vertical integration

PV Tech speaks to JA Solar’s Henning Schulze about the module manufacturer’s European strategy, how vertical integration is helping it mitigate supply chain volatility and why lessons from the stock market can help guide solar module purchasing.

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been signed between First Solar and two community energy utility groups for energy from a 100MW solar power plant with 50MWh of energy storage in California’s Kern County.

Taiwan-based PV cell and module manufacturer Motech Industries plans to deploy 400MW of solar in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, according to a company executive, while it is also in early talks with other cell makers about setting up a module factory.

Vertically-integrated solar firm and industrial goods company Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) had 370MW in its solar PV portfolio at the end of FY2016/17, of which 360MW was ground-mount and 10MW was rooftop.