Japanese electronics firm Panasonic is reported to be suspending production at its Nishikinohama ‘HIT’ solar cell and module assembly plant due to weak domestic consumer demand in Japan.
Dresden-based OPV thin-film producer, Heliatek has set a new conversion efficiency record of 13.2% using a multi-junction lab-sized (1.37 cm²) sample cell with its small molecule, vacuum deposition process on a plastic film substrate.
US-based polysilicon producer REC Silicon said in a trading update ahead of releasing fourth quarter results at the end of the week that it would shutdown its Silane IV production unit and remaining FBR production at its Moses Lake plant.
Taiwan-based merchant solar cell producer Motech Industries has reported January, 2016 sales reaching a new record high, the fifth consecutive month of record sales.
PV manufacturing equipment specialist Singulus Technologies has reported preliminary unaudited sales of €84 million in 2015, but restructuring charges are expected to result in a negative EBIT of €33 to €35 million.
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems reported strong order intake in the fourth quarter of 2015 with new order flow continuing into January, 2016 as China-based PV manufacturers expand production at facilities in South East Asia.
Taiwan-based solar wafer producer Green Energy Technology (GET) reported a significant leap in sales for the month of January on the back of higher prices due to industry supply constraints.
Struggling Japanese electronics giant, Sharp Corporation reported continued weakness in its Energy Solutions business unit that includes its solar segment with revenue down 42.2% in the first nine months of its financial year, compared to its previous year results.
High-technology equipment manufacturer Intevac said it was tracking around 5GW of high efficiency n-type monocrystalline solar cell capacity expansions that are expected through 2020, providing a market opportunity for its ‘MATRIX’ platform of around US$175 million.
The recent extension to the US investment tax credit (ITC) could enable First Solar to shift emphasis and therefore revenue generation to selling its CdTe thin-film modules to third parties rather than directly to PV power plant projects, according to a research note from Deutsche Bank analyst, Vishal Shah.
