The Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin (PI Berlin) has released a new study analysing over time its solar PV panel quality control audits that have topped 250 at more than 120 panel manufacturers worldwide to highlight the current status of ‘quality’, while dispelling long-held misconceptions of the type and location of manufacturers in the quality pecking order.
Renewable energy firm Unisun Energy has completed and grid connected the 11.75MW Zonnepark Rilland project in The Netherlands, which has deployed Jolywood (Taizhou) Solar Technology’s N-type TOPCon bifacial modules.
Major polysilicon producer Wacker Chemie has reported its polysilicon division was heavily impacted by the slump in demand due to China’s ‘531 New Deal’ as a reason for the sharp decline in revenue and profitability which declined significantly in 2018.
Major China-based PV module manufacturer Risen Energy has reported its latest JÄGER HP 72-cell sized module has achieved a record conversion efficiency of up to 21%, tested and certified by independent third-party institute TUV-SUD.
According to provisional data from BloombergNEF (BNEF), global solar PV installations reached 109GW in 2018 as the cost of installing a megawatt of photovoltaic capacity fell 12%, which spurred markets outside China to increase installations.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Solar has reported a new solar cell world record conversion efficiency for monocrystalline silicon PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) technology of 24.06%, which has been verified by the National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Solar Photovoltaic Product Quality (CPVT) in China.
According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) and petrochemicals to manufacturing conglomerate SABIC have signed MOU’s with LONGi Group and OCI to bring fully integrated solar manufacturing to the country.
PV inverter manufacturer KACO new energy is changing its business focus to include only string inverters and energy storage products, after its acquisition of Energy Depot, selling its central inverter business subsidiary in South Korea to OCI Power. Financial details were not disclosed.
Silicon wafer furnace to downstream PV power plant owner, Beijing Jingyuntong Technology Co (JYT) has reported its PV power plant capacity in 2018 totalled 1,239.11MW, an 18% increase over the previous year.