For all intents and purposes, 2018 may be remembered as the year that Taiwanese solar manufacturing moved from its former cell-making glory days of the past (Taiwan solar 1.0) to adjust to the new reality as defined by China’s bulldozing annihilation of cash-struck overseas manufacturing regions in recent times.
Manz launched its third generation ‘SpeedPicker’ 3.0 from its SAS series equipment for the specific handling of crystalline silicon wafers in the manufacturing of solar cells. SpeedPicker provides an automation solution for almost contact-free handling of solar cells throughout their entire production process.
China-based polysilicon and multicrystalline wafer producer Daqo New Energy has said it would discontinue its solar wafer manufacturing operations in September, 2018.
Much has been written and voiced over the past couple of months in the PV industry, following the so-called China-531 policy announcement that finally provided a wake-up call to Chinese manufacturers that their domestic end-market was not going to be allowed to maintain its near-exponential growth characteristics.
Hanwha Q CELLS new Q.PEAK DUO-G5 series modules are designed for higher efficiency and minimized degradation that provides a price to performance ratio designed to target the residential and commercial markets. The Q.PEAK DUO-G5 half-cell module won an Intersolar Award 2018.
Leading ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar has reported higher than guided second quarter PV module shipments and reiterated total shipments guidance to be in the range of 11.5GW to 12GW in 2018.
At Intersolar Europe 2018, PV Tech talked at length with Aiko Solar’s vice general manager Michael Ho, to gain an update on capacity expansions and strategy with its expanding range of PERC-based cells vis-a-vis the European market.
Leading integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology has entered into another major polysilicon supply deal, adding TBEA subsidiary, Xinte Energy Co to its supplier base in a new three-year purchasing agreement.
Chemicals firm Wacker Chemie has painted a rosier picture of polysilicon supply and demand in 2018 than most when reporting a small second quarter decline in polysilicon revenue.
