Mark Osborne has nearly three decades of experience in covering both the semiconductor and photovoltaics manufacturing industries. In his current roles as senior news editor for PV Tech and sister technical journal, Photovoltaics International, Mark covers the key developments in the PV industry on a global level and continues to provide insight and analysis via his editor's blog.
TUV Rheinland has hosted a delegation from China at its officials at the headquarters of TUV Rheinland Academy in Cologne, Germany that will support a strategic cooperation framework agreement for the Sino-German Industry 4.0 Demonstration and Training Center project.
A range of diverse projects both regionally and in scale have been announced, which includes a 23.5MW PV project in New Jersey, 1.5MW of rooftop projects in London, UK and a total of 98MW in Binh Thuan and Long An Provinces, Vietnam.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS has revealed its ‘Made in America’ product strategy ahead of the 2018 Solar Power International (SPI) Exhibition being held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California next week.
US-headquartered high-efficiency PV module producer SunPower Corp has said that its interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells and modules have been granted exclusion from the US Section 201 import tariffs that were imposed by President Trump in early 2018.
France-based floating solar (FPV) specialist Ciel & Terre has completed a 252kW FPV system wastewater treatment pond in Kelseyville, California, part of four projects in the US totalling 5.3MW in the third quarter of 2018.
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems has secured over a US$6 million order for its ‘Quantum’ diffusion system for the mass production of high-efficiency N-type solar cells.
Growatt has introduced the MAX 50-80KTL3-LV/MV series string inverters that are equipped with 6 MPPTs, enabling more flexible string configuration and less string mismatch loss for commercial rooftop installs with shading issues.
China-based merchant solar cell producer Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co (Aiko Solar) said that it had entered volume production of its P-type monocrystalline PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) solar cells with conversion efficiencies of 22%.
China-based PV module manufacturer Jiangsu Seraphim Solar System Co (Seraphim) has started production at its module assembly plant in Eastern Cape, South Africa to circumvent recently imposed import duties by India on China produced modules.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS has appointed a new chairman and CEO with former experience at the company as parent, Hanwha Group begins consolidating solar sector subsidiaries.
Manz launched its third generation ‘SpeedPicker’ 3.0 from its SAS series equipment for the specific handling of crystalline silicon wafers in the manufacturing of solar cells. SpeedPicker provides an automation solution for almost contact-free handling of solar cells throughout their entire production process.
Hoymiles 4-in-1 microinverter MI-1200 is said to be the world’s first single-phase microinverter designed for 4 solar panels, with wide DC input operating voltage range (16-60V) & low start-up voltage (22V only). ). It makes significant improvement of cost performance based on existing microinverters and the three-phase wiring is also easy to be configured.
China-based PV module materials and N-type mono module manufacturer Jolywood (Taizhou) Solar Technology Co is supplying Haixing New Energy, a subsidiary of the Chinese State Power Investment Corporation Limited (SPIC) with high-efficiency modules totalling 64.6MW for a National Photovoltaic Leader Project.
Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co., (Jolywood) has introduced several new innovations into its N-type monocrystalline bifacial modules that boost cell and module efficiencies, improve durability while lowering balance of material (BOM) cost and overall levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
Singulus Technologies two-step multicrystalline wafer texturing process on its inline ‘LINEX’ platform is said to reduce manufacturing costs and improve cell conversion efficiencies.
