According to market research firm IHS, Chinese tier-1 PV module suppliers are mostly sold out in the first quarter of 2015 as demand remains strong from markets such as China, Japan and the UK as well as in South America and Central America.
PV manufacturer Hanwha Q CELLS, said it would close down all solar cell and module manufacturing capacity in Germany and relocate the lines to its main production facility in Cyberjaya, Malaysia with the loss of 550 jobs.
PV module assembly manufacturing consultancy specialist, J.v.G. Thoma is to supply a 70MW turnkey production line to start-up, Renovasol in Brazil. Financial details were not disclosed.
Leading PV manufacturer, Trina Solar, has started mass production of high-efficiency PERC (passivated emitter rear cell) technology with the expected availability of both multicrystalline and monocrystalline ‘Honey’ modules available in Europe this year and a global roll-out in 2016.
Indian PV manufacturer and project developer, Moser Baer Solar said that a strategy announced back in January 2012 to vastly improve its competitive position in the industry has been completed.
Specialist PV equipment supplier RENA, which is in the middle of restructuring efforts, has said its new order intake in the fourth quarter of 2014 totalled €30 million.
European R&D facility, imec has achieved new solar cell record efficiency for its N-type, monocrystalline n-PERT (passivated emitter, rear totally diffused) process using commercial sized wafers and processing equipment.
PV equipment specialist SoLayTec, recently acquired by Amtech Systems has secured an evaluation testing period for its ALD (atomic layer deposition) system with Hanwha Q CELLS.
As a precursor to restarting polysilicon production, China-based LDK Solar said it had completed a US$70 million upgrade to its plant in Mahong, Jiangxi.
