French startup plans 5 GW solar module factory
Holosolis aims to construct a new factory in Hambach, northwestern France, close to where REC previously had plans for a 4 GW heterojunction panel manufacturing facility.
Solar for microbreweries
Spanish researchers have studied the potential of rooftop PV in microbreweries and have found that solar could cut the cost of heating and refrigeration by nearly 30%. They say that coupling PV with small breweries could result in payback times ranging from 4.3 to 6.6 years.
US Treasury Department releases guidance on domestic solar content
The US Inflation Reduction Act includes a 10% bonus for solar power projects that use US-made content, and the Department of the Treasury has released long-awaited details on what this means.
Weekend Read: A manufacturing bridge between Europe and Asia
A combination of protectionist measures, attractive profit margins, and domestic content incentives has revitalized Turkey’s solar manufacturing industry. Jonathan Gifford asks whether the resurgent sector can become a player on the world stage.
FuturaSun to start PV cell production with 10 GW solar factory in China
FuturaSun is betting on a vertical integration strategy with the launch of a 10 GW solar cell factory in Huai’an, China. It aims to start production in spring 2024.
First Solar acquires Swedish perovskite specialist Evolar
First Solar has agreed to pay $38 million to buy Swedish manufacturing startup Evolar AB, as it seeks to expand development of high-efficiency tandem PV tech.
Polysilicon prices preserve downward trend, weighed down by supply factors
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
Avoiding PV buyer’s remorse
New entrants to solar equipment procurement may be surprised to encounter constantly amended contract terms, index-linked price rises, and near-worthless defect warranties, but they reflect recent supply chain troubles. Clean Energy Associates’ Martin Deak offers a buyers guide.
Kaneka presents 29.2%-efficient 2T silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell
Kaneka’s two-terminal tandem perovskite solar cell has achieved the highest efficiency ever recorded for such a device based on an industrial Czochralski (CZ) silicon wafer. It has an open-circuit voltage of 1.929 V, a short-circuit current density of 19.5 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 77.55%.
Enerparc COO signals 10-20% potential increase in European PV module prices
Growing interest in European-made solar modules for rooftop systems and PV plants reflects a willingness to increase investments, according to Enerparc COO Stefan Müller. In a recent interview with pv magazine, Müller discusses the market for corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) and the viability of German solar PV tenders.
