This article continues our series of features introducing new methodology that allows leading PV module producers to be categorised, ranked and short-listed by manufacturing and financial strength metrics; ultimately providing an investor-risk (or bankability) profile of PV module suppliers for non-residential end-market selection.
This article introduces a new methodology that allows leading PV module producers to be categorised by manufacturing and financial strength metrics, ultimately providing an investor-risk (or bankability) profile for non-residential end-market selection.
The PV industry roadmap - and related metrics of technology and bankability - are now being driven by leading module supplier, JinkoSolar, with others seeking to replicate Jinko’s product line options, trying to differentiate in markets that are receptive to low-cost alternatives, or focusing only on rooftop markets where volumes are lower and sales/distribution efforts are more intensive.
The PV industry is undergoing rapid technology changes that have been driven by the well documented, swift adoption of monocrystalline wafers. Less well understood is that, within this wafer technology transition comes a shift to larger wafer sizes and this includes p-type and n-type mono-Si wafers.
The largest monocrystalline wafer producer, LONGi Green Energy Technology Co has signed another project investment agreement to build and operate a 5GW PV module assembly plant.
Leading monocrystalline wafer producer and ‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology is planning to invest around US$875.7 million in expanding its Czochralski-based monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si) ingot and wafer capacity by 15GW, while expanding mono-Si solar cell capacity by an initial 3GW in 2020.
Leading monocrystalline wafer producer and ‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology has announced plans to build a new 1GW monocrystalline solar cell manufacturing plant in Kuching, Malaysia.
Today’s industry standard B-doped monocrystalline silicon still suffers from light-induced degradation of the carrier lifetime. Illumination at elevated temperature leads to a so-called regeneration, i.e. a recovery of the carrier lifetime as well as the solar cell efficiency. However, even though the carrier lifetime on test wafers increases from about 1 ms after processing to 3 ms after regeneration, the corresponding PERC+ cell efficiencies in both states are identical. We discuss possible reasons for this discrepancy. Additionally, we evaluate B-doped Czochralski silicon wafers with an ultra-low oxygen content of 2.6 ppma as well as industrial Ga-doped wafers. Both wafer materials are completely LID-free in lifetime measurements and PERC+ cell efficiencies and enable up to 0.4%abs higher efficiencies than present industry-typical boron-doped wafers.
According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) and petrochemicals to manufacturing conglomerate SABIC have signed MOU’s with LONGi Group and OCI to bring fully integrated solar manufacturing to the country.
‘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.
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.
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.
Leading integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology is believed to have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saudi Arabia’s major commercial and industrial trading company, El Seif Group to establish a large-scale solar manufacturing infrastructure in the Kingdom.
China-based integrated polysilicon and merchant PV manufacturer Tongwei Group has signed a major 55,000MT polysilicon supply deal with leading integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology.
