DSM Advanced Solar and Independent Power Producer (IPP) SolarKapital have achieved a 4% energy gain at a 500kWp PV power plant in Türkenfeld, Bavaria, Germany by deploying DSM’s retrofit Anti-Reflective (AR) coating technology on First Solar’s CdTe panels.
‘Solar Module Super League’ member First Solar has aimed to double down on manufacturing with the sale of its O&M division, having kickstarted discussions around the future of its EPC business.
As part of PV-Tech’s focus to understand the status of heterojunction (HJT) solar cell production, investments and field performance, PV Tech recently caught up with the CEO of Hevel Solar, Igor Shakhray.
China-based PV module manufacturer Suntech has confirmed it received four ‘Top Performer’ status in the PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) ‘2020 PV Module Reliability Scorecard’ report that included its mono PERC half-cell module.
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions' annual 'Global Photovoltaic Reliability Report' for 2020 has identified a rapid increase of cracking in PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride) backsheets after inspecting more than nine million PV panels.
Power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been signed between First Solar and two community energy utility groups for energy from a 100MW solar power plant with 50MWh of energy storage in California’s Kern County.
COVID-19 has ‘exposed the vulnerability’ of value chains, says development bank as it advises other countries to develop domestic PV sector through standalone or collective action.
Preliminary data compiled by PV Tech highlights an unprecedented level of solar industry capacity expansion plans having been announced in just the first quarter of 2020, easily surpassing any total annual plans in the history of the industry.
Taking a more pessimistic view of the impact of COVID-19 on the end-market demand for solar installations in 2020, IHS Markit expects global installs to decline 16% to 105GW in 2020, compared to around 125GW in 2019.
Germany-based LPKF Laser & Electronics AG has told PV Tech that its manufacturing plants in Germany are able to operate at normal capacity levels, despite the continued impact of COVID-19.
Fraunhofer ISE expects to maintain much of their R&D activities despite COVID-19 restrictions as many engineers are said to working from home.
China-based PV manufacturer Jiangsu Akcome Science & Technology Co is issuing non-public ‘A’ shares to raise capital to invest in a second phase capacity expansion of heterojunction (HJ) solar cell and module production.
Full-year 2019 financial results show PV equipment supplier is evaluating the feasibility of becoming a volume producer of HJ solar cells and modules in Europe, notably in Germany.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member First Solar has forecasted net sales for 2020 to be in the range of US$2.7 billion to US$2.9 billion, compared to reporting 2019 sales of US$3,063 billion.
There needs to be a comprehensive industrial strategy for the solar industry located in the EU as part of the pending release of the EU’s own ‘Green Deal’ strategy, according to German manufacturing trade group VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) and solar trade association, SolarPower Europe.
