The first reported quarterly figures for PV module shipments in Japan in the country’s current financial year show a drop below the 2GW mark for the first time since JFY2013.
PV thin film equipment and module producer Hanergy Thin Film Power Group (Hanergy TF) said in reporting first half 2015 financial results that it would be restructuring its operations with the loss of around 2,000 jobs, 37% of its workforce of 5,458 at the end of the reporting period.
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has backed teams working on 11 new solar technologies based on micro-CPV (concentrated PV), awarding funding of between just under US$1 million and US$3.5 million to each.
Tier-one PV manufacturer Hanwha Q CELLS' PV module shipments have increased 12.2% quarter-over-quarter, driven by shipments to the US, which accounted for 37% of total shipments by revenue in the second quarter.
A report, four years in the making, has been released by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Inspector General into the collapse of CIGS thin-film producer, Solyndra, and the way more than US$500 million of loan guarantees were given out by the department to the failed company.
Brazil’s largest solar panel manufacturing facility will be inaugurated on Friday (28 August) by manufacturer Globo Brazil, providing a major boost towards financing domestic PV projects.
According to Dutch media reports, Heerlen, Netherlands based solar cell producer, Solland Solar, a subsidiary of Italian industrial firm Pufin Group, has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Swedish thin-film PV equipment specialist Midsummer has been awarded a SEK10 million (US$1.2 million) grant to support production and sales of its cell manufacturing machines.
Taiwan-based CIGS thin-film module producer TSMC Solar, a subsidiary of leading semiconductor foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp is to close its manufacturing plant at the end of August and exit the solar PV market.
