Manufacturing

Flamac, a unit of SIM vzw, advised that it will work with imec to develop new semiconductor materials for solar cell applications. The collaboration will see the companies produce materials that are alternates for the standard CIGS solar cells.

Unable to secure closure on a previous deal to sell its solar project pipeline to solarhybrid and investor funding for its planned expansion of its Ibersol parabolic trough power plant project, Solar Millennium has filed for the opening of insolvency proceedings at the district court in Fuerth, Germany. The module supply deal between First Solar and solarhybrid becomes suspect.

JA Solar Holdings revealed that its Maple solar cells had reached an 18.5% conversion efficiency level in large volume production, with the average conversion efficiency for the Maple cells in mass production being recorded at 18%. The new record for JA Solar is noted as being higher than the industry’s standard average conversion efficiency for multicrystalline solar cells of nearly 16.8%.

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has given an exclusive patent licence to equipment specialist, Natcore Technology to use its diffused emitter technology ‘Black Silicon’ with Natcore’s liquid phase deposition (LPD) technology. The black silicon process has been claimed by Natcore scientists and NREL researchers to reduce average reflectivity to less than 1.5%, compared to current advanced antireflective coatings that are said to reduce the average reflectivity to approximately 6%. The aim is to commercialize the technology in 2012.

Dye-sensitized solar thin-film specialist, Dyesol has claimed a 15% increase in the efficiency performance of large DSC strip cells has been achieved, bringing industrial DSC efficiency up from 6.9% to 8% in 2011. The increase in efficiency results were said to come from improvements in materials and structural design elements.

Avancis has said that its new state-of-the-art CIS thin-film module production plant has begun ramping. Construction of the 100MW capacity facility started in June 2010 and enables the company to offer new products, boost efficiencies and lower costs, compared to its previous 20MW facility. The number of employees at Avancis is set to double from the current 250 to almost 500.

The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory advised that it recently validated Semprius’ triple-junction cells at greater than 41% efficiency at a concentration of 1,000 suns – said to be one of the highest efficiencies recorded at this concentration. The North Carolina company makes its cells from gallium arsenide with the lenses laying claim to concentrating the sunlight onto the small cells 1,100 times.

Two years of hard work has culminated in the development of a prototype for a next generation solar PV device. It will be submitted to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in early 2012 for certification. The NGD technology uses a novel approach combining a barrier oxide layer with a patent-pending absorber layer, replacing the traditional semiconductor layer used in crystalline silicon and thin-film PV.

Troubled thin film veteran, Energy Conversion Devices has deferred interest payments to note holders of its Senior Convertible Notes due 2013 as it continues talks with some of the holders over restructuring debt and raising funds to continue operations.

Blaming weaker than expected revenue earnings on poor weather and other factors, First Solar lowered its 2011 revenue guidance and separately announced a restructuring of its core business groups with the exit of TK Kallenbach, President of the Components Business Group, at the end of the year. Restructuring will lead to a workforce reduction of approximately 100 associates, around 1.5% of its workforce, according to the company. First Solar revised 2011 guidance in the range of US$2.8 to US$2.9 billion, down from a prior guidance range of between US$3.0 and US$3.3 billion.