Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

New research from Switzerland showed that the recent efforts to counterbalance the dominance of China in the PV industry may lead to “cost-significant” inefficiencies across the entire supply chain. The scientists found, however, that achieving regional supply chain goals can benefit the global PV ecosystem.

JinkoSolar claims Longi’s high-end back-contact (BC) solar products infringe on a former LG patent, which is now held by Jinko.

Conceived by scientists in Hong Kong, the solar balustrade integrates bifacial PV panels and is considered an ideal solution for “cool roofs.” Roof albedo and module orientation are critical drivers of system performance.

The Chinese manufacturer has upgraded its Infinite ABC solar module series with four new product versions. It claims the new modules are the world’s first 500 W panels measuring less than 2 m2.

France’s CEA-INES and WattByWatt, a Canadian startup, announced a 9 cm2 tandem perovskite-silicon PV cell with an efficiency of 28%, the result of an ongoing research collaboration.

Scientists in Korea have developed a new methodology to employ machine-learning models in “smart” solar cell manufacturing. They utilized data collected from equipment that closely resembles actual industrial manufacturing tools.

Several factors affect the productive lifespan of a residential solar panel. In the first part of a series, we look at the solar panels themselves.

Tempestuous trade conditions and policy uncertainty have led to module price fragmentation in the United States. Ahead of an expected reduction in manufacturing capacity utilization, leading manufacturers in China produced a high volume of cells in the spring. OPIS editorial director Hanwei Wu explains the latest market developments.

Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) has become a central concept in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, especially under recent regulatory initiatives like the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). While implementation of DMA will only become mandatory for many companies over the next few years, there are already discussions at the EU commission in Brussels about simplifying the process to ease adoption. As an early adopter, Trinasolar shares insights on the purpose and benefits of DMA, makes a strong case for full-scope transparency, and reflects on key learnings from the 2024 DMA matrix rollout.

The quality assurance provider reported India-based Insolation Energy, Waaree Renewable Technologies, and Solex Energy maintained their top three spots in the ranking this quarter. The number of companies with healthier Altmann-Z scores stayed the same at nine.