REC’s module shipments reach 640MW in first half of 2016

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
REC is currently upgrading and migrating its 1.3GW capacity to half-cut PERC cell technology and recently announced that it had started volume production of its 72-cell ‘TwinPeak’ module, using half-cut PERC cells. Image: REC

Integrated PV module manufacturer REC Group said total module shipments in the second quarter of 2016 reached 326MW, bringing first half year shipments to 640MW and a 4% quarter-on-quarter increase.

Although REC is no longer publically listed, the company continues to provide limited business information on a quarterly basis. 

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

REC’s key market continued to be the US, with shipments in the second quarter to have reached 202MW, accounting for over 60% of total shipments. US shipments in the first quarter of 2016 were 185MW. 

REC currently produces the majority of PV modules at its integrated manufacturing plant in Singapore. 

US shipments were said to have increase by 57%, year-on-year. The company is a key supplier to leading US residential installer, SolarCity and US project developer, Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Canadian Solar. 

Recurrent Energy recently completed a 200MWac/257MWp project located near Tranquillity, California which solely used REC’s modules. The project was started in the summer of 2015. 

REC also noted that shipments to the EMEA region reached 99MW in the second quarter of 2016, up from 78MW in the previous quarter and increased 87% (53MW) from the prior year period. 

However, shipments to the APAC region declined around 50% in the second quarter, accounting for only 25MW of shipments, compared to 51MW in the prior quarter. Japan was a major contributor to the APAC region shipment decline, according to the company. 

REC’s key market continued to be the US, with shipments in the second quarter to have reached 202MW, accounting for over 60% of total shipments. US shipments in the first quarter of 2016 were 185MW. Image: REC

Production update

REC is currently upgrading and migrating its 1.3GW capacity to half-cut PERC cell technology and recently announced that it had started volume production of its 72-cell ‘TwinPeak’ module, using half-cut PERC cells.

The PERC upgrades were recently said to have resulted in a pre-production batch of multicrystalline solar cells reach a conversion efficiency of 20.47% measured by an in-house tester with an external calibration cell.

The company also noted that recent upgrades included a transition to a new online slurry system for multicrystalline wafer production that was completed at the end of May, 2016. The in-house slurry system was said to enable wafer production cost reductions as well as enhance capacity management and process optimization.

However, the recently trimmed its global workforce by 3% or around 65 jobs out of approximately 2,200 employees, due to global solar market conditions, including significant pricing pressure on PV modules.

REC also noted that it was still committed to spending US$48 million to upgrade all production at its Singapore facility.

The company has remained capacity constrained for the last 18-months.

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

October 3, 2025
The US solar manufacturing industry is feeling bullish, despite the policy whiplash inflicted over the summer and the increased pressure on US solar supply chains.
October 2, 2025
Spanish waste management company Trabede and energy firm Greening Group will build a solar module recycling plant in Granada, Andalusia, Spain.
October 2, 2025
PV products using perovskite technology could assume a dominant position within the next ten years, according to module producer Qcells' CTO.
Premium
October 2, 2025
PV Talk: Qcells’ CTO Danielle Merfeld discusses the imminent opening of America’s first integrated c-Si ingot-to-module factory and her belief in solar’s long-term strengths.
September 30, 2025
US solar developer Sol Systems has completed construction on a 342MW PV project in the state of Illinois.
September 30, 2025
Chinese solar firm SoleFiori (Hongjun New Energy) has signed an agreement with the Saudi Arabian government to build a 6GW heterojunction technology (HJT) module production facility in the country.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland