PV equipment specialist, centrotherm reported first quarter 2014 revenue of €39.5 million of which around 50% was attributed to payments on its turnkey polysilicon plant being built for Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) in Qatar.
The Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) will partner on thin-film PV research with Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Materials specialist Krempel Group said it recently received Japan’s JET certification for its black PV fluoropolymer backsheet laminate as well as obtaining TÜV certification for differently coloured fluoropolymer-based backsheets.
Korean-based materials and PV project developer, OCI has reported a new quarterly record in polysilicon shipments and higher average selling prices (ASPS), reflecting the continued strong demand in the PV industry in the first quarter of 2014.
Solar wafer-to-module processing service provider, Solargiga Energy Holdings, has reported preliminary unaudited first quarter 2014 sales and shipments that are significantly higher than the same period a year ago.
Although the shutdown of its Sichuan Phase I polysilicon production line impacted profitability in 2013, tier one PV manufacturer, ReneSola reported a 142.5% year-on-year increase in PV module shipments, reaching 1,728.8MW with plans to reach 2.5GW in 2014.
As part of the expected IPO of SunEdison’s semiconductor wafer and polysilicon operations into SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (SSL), Samsung Fine Chemicals is planning to purchase US$100 million in shares in the spin-off company in private placement.
Wacker Chemie has agreed a minimum pricing deal with China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) that will allow the chemical producer to continue exporting polysilicon made at its plants in Europe to China.
The delay to the US solar trade case could further increase PV prices, which are already on the up due to high demand, according to consultancy firm EnergyTrend.
