Manufacturing

Solvay Specialty Polymers has expanded its position in the PV market with the launch of two film grades of its ‘Halar’ ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) for photovoltaic (PV) modules. The two new high-performance products, Halar PV ECTFE and Halar ECTFE ultraviolet (UV) blocking technology have been specifically designed for frontsheet applications.

US thin-film manufacturer First Solar is targeting projects as part of a proposed tender to build 600MW of new large-scale solar in Germany, which is expected to be implemented early next year, PV Tech has learned.

Sharp Corporation's next-generation solar cell technology that enters volume production is expected to be based on its long-term development of both c-Si and a-Si thin-film cells with efficiencies touted to be over 25%.

Japanese thin-film manufacturer Solar Frontier could build a factory in New York state, its new president has said.

Chinese manufacturer JA Solar claims to have achieved a record 20% conversion efficiency in one of its multicrystalline PV cells.

Norway-headquartered REC Solar has unveiled a new 275W module aimed at residential and commercial rooftop installations, the ‘TwinPeak Series’.

Leading US PV installer SolarCity has broken ground on its new 1GW fab in New York State, where it will manufacture modules with Silevo, the West Coast start-up it acquired earlier this year.

PV equipment supplier centrotherm is to cut 50 jobs from its headquarters in Blaubeuren, Germany as part of a restructuring process.

Japanese module manufacturer Kyocera has joined the industrial partner programme of Belgian nanoelectronics research institute imec.

Mission Solar Energy has announced the opening of its N-Type solar manufacturing facility in Texas.