Thin-Film

Taiwan-based TSMC Solar has pushed its CIGS thin-film module efficiency to 15.7%, up from 15.1%, only four months ago.

With the aim of achieving 20% conversion efficiencies but with lower material costs, Solliance and imec have demonstrated a CZTSe (Cu2ZnSnSe4)-based thin-film solar cell (1x1cm2, AM1.5G) with 9.7% efficiency.

Having received an unspecified capital injection, CIGS thin-film start-up Solarion has successfully exited insolvency proceedings.

First Solar is to offer 8.5 million shares at US$46.00 per share potentially bringing in US$391 million of new capital to build PV power plants.

Multi-junction solar cells with conversion efficiencies of almost 50% could become cost effective as a result of a collaboration between equipment supplier EV Group and Fraunhofer ISE.

Employing its liquid-based dye solar cell (DSC) substrate, Dyesol claimed it had surpassed the standard IEC 61646 design qualification for PV modules, without disclosing the approved testing house.

Chinese thin-film manufacturer Hanergy has acquired Engensa, a UK-based home energy systems provider, for an undisclosed purchase price.

German chemical company Merck will lead a consortium to develop high-efficiency cobalt-based dye-sensitised solar cells.

First quarter 2013 new order intake at manufacturing equipment specialist Singulus Technologies may have been at a low level but sales in the quarter increased to €22.8 million.

Leading PV energy provider (PVEP), First Solar reported first quarter revenue of US$755 million in the quarter, a decrease of US$320 million from the fourth quarter of 2012 but exceeded slightly the top range of guidance.