‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Solar, a subsidiary of leading monocrystalline wafer producer LONGi Green Energy Technology Co is to offer its first AC module to the US market in the fourth quarter of 2018.
PV Tech caught up with Scott Howard, global marketing manager, Solar Energy Solutions, at 3M to discuss how sunlight can be redirected for improved efficiency in PV modules.
Polysilicon producer REC Silicon has been forced to sell solar grade (FBR) polysilicon below cash cost, due to weak demand and ASP declines, driven by demand curtailment in China and continued polysilicon capacity expansions.
Leading CdTe thin-film module manufacturer First Solar is building a 58MW (AC) PV power plant using its next-generation large-area Series 6 modules and single-axis trackers for Facebook’s Prineville Data Center located in Oregon.
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.
NM Renewable Development, LLC (NMRD), a joint venture between subsidiaries of utilities PNM Resources and American Electric Power, will build two 50MW solar PV projects in New Mexico to power Facebook facilities.
D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments has signed off on an agreement to acquire the 100MW Willow Springs Solar Project in Kern County, California from First Solar.
New York plans to incentivise commercial and industrial (C&I) solar-plus-storage projects, kicking off by making US$40 million funding available to support 50MW of storage paired with solar from early November.