SNEC 11th (2017) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition (SNEC 2017) in Shanghai, China maybe the largest annual exhibition in the solar industry but its sheer size and number of attendee’s can often mask emerging trends that are better highlighted at other events such as Solar Power International (SPI) in the US.
PV manufacturing equipment specialist 3D-Micromac said it had booked over 1.5GW of orders related to its microCELL TLS (Thermal Laser Separation) high-throughput half-cell cutting tools since the beginning of the year. The company is exhibiting and showcasing its laser systems at SNEC 2017 in Shanghai, China.
High-efficiency PV module manufacturer Jinneng Clean Energy Technology (Jinergy) said it would be starting mass production of its N-type monocrystalline bifacial heterojunction (HJ) modules, which were showcased at its Technology Developer Forum ahead of SNEC 2017 in Shanghai, China.
PLANT PV, has introduced its first major product to enable significant improvements in conventional solar cell power output. PLANT PV’s new ‘Silver-on-Aluminum’ paste is designed for easy implementation with no added investment cost for cell producers and is claimed to lead to a 1% increase in relative power output for c-Si solar cells. The company, which was incubated out of the Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, will present its Ag-on-Al paste concept and test results at the SNEC 11th International PV Power Generation Conference in Shanghai, China.
Inline measurement equipment specialist Aurora Solar Technologies (AST) has secured a new order from the world’s largest solar cell producer, expanding the use of its Decima 3T and Veritas servers for high-efficiency solar cell production.
Struggling China-based PV manufacturer Yingli Green Energy reported a full-year 2016 net loss of US$293.6 million with the majority of losses attributed to manufacturing impairment and supplier bad debt provisions incurred in the fourth quarter of 2016.
PV Tech’s preliminary analysis of global solar PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in the first quarter of 2017, show a strong rebound compared to the significantly subdued environment experienced in the second half of 2016.
Alfartec has introduced its BlueSky-MT240 solar simulator to the market that is based on LED and Halogen technologies, making it ideal for production, research and certification centers, globally. Its long flash duration up to 500 millisecondes and short cycle time are suitable for all module technologies.
Bankrupt US solar module start-up Beamreach Solar’s pilot production line in Milpitas, California is being offered for sale by Silicon Valley Disposition (SVD).
After several months of lacklustre sales from many key PV manufacturers in Taiwan, indicating an expected boom in China’s downstream PV market had yet to gain momentum, March sales data indicates improving market demand, yet not at the levels seen in the prior year quarter.
