Thin film PV company Nanosolar said it has supplied close to 6MW of its CIGS utility panels for two installations in France and Oregon, as part of its partnership with EDF Energies Nouvelles and its US subsidiary, enXco.
Continuous pressure on pricing as demand remains weak has further impacted PV product sales and profits at Sunways. Consolidated sales declined by €35.0 million to €23.3 million, compared to the same quarter a year ago when sales reached €58.3 million. Lower cell manufacturing utilization, inventory write-downs on falling ASPs meant Sunways reported losses € 6.3 million an a negative operating result (EBIT) of €11.8 million in the third quarter.
Indeotec has received the first order and down payment for its Octopus II plasma processing tool. Octopus II was first unveiled at PVSEC in Hamburg and is the successor to Indeotec’s popular Octopus I. The new tool measures 300mm x 400mm and is characterized by several PECVD, PVD, heating and customised chambers around a central unit.
The California Public Utilities Commission has approved five power purchase agreements between Soitec Solar Development and San Diego Gas and Electric. Individual project sizes have not yet been disclosed, although the combined total of the PPAs is 155MW.
Concern is growing amongst the 800 employees of silicon wafer manufacturer Silico Solar which will be closing the 300MW facility in Puertollano at the end of this month until at least February 2012. Silico has blamed this on the adverse PV market conditions.
First Solar has begun construction on what will be Australia’s first utility-scale PV project once it reaches completions, Located near Geraldton, the 10MW (AC) Greenough River Solar Farm will be built over a nine-month period, with local civil contractor WBHO Civil providing Phase 1 construction services. Civil work on the project began November 4, with on-site construction for structural supports and above ground electrical work following soon.
After eleven years of research and development, Sharp Corporation has achieved the world’s highest solar cell conversion efficiency of 36.9% using a triple-junction compound solar cell in which the solar cell has a stacked three-layer structure. Measurement of this value, which sets a new record for the world’s highest non-concentrating conversion efficiency, was confirmed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).
Capacity expansions are out, improving manufacturing line efficiencies and productivity is in, according to First Solar’s chairman Michael Ahearn, who took over the CEO role from ousted Rob Gillete last week. Capacity expansions had seen average module efficiencies rates increase modestly in 2011; on the downside, production cost per watt merely flat-lined. Almost unheard of was the fact that manufacturing line utilization rates had dipped below 100% as capacity outstripped demand. Back at the helm, Ahearn said that First Solar would re-focus on markets without energy subsidies such as the Middle East as well as markets with critical energy needs such as India, North Africa and China.
German manufacturer Singulus Technologies has received an order for its Singular PECVD tool, a coating tool for the application of ARCs on crystalline silicon solar cells, from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS). The SINGULAR is part of a multi-million dollar project headed by SERIS focusing on silicon wafer heterojunction solar cells and their mass production.
Nigeria’s National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) recently revealed plans to develop a 7.5MW solar panel manufacturing plant in Karshi, Abuja so that Nigeria can begin to cut its dependency on the importation of solar panels. The project is being developed through a joint venture with an undisclosed foreign partner.
