Asia-based polysilicon producer Tokuyama Corp said it would take a one-time impairment charge of ¥123.4 billion (US$1.02 billion) on its two polysilicon plants in Malaysia as ASPs were lower than expected and not inline with previous business guidance.
In addition to launching a residential energy management and PV self-consumption package for the home compatible with Tesla’s Powerwall, power optimiser specialist SolarEdge launched a lightweight inverter late last year utilising the Israel-headquartered firm’s new HD Wave technology.
China-based PV manufacturer and PV project developer Hareon Solar Technology is raising around US$300 million in a private placement of new shares to expand PV manufacturing capacity and enter the LED market through an acquisition.
Major PV metallisation paste producer Heraeus Photovoltaics says it has bolstered its multi-supplier sourcing strategy for silver powder after an accident in early January 2016 at one of the largest producers, Dowa Hightec, left two workers dead and two injured. The plant was subsequently shut down and could be out of commission for several months, pending investigations.
SiTec, a subsidiary of centrotherm photovoltaics said it was developing a highly efficient technology called ‘Genesis’ that when perfected would reduce monosilane fluid-bed reactor (FBR) polysilicon production capital and operating costs by approximately 45% each, compared to legacy FBR decomposition processes.
Japan-based M.Setek, a subsidiary of Taiwan based flat panel display and PV module manufacturer, AU Optronics Corp (AUO) is to stop production of monocrystalline polysilicon production, due to cost competitive issues.
Collaboration by the U.S. Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and at the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) has set a certified record conversion efficiency of 29.8% for a III-V/Si solar cell.
A round-up of solar news from throughout the holiday period including SunEdison deals, Qatar's next solar steps and the verdict in Heraeus' patent case.
The Government of India is considering supporting polysilicon, ingot and wafer production in India as part of prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ programme, that was launched last year.
