During the period 2006 to 2011, equipment spending for solar manufacturing was a really big deal for capital equipment suppliers. Companies such as GT Advanced Technologies (then GT Solar) and Applied Materials (serving thin-film and c-Si expansions alike) were clocking up billion-dollar plus backlogs.
PV and polysilicon manufacturing equipment specialist centrotherm photovoltaics has reported first half 2016 consolidated revenue of €61.9 million and an order intake for the period of €89.5 million.
High-efficiency PV module producer and project developer SunPower said it was reducing its focus in PV power plant development outside the US and focusing more resources to the distributed generation market in the US.
Taiwan-based solar cell and wafer producers are being impacted by slowing demand from China and unfolding overcapacity that has resulted in ASP declines hitting monthly revenue figures since June.
Specialist PV manufacturing equipment supplier Amtech Systems backed-up previous quarters order bookings with solar equipment sales in its third fiscal quarter of 2016, reaching US$19 million.
The largest dedicated and integrated monocrystalline product producer Longi Silicon Materials has signed a cooperation contract with China-based PV module manufacturer and EPC firm ET Solar to champion monocrystalline technology and products globally.
Leading ‘Silicon Module Super league’ (SMSL) member Trina Solar has announced that its chairman and chief executive officer, Jifan Gao has secured an investor consortium to take the company private and exit the NYSE in a US$1.1 billion transaction. The merger is currently expected to close during the first quarter of 2017.
Recent first half 2016 downstream PV installation figures for China have led industry advisory firm AECEA to project full-year figures could be in the 25GW to 30GW range, significantly ahead of planned installs of around 18GW.
Ecoprogetti has launched its latest innovative sun simulator with LED technology in A+A+A+ Class certified and verified by TÜV. The newest levels in A+A+A+ of uniformity, stability and repeatability are the most advanced available in the market, according to the company. Ecosun Plus is the solution for precise and reliable I-V Curve tests of both standard PV modules and mainly for testing all new high efficiency cells technology in PV modules.
Integrated PV module manufacturer SolarWorld has reported flat revenue and shipments for the second quarter of 2016, compared with the previous quarter.
