New York State has offered employees of Panasonic working at Tesla’s Gigafactory 2 plant in Buffalo assistance in finding new jobs as the Japanese electronics giant is expected to shut down solar panel operations at the facility.
The new Q1 2020 bankability analysis has now been completed by the PV-Tech market research team, ranking PV module suppliers within the PV ModuleTech Bankability Ratings. The listing reveals that LONGi Solar now commands AAA-Rated status, the highest grade achievable. A further seven module suppliers are in the AA and A bands and four suppliers fall into the B levels.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member is to expand its monocrystalline silicon ingot capacity by 10,000MT at its subsidiary in Xingtai Economic Development Zone, Hebei province, China.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member, LONGi Solar has signed a framework agreement to buy Vietnam-based solar cell and module OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), Vina Solar for RMB 1.78 billion (US$253 million).
South Korean solar-grade polysilicon producer, Hanwha Solutions is to exit the business by the end of 2020, following OCI’s decision to shutter polysilicon plants in the country.
Plans for sizeable layoffs by 2022 will mostly affect administrative and non-operational staff in Germany, says poly player of new roadmap launched after €55m losses last year.
North American PV module manufacturer, Silfab Solar is investing around US$4 million to boost production at its assembly plant in Washington State that could lead to extra jobs.
Exemption on customs duty for cells and modules in India widely expected to be lifted later in the year but there are still legal barriers to overcome, says Bridge to India.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member, JA Solar is planning to expand high-efficiency solar cell capacity to 10GW at a recently announced 5GW new solar cell manufacturing plant in China, while also investing in major upgrades at an existing cell plant to provide a further 3.6GW of high-efficiency cell capacity.
There needs to be a comprehensive industrial strategy for the solar industry located in the EU as part of the pending release of the EU’s own ‘Green Deal’ strategy, according to German manufacturing trade group VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) and solar trade association, SolarPower Europe.
