PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in the second quarter of 2018, were slightly higher than the previous quarter, although activity slumped specifically in June, after China’s decision to suddenly cap utility-scale and distributed generation (DG) projects (531 New Deal). But large-scale multi-gigawatt production plans in the first half of the year may have hidden an inevitable slowdown, despite the impact on downstream demand from the 531 New Deal.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) leader JinkoSolar said it had supplied 10MW of its P-type mono PERC ‘Eagle’ modules (JKM295M-60) series for a PV power plant project built by Huaneng Renewables in Inner Mongolia, China.
The Chinese government’s decision (531 New Deal) to curtail utility-scale and distributed generation (DG) PV deployments just after the SNEC trade show at the end of May, not only surprised the industry but has since fuelled a significant ASP decline of modules and inverters.
Ahead of the forthcoming PV ModuleTech 2018 event in Penang, Malaysia on 23-24 October 2018, PV-Tech took the time to catch up with Pepijn Veling of Eternal Sun Group.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS has as expected confirmed it would de-list from NASDAQ as part of its planned acquisition by Hanwha Solar Holdings Co, a subsidiary of Hanwha Chemical Corporation.
Leading PV manufacturing equipment supplier Meyer Burger has announced a new restructuring program, which is intended to bring its breakeven level to around CHF 250 million per annum.
Following-on from our recent analysis of Tesla’s solar panel supply base changing rapidly, the same is true of leading public listed US residential installer, Sunrun.
The Netherlands-based PV module manufacturer Energyra B.V will be launching its first high-efficiency 60-cell module using P-type monocrystalline PERC solar cells with ECN patented metallization wrap-through (MWT) technology with a back contact conductive backsheet configuration. Energyra modules will have peak power values ranging from 300 to 325Wp and high durability under dynamic weather conditions, while providing best-in-class aesthetics for residential PV applications.
During the past few years, we have had numerous requests at PV-Tech from a wide range of PV industry stakeholders (due mainly to the success of the PV CellTech and PV ModuleTech series of conferences) to launch an India-specific PV event in Delhi. The requests have come from Indian companies, overseas investors, government bodies, trade associations, and both upstream/downstream industry activists seeking to understand and drive future developments.
We have tracked the annual R&D spending of 12 key publicly listed PV module manufacturers over the last 10 years. We present our new methodology with a broader scope which reveals record levels of investment in solar innovation.
