As part of PV Tech’s ongoing analysis of global PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements, an important aspect remains the ever evolving geographical footprint of the upstream market of dedicated solar cell, module assembly, thin film and c-Si integrated facilities.
The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) has reported a slowdown in new solar PV manufacturing equipment orders from its members in the third quarter of 2016.
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Singulus Technologies said it had received the next contractually agreed pre-payment from the Chinese state-owned enterprise China National Building Materials (CNBM), owner of CIGS thin-film manufacturer, AVANCIS.
Two companies are constructing a 1MW solar PV plant in Thailand using various combinations of technologies in order to set up a learning centre and advisory board to help solar developers across the Southeast Asia region.
Research at the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), based at The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has reported a 12.1% efficiency rating for a 16 cm2 perovskite solar cell, partially funded by Suntech and Trina Solar and AUD$3.6 million in funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA).
Finland-based energy firm Fortum has invested €5.2 million in Exeger Sweden AB, dye-sensitized solar cell start-up to help support the launch of commercial products in 2017.
Leading thin-film producer First Solar has decided to skip the previously planned migration to its Series 5 module platform, while bringing plans forward to migrate to its large-area Series 6 module technology to 2018.
Struggling flexible CIGS thin-film consumer product producer Ascent Solar Technologies third quarter 2016 sales almost doubled but losses continue to mount.
PV and electronics equipment manufacturing and automation specialist Manz AG has said that expected ‘CIGSfab’ purchase orders that would be the largest in the history of the company have been delayed and not expected to be signed in 2016.
