News

With approximately 15 entrants wanting to stake a claim in the emerging solar microinverter and DC-DC power optimization market, rapid growth is required to avoid failures. According to a new report from IMS Research, the market is forecasted to generate more than US$1.5 billion in revenues over the next five years with device shipments growing 100% per year, totalling more than 16 million units. As expected the key market will be residential, offering power output defence from shading and inverter failures, according to the market research firm.

In the completion of its Series A2 financing, BT Imaging not only secured US$3.8 million, but added Applied Ventures as a new investor joining Allen & Buckeridge and Uniseed. Applied Ventures is the main venture capital division for Applied Materials. BT Imaging will be putting the new funds towards product development, global expansion and building its portfolio.

According to centrotherm photovoltaics subsidiary, centrotherm SiTec has achieved a new cell efficiency record through an improved process in its crystallization furnace to produce multi-crystalline ingots. Further progress has also been claimed in boosting furnace capacity to 650kg without major modifications. Production conditions in a pilot line operation have produced average efficiencies of 16.6%, and a peak result of up to 17.0%, according to the company.

Prediktor is to supply Photovoltech with the APIS Click & Trace manufacturing execution system (MES) solution for its new in-line photovoltaic cell production plant based in Tienen, Belgium.

The Stuttgart-based researchers at Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, ZSW) have demonstrated a CIGS solar cell conversion efficiency of 20.3%. The area of the world record cell is 0.5 square centimetres and surpasses their previous record of 20.1%, established in April 2010.

AU Optronics (AUO) has become the first company to achieve carbon footprint verification on EcoDuo PM220P00, the multi-crystalline photovoltaic module, according to the international carbon footprint standard PAS2050.

TÜV Rheinland has now officially opened its seventh solar modules and systems testing laboratory, based in Electronics City in the Indian city of Bangalore. TÜV invested €2 million in the new solar test centre, which will offer services to India's burgeoning solar industry.

PVA TePla has received a €5 million order from China-based Tianwei New Energy Wafer for the supply of systems for the production of multicrystalline silicon ingots. The order will be processed in 2010.

UPS2, the newly formed ultra-precision engineering group, has developed an advanced machine which enables Fresnel lens manufacturers to improve the efficiencies of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules.

Moving a step further in the extension of its solar production facilities, Bosch Solar Energy has formally opened its new Arnstadt, Thuringia-based crystalline solar cell production plant. The 12,000m2 facility provides the company with extra capacity of 10,000 cells an hour, or 90 million solar cells a year.