Materials

With the industry’s leading PV manufacturing event, PV CellTech 2017, just a few weeks away on 14-15 March 2017 in Penang, Malaysia, PV-Tech took the opportunity to speak with the Chairman of the Technical Advisory Board, Finlay Colville, on what we can expect to learn from the event this year.

US-headquartered high-efficiency PV module producer SunPower has officially signed a new joint venture partnership in China to produce both solar cells and modules for its P-Series technology.

Leading integrated monocrystalline PV manufacturer Xi'an LONGi Silicon Materials has officially changed its name in China.

Russia-based integrated PV manufacturer Hevel Group has claimed its first fabricated heterojunction (HJ) solar cell has achieved a conversion efficiency of 21.75%.

German research institute Fraunhofer ISE has claimed a new record conversion efficiency for a 20mm x 20mm N-type multicrystalline cell using process match wafer and its TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) developed technology.

Solar PV and polysilicon manufacturing equipment specialist centrotherm photovoltaics has secured a major supply deal from a customer in Asia.

Monocrystal has launched its new MY-555 cost-saving back-side silver metallization paste for Passivated Emitter Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells. MY-555 was specially developed to meet the demand for product with efficient balance of silver content and paste consumption.

Polysilicon producer REC Silicon ASA reported a 106% increase in its polysilicon sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2016, due to an overall strong demand pick-up in the late last year.

High-efficiency PV module producer and project developer SunPower has reached a production average cell conversion efficiency of 25% at its Fab 4 facility in the Philippines, the highest in the industry.

At the start of each year, when market observers do their annual look at the year ahead, there is normally always a vague statement about some type of widespread consolidation of companies set to unfold.