Manufacturing

German PV module manufacturer Solar-Fabrik has said that insolvency proceedings have started in Freiburg, Germany with the local court ordering law firm Kaiser & Sozien as the insolvency administrator.

PV developer First Solar and construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar have announced a strategic alliance to develop integrated solar technologies for the microgrid for use in remote communities and mine sites.

Hanwha Q CELLS, which recently merged with Hanwha Solar One, will use the SNEC expo in China to unveil the latest in its HSL S series modules and high efficiency Q.ANTUM cell range.

Japanese firm Solar Frontier has completed its acquisition of the US project pipeline of developer Gestamp Solar.

Hi-tech equipment manufacturer Manz has set a new efficiency record for a CIGS thin-film module of 16%.

Tier-1 PV manufacturer Zhongli Talesun Solar expects to ramp it recently announced 500MW cell and module production plant near the end of year, which will produce PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) technology for its new ‘Hipro’ 285W+ modules being launched at SNEC 2015.

Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology are to jointly launch a new R&D centre to support deployment of solar in the emirate.

PV equipment maker Singulus Technologies will undergo a financial restructuring as it looks to reduce it debt.

centrotherm is launching the ‘c.REG’ conveyor belt furnace for monocrystalline p-type solar cell regeneration, which is claimed to achieve a reduction in light induced degradation (LID) from 6% to 1%, within less than a one minute processing cycle time. The company is showcasing the regeneration technology at SNEC 2015, being held in Shanghai, China.

Yingli has netted RMB588.2 million (US$94.9 million) from the sale of land earmarked for the expansion of its in-house polysilicon operations.