The recent announcements from Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) manufacturer LONGi Silicon Materials, to acquire the Malaysia wafering operations of Comtec Solar Systems Group and to align with Trina Solar and Tongwei for a new 5GW factory in China, represent yet more substance to LONGi’s active push to shift the industry to mono c-Si cell and module supply.
Monocrystalline wafer producer Comtec Solar Systems Group said it planned to sell its Malaysian facility and some of the installed production equipment to leading integrated monocrystalline ingot to module producer, Longi Silicon Materials.
Three major Chinese PV manufacturers, Longi Silicon Materials, Trina Solar and Tongwei, via its polysilicon subsidiary, Sichuan Yongxiang, are to form a Joint Venture (JV) to own and operate a previously planned 5GW monocrystalline silicon ingot pulling production plant in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China, by Longi.
China-based PV manufacturer GCL System Integration Technology (GCLS) has teamed with Vietnam-based OEM producer, Vina Solar Technology to establish a 600MW solar cell plant at Vina’s Bac Giang facilities.
Nanoelectronics research centre imec said that copper-based solar cells have reached the same reliability standards as traditional silver-based solar cells in recently completed rapid-cycle testing of a limited number of specially prepared modules.
US-based PV module manufacturer Suniva has officially opened its 250MW capacity expansion at its US headquarters, located in Norcross, Atlanta, Georgia.
Integrated PV module manufacturer REC Group has reported around a 15% decline in third quarter, 2016 shipments, driven by around an 18% decline in shipments to its largest market, the US.
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.
PV manufacturer Wuxi Suntech has established a new sales and service hub in Europe since withdrawing from the EU Minimum Import Price (MIP) agreement in October, 2016.
Engineered Material Systems (EMS) has launched a new 561-400 series low-cost ‘snap cure’ conductive adhesive, which is designed for stringing and shingling crystalline silicon and heterojunction solar modules.
