Nano-electronics research centre imec continues to tout its solar cell R&D work in the PV industry but is also focusing efforts on new areas such as PV energy yield predictions at the European PV Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Hamburg this week.
Wuxi Suntech, the PV module manufacturing arm of clean energy developer, Shunfeng International Clean Energy (SFCE) is re-entering the US market with a suite of new products.
RENA’s ‘InCellPlate Cu’ inline equipment for direct plating of a Ni/Cu/Ag stack on silicon, when combined with laser ablation of the silicon nitride layer and subsequent inline anneal, is said to provide complete front-side metallization for solar cell manufacturing. Compared with screen-printing, the technology allows cutting the cell production cost by US$0.06 (cents) and at the same time offers potential for cell efficiency improvement.
centrotherm photovoltaics is offering a one-step PECVD aluminum axide (AlOx/SiNx) process upgrade for advanced solar cell concepts such as PERC that are applied in mono and multicrystalline cell processing. The centrotherm direct plasma process provides superior dielectric AlOx/SiNx stacks with excellent passivation properties and is said to be the fastest and easiest way to start PERC solar cell manufacturing in a cost effective way.
Major monocrystalline wafer producer Longi Silicon Materials has signed land and development contracts with the Yinchuan Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee to build a 3GW monocrystalline silicon facility in Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
The precarious financial position of major tier-one PV manufacturer Yingli Green was further highlighted in its second quarter financial results and subsequent earnings call with financial analysts.
GCL Poly is in the process of selling off its non-solar businesses and will emerge from a proposed US$500 million sale to focus on polysilicon and wafer manufacturing and sales, as well as PV plant development.
Solar, storage and clean energy testing and accreditation house Fraunhofer ISE has claimed that its newest reference photovoltaic cell “significantly reduces” measurement uncertainty and can be used to take accurate field measurements of solar insolation.
China-based integrated PV manufacturer Zhongli Talesun has won a major module supply deal with India-based project developer ACME Cleantech Solutions totalling 222MW.
Brazil must establish a “specific industrial policy” for domestic PV manufacturing so it can produce the 2GW of solar equipment necessary to operate 61 solar plants planned for 2017, according to the Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy (Absolar).
