As we conduct our extensive market research phase to define exactly what the industry needs to be discussing and presenting at PV CellTech 2017 in Penang, Malaysia on 14-15 March 2017, one of the top technologies that is certain to be included again is passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) cells.
Capital expenditure (capex) from solar PV manufacturers is set to decline during the first half of 2017, as the industry adjusts to the excess of new capacity having come online during 2015 and 2016, according to the latest findings in the PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly report, released July 2016.
Solar PV manufacturing in 2016 has seen the highest capex (capital expenditure) levels for years, and a return to capacity expansion plans. Furthermore, many of the companies announcing the capacity expansions are doing so for the first time, especially at the cell and module stage.
After the 630 installation rush, enterprises, industry experts and investors began to think about the next trend for Chinese PV industry. It is predicted by senior staff from an investment company, that 2017’s plant development would be tripartite by the top runners (leading group) projects, distributed systems and poverty alleviating PV programmes.
India's prowling monkeys are infamous for thieving cameras off unsuspecting tourists at the Hanuman temples of Hampi and the mountain city of Shimla, but they’ve now found a new target – the rooftop solar sector. Tom Kenning looks at some key challenges unique to the Indian PV industry.
New research undertaken by the in-house research team at Solar Media Ltd. reveals that 2017 is expected to be the year that Longi Silicon Materials (incorporating its subsidiary LERRI Photovoltaic Technology) finally moves into the upper echelon of solar PV manufacturers.
Huawei Technologies decided to enter the PV inverter market, bringing its ICT know-how and hardware to a market already burdened by overcapacity and declining margins. In a few short years, instead of floundering, Huawei soon became the market leader in China.
This year saw Ghana not only install the largest solar project in East and West Africa, but also a major 30MW module manufacturing facility near its capital, Accra, in what is a major milestone for the upstream solar sector across Africa. PV Tech visited the plant to understand some of developer 3SIL's thinking behind location and business.
Last night, chief of Tesla and chairman of SolarCity Elon Musk put in a bid to acquire the largest residential solar installer in the US, SolarCity, which is headed by his cousins Lyndon and Peter Rive. PV Tech traces back over time for key moments that set the tone for Musk's latest grand move.
