Struggling former ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Yingli Green Energy is putting greater emphasis on high-efficiency N-PERT monocrystalline ‘PANDA’ bifacial modules as a key part of its potential business turnaround.
India-based solar equipment manufacturer Renewsys India, part of international conglomerate Enpee Group, has launched production of 5-busbar (BB) solar PV cells at a Hyderabad facility in the Indian state of Telangana.
Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd (Aiko Solar), merchant solar cell producer has launched a high-efficiency P-type mono-PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) bifacial solar cell with front-side cell efficiency >21% and rear-side >15%. The company showcased the bifacial cell at SNEC 2017.
The vast number of announcements related to P-type mono PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) production in the last 18 months have primarily related to integrated cell and module producers shifting in-house production to the high-efficiency cells, as conventional multicrystalline Al-BSF (Aluminium-Back Surface Field) solar cells reach efficiency limitations.
Leading PV manufacturing equipment supplier Meyer Burger said that it had received follow-on orders from two customers based in Asia for its PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell) upgrade technology totalling around CHF 80 million (US$82.4 million).
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS said its key strategic focus was to diversify its regional and market segment sales in 2017, while reiterating full-year PV module shipment guidance to be in the range of 5.5GW to 5.7GW in 2017.
PV laser technology equipment specialist InnoLas Solutions has secured another multiple machine order from an Asian customer for its new ‘ILS-TTnx’ high throughput laser machine platform used for PERC (Passivated Emitter Rear Cell), as well as LDSE (Laser Doped Selective Emitter) processes.
InnoLas Solutions has launched its new high throughput laser workstation for various applications with throughput up to 6000 wafers per hour (WPH). The ILS-TTnx (InnoLas turntable next generation platform) is based on InnoLas’ existing and proven rotary table machine platform with a multi process head configuration and a dual lane automation system.
Sweden-based solar cell nanowire materials start-up Sol Voltaics said it had achieved a key breakthrough in commercializing its gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanowire film for crystalline silicon solar cells.
Inline solar cell measurement equipment specialist Aurora Solar Technologies (AST) said it was collaborating with several leading PV manufacturers in Asia to develop and test an enhanced version of its Veritas visualization software and quality control systems.
Taiwan-based cell and module producer Neo Solar Power (NSP) is not expecting a recovery in sales until fourth quarter of 2017, due to a series of market forces impacting its business.
Mono c-Si cell production is forecast to account for 49% of all c-Si cell production in 2018, and will become the dominant technology used in the PV industry by 2019, according to new research contained in the latest release of the PV Manufacturing & Technology Quarterly report, from the in-house research unit at PV-Tech’s parent company Solar Media Ltd.
Specialist semiconductor and PV equipment supplier Intevac reported first quarter 2017 financial results that included a 40% increase in new orders, driven by its largest single order in its Thin-film Equipment segment that includes its solar product offerings with a 12 system follow-on order in March for its solar ‘ENERGi’ implant tools.
PV laser technology equipment specialist InnoLas Solutions has secured new orders for its ILS-TTnx high-throughput laser platform that is being officially launched at 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.
