equipment specialist centrotherm said it has booked over €40 million in solar and semiconductor manufacturing equipment orders in the first two months of 2016.