Good news for the c-Si solar cell producers and module manufacturers is that overcapacity in polysilicon production should continue as major producers continue with capacity expansion plans and new entrants, especially in China, ramp initial plants. According to a new report from Bernreuter Research, entitled ‘The Who’s Who of Solar Silicon Production,’ despite strong solar module demand, pressure on the silicon prices rising will likely be limited this year. Bernreuter Research estimates that global polysilicon production will reach 250,000MT in 2012, with approximately 80,000MT produced in China alone, making up about one-third of global production. Johannes Bernreuter, founder of the research firm, told PV-Tech that polysilicon supply/demand dynamics this year would translate into spot pricing in the range of US$45 to US$50/kg.
Solar modules incorporating Suniva's high-efficiency monocrystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells have been installed and commissioned on the rooftop of the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi, India. The 1MW system, said to be the largest rooftop PV power plant in the country, was implemented by Reliance Industries (RIL) Solar Group, which also supplied the PV modules. The new "model green" stadium will be one of the primary venues of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Grape Solar and Patriot Solar Group say they have partnered to provide complete, cost-effective equipment solutions to the U.S. and Canadian solar markets. As a result of the partnership, the two companies will also enter the Latin American solar market.
Having already successfully developed solar parks in Italy and plans within other European countries, Silfab is expanding into the U.S. market by forming a joint venture with REgeneration Finance LLC., a solar project developer with offices in Harrison, NY and San Francisco, California, via Silfab’s U.S. subsidiary. Silfab will invest an unspecified amount into a REgeneration affiliate to support finance requirements for commercial and utility-scale solar projects. The joint venture will ultimately own these projects, according to Silfab.
Uni Land has signed an agreement with EOS Energia for the construction of 10MW photovoltaic systems on greenhouses in Italy. EOS Energia will manage the design, procurement and construction of the greenhouses and will ensure that each plant is connected by the end of 2010.
O'Neal, the Greenville-based integrated design and construction firm, has formed a strategic partnership with Scheuten Solar USA. The two companies plan to offer turnkey PV solar systems for industrial, commercial, institutional, and utility-scale solar projects.
Using its bitumen-based roof covering, which is integrated with ECD’s Uni-Solar flexible a-Si thin-film laminates, Derbigum has installed approximately 3MW of BIPV commercial roofing systems at three logistics buildings for the supermarket chain Lidl in France. A 1.1MW system was installed at its Cambrai facility, a 1.1MW system in Vars, and 800kW at Les Arcs.
MCP Group, a specialty chemicals producer of thin-film metals such as indium, gallium, selenium, and tellurium, is combining manufacturing operations into Atlumin Energy to streamline operations and meet growing demand, especially from the thin-film PV industry. Copy-exact processes at its U.K. operations in Wellingborough are to be expanded to its Sunnyvale, CA, facilities.
Continually rising module efficiencies are finally making an impact in demand for Inventux Technologies tandem (a-Si/μc-Si) junction ‘micromorph’ thin-film modules, as the start-up says it is at full capacity in its 33MW plant near Berlin, Germany. Coupled to its professional sales network with direct customer access, Inventux says that it is producing a 132W module with 9.2%-plus stabilized efficiency, up from 8.9% in April 2009, and is currently sold out of modules during the winter months.
Ranier Aringhoff has been appointed as chief operating officer and management board member of the Desertec Industrial Initiative joint venture. The former president of Solar Millennium will be responsible for the conceptual preparation and planning of reference projects.
