Major tier-one PV manufacturer JA Solar said it was building a 400MW solar cell plant in Penang, Malaysia as well as adding capacity for high-performance monocrystalline and multicrystalline cells and modules, while establishing a JV module partnership with Essel in India.
Integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld said its Passivated Emitter Rear Cell (PERC) technology had proved a big hit in the US market and would reach 430MW of production capacity at its US-based plant in Hillsboro, US in the second quarter of 2015.
The acquisition of PV module manufacturer REC Solar was said to have been completed by Norway-based Elkem Group, owned by Chinese investment firm China National Bluestar Group.
High-tech equipment manufacturer Manz sees “significant opportunities for growth” in both its solar and energy storage business segments, according to statements released to accompany first quarter results for 2015.
Major polysilicon producer Wacker Chemie said its capacity could reach around 80,000MT by 2017 as it optimises production in Germany and ramps its new plant in
Tennessee.
German PV module manufacturer Solar-Fabrik has said that insolvency proceedings have started in Freiburg, Germany with the local court ordering law firm Kaiser & Sozien as the insolvency administrator.
Tier-1 PV manufacturer Zhongli Talesun Solar expects to ramp it recently announced 500MW cell and module production plant near the end of year, which will produce PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) technology for its new ‘Hipro’ 285W+ modules being launched at SNEC 2015.
Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology are to jointly launch a new R&D centre to support deployment of solar in the emirate.
