ASP declines in 2012, driven by industry overcapacity throughout the PV supply chain, forced over 350 companies in China, from equipment suppliers, polysilicon producers to module manufacturers, to stop operations entirely, according to market research firm ENF.
Materials IP developer, Applied Nanotech has opened a proprietary PV metallic inks and paste production plant in China with JV partner Sichuan Anxian Yinhe Constructional & Chemical Group Co., Ltd (YHCC), an electronic paste manufacturer focused on the PV industry.
Solar wafer slurry recycling specialist SiC Processing has been granted self-administration while it goes through insolvency proceedings in the District Court of Amberg, Germany.
Specialist PV equipment supplier, GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT) said it would exit the Directional Solidification System (DSS) market altogether due to market conditions that are not expected to recover sufficiently to justify continued involvement in the sector.
Overcapacity, weak demand and uncompetitive production have forced around 90% of polysilicon producers in China to suspend production, according to news reports in China.
UK-based solar wafer producer, PV Crystalox Solar will implement a significant reduction in its workforce, while discontinuing its polysilicon operations in Germany and heavily cut ingot production in the UK and wafer production in Germany.
Having recently introduced its latest ENLIGHT polyolefin PV module encapsulant films, Dow Chemical has said it will be further developing the films and adding manufacturing capacity at its integrated site in Schkopau, Germany, in 2013.
Although shipments increased 5.8% in Q3 2012, compared with the previous quarter, China-based PV manufacturer, ReneSola had declining ASP’s that resulted in revenue down 6.4% q-on-q.
