PV ModuleTech 2018

The solar industry gets to grips with the bewildering array of new module technologies at the second edition of the PV ModuleTech event in Penang, Malaysia. The conference raised a huge number of questions such as how to evaluate bifacial technology and whether it might rise faster than predicted, how long p-type multicrystalline has left in the running and the perennial issue of quality, to name a few.

PV Tech caught up with Oakland Fu, technical manager at DuPont, to discuss data from one of the industry’s largest field studies as well as challenges for the industry in adapting to new technologies on the way to grid parity.

PV Tech caught up with Lou Trippel, vice president of Product Management at US-based thin-film solar manufacturer and developer First Solar, to discuss how the company’s new Series 6 module has been received, sustainability gains from the transition and even the firm’s consideration of recycling capabilities beyond its thin-film remit.

PV Tech caught up with Tristan Erion-Lorico, Head of PV Module Business, Laboratory Services, at quality assurance and risk management company, DNV GL, to discuss extended testing of bifacial modules and third-party, outdoor trials using single-axis trackers on 1500V.

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.

PV Tech caught up with Daniel Chang, technical director at major China-based PV manufacturer JinkoSolar, to discuss the performance of installed PERC products, new testing regimes, what consumers are asking for and how to release new modules to market.

Ahead of the forthcoming PV ModuleTech 2018 event in Penang, Malaysia on 23-24 October 2018, PV-Tech took the time to catch up with Pepijn Veling of Eternal Sun Group.

The solar industry, in terms of deployment, will sadly not be growing by 30% in 2018. However, the good news is that the PV ModuleTech 2018 event – taking place in Penang, Malaysia on 23-24 October 2018 – will see more than 30% growth in the number of companies taking part and the number of attendees on site.

Module technology is offering utility solar developers more choice than ever. Frank Faller, VP of technology at 8minutenergy talks to Lauren Cook ahead of his presentation at our PV ModuleTech 2018 event in Penang on 23-24 October.

PV ModuleTech 2018 will explain exactly what module companies and technologies will dominate large-scale commercial and utility solar sites in 2019, including the key drivers, risks and opportunities from bifacial module deployment.

Ahead of PV ModuleTech conference, Finlay Colville takes an in-depth look at the type of module companies that will be internationally known over the next 12-18 months.

Heading into the PV ModuleTech 2018 event in Penang, Malaysia on 23-24 October 2018, PV-Tech is set to conduct a series of interviews with leading project developers and EPCs, to understand what downstream channels of the utility-scale PV segment are looking for, when choosing PV module suppliers and their respective module technology offerings.

As the solar industry has grown from a 50GW market to 100GW in just a few years, the desire to have differentiated production has increased, especially for companies entering the market or repositioning strategies.

As module suppliers adapt to the slowdown of Chinese module demand in 2018 and 2019, global EPCs and developers are likely to see new Asian-produced panels being offered for both rooftop and ground-mount installations.

Since Chinese investments into major cell and module facilities started - more than 10 years ago - success ultimately has been driven by overseas market-share gains, above other technical or financial benchmarks that otherwise would be expected.

Module selection for utility-scale solar sites in 2019 is likely to see the widespread availability of higher performance products with average selling prices significantly lower than witnessed over the past 12-18 months. So what does this mean for EPCs and developers? Finlay Colville reveals all.

PV manufacturing capacity expansion announcements in the first quarter of 2018 continued to follow the strong trend set in the fourth quarter of 2017. The quarter also represented a revival in thin-film expansion plans as well as the return of PV module assembly outpacing solar cell announcements. Also notable was the return of India and the US as major destinations for new capacity plans.

The past few weeks has seen some of the most dramatic knee-jerk, naïve and misinformed PV market reporting seen in recent times, with the headlines often resembling nothing more than tabloid sensationalism.

PV CellTech 2018 saw Chief Technology Officers and senior executives from the world's top solar cell manufacturers and equipment suppliers give key indications of which cell technologies will be driving the industry in the coming years.

The evolution of metallization paste and its impact on cell technology development was a key topic at PV CellTech 2018. During the conference, we caught up with Guangyao Jin, chief scientist, DuPont Solamet photovoltaic metallization pastes, to discuss industry trends.

Enhancing quality control in PV cell production was a key topic at PV CellTech 2018. After the conference, we caught up with Gordon Deans, founder and chief operating officer of inline solar cell measurement equipment specialist Aurora Solar Technologies to discuss some of the requirements when moving towards smart factories.

Driving p- and n-type solar cell manufacturing beyond current limitations was a key topic at PV CellTech last week. We caught up with the CTO of leading PV equipment supplier Meyer Burger, Dr. Gunter Erfurt, during the conference, to discuss just how fast the industry is moving.

Having just reached the 100GW annual capacity level, the solar manufacturing industry must hit another 100GW within three years to meet demand, according to prominent industry figure Pierre Verlinden, who was former chief scientist of major PV manufacturer Trina Solar.

Ahead of the company’s forthcoming talk at the PV CellTech 2018 meeting in Penang, Malaysia on 13-14 March 2018, PV Tech met with Omid Shojaei, the CEO of heterojunction production equipment supplier INDEOtec, to get his thoughts on the new investments and expansions being applied to n-type heterojunction concepts.

Russia-based integrated PV manufacturer Hevel Group, which has switched production from amorphous silicon thin-film technology to silicon heterojunction (HJ) has said it has been successful in ramping to its 160MW nameplate capacity and achieving cell conversion efficiencies of 22.8%.

Inline solar cell measurement equipment specialist Aurora Solar Technologies (AST) said it was developing its technology to support heterojunction (HJ) solar cell development and Industry 4.0 initiatives in China for next-generation advanced solar manufacturing plants.

Leading fully-integrated high-efficiency monocrystalline module manufacturer and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member LONGi Green Energy Technology has set a strategic plan to triple monocrystalline ingot and wafer capacity to 45GW in 2020.

The third annual PV CellTech conference takes place in Penang, Malaysia on 13-14 March 2018, and this year’s event has been structured to explain exactly what is happening with the multi-GW expansion plans for high-efficiency cell concepts, across the industry’s established producers and the wave of new entrants that are seeking to influence cell availability in 2018 and beyond.

Efficiency gains and productivity improvements are set to dominate the PV manufacturing landscape again in 2018, with strong investments continuing to flow into existing and new cell architectures, with gigawatt-level status now becoming the norm for the manufacturing segment, writes Finlay Colville.