In defiance of a significant trend by a growing number of leading PV manufacturers to either completely replace P-type multi c-Si cell technology with P-type mono c-Si with PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Contact) technology, or hedge their bets and do PERC on both wafer substrates, Silicon Module Super League member Canadian Solar is placing a potentially risky bet on pushing ahead with the migration to P-type multi c-Si PERC cell technology using diamond wire saw (DWS) and ‘Black Silicon’ texturing under its ‘ONYX’ cell branding.
von Ardenne’s ‘SCALA’ platform has been designed to close the gap between R&D and production of Silicon heterojunction (HJ) solar cells. The modular platform provides a pathway via a technology approach, the tuning of the PVD processing and the complementary technology steps such as texturing, PECVD and metallization processes for 22% conversion efficiencies on 6-inch substrates and thus to ease the path to commercialization.
A 50:50 joint venture formed by ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS and Turkish firm Kalyon Enerji has been awarded a 1GW local content solar project in the Karapınar region in Turkey at a tariff of US$0.0699/kWh.
Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) member JA Solar is continuing to expand manufacturing capacity in 2017 after guiding total shipments to be in the range of 6GW to 6.5GW, up from 5.2GW in 2016.
India is expected to double its installed solar PV capacity from 10GW to 20GW within 15 months, according to energy and mines minister Piyush Goyal, who is also encouraging manufacturers to locate in India.
Leading CdTe thin-film producer First Solar has brought online the first ever utility-scale solar project on tribal land, the 250MW Moapa project, located just 30 miles north of Las Vegas.
Jetion Solar, Hareon Solar, GCL Technology and Talesun have now been fully withdrawn from the Minimum Import Price (MIP) undertaking, according to the European Commission (EC).
Hanwha Q CELLS and ADLER Solar have agreed to a supply contract that will see Hanwha provide 25MW of its high efficiency Q.PLUS solar modules with integrated Q.ANTUM technology — along with an option to upgrade to an additional 5MW.
