Meyer Burger wants to build another 400 MW factory
The Swiss manufacturer has secured €185 million for the expansion of its cell and module production. Meyer Burger no longer wants to sell its solar cells to third parties in the future.
Organic solar cell with 18.4% efficiency via new electrode coating
Saudi scientists built the cell’s electrode with a hole-transporting molecule called Br-2PACz and not with the commonly used PEDOT:PSS. It helped improve the photovoltaic cell efficiency by around 0.9%.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: New incentives for rooftop PV, TBEA increases stake in Xinte
China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has allocated RMB500 million (US$78.1 million) for the incentive scheme for residential PV in 2021. Chinese electronic engineer TBEA is set to raise its controlling stake in polysilicon manufacturer Xinte Energy as it attempts to fund a planned 100,000-tons-per-year fab in Inner Mongolia.
Has China extended solar grid-connection deadlines by a year?
Such a decision, which industry body the CPIA is adamant has already been announced, could make all the difference to investors struggling with a surge in equipment costs fueled by the polysilicon shortage. The all-important National Energy Administration, however, has yet to confirm whether the CPIA’s interpretation is correct.
Indian PV manufacturer expands output capacity to 2.5 GW
Goldi Solar is setting up a 2 GW factory in the Indian state of Gujarat, increasing its manufacturing capacity to 2.5 GW. The new facility will use micro-gap module technology to produce mono-facial and bifacial modules with peak power outputs exceeding 600 W.
Takeaways from the PVEL 2021 reliability scorecard
The annual publication from PV Evolution Labs shares results from solar panel stress tests focused on specified and verified bills of materials.
The weekend read: Driving toward the European solar inflection point
An inflection point for European solar is beginning to take shape as the industry finds itself in a period of acceleration and transformation. pv magazine’s European editors – Emiliano Bellini, Sandra Enkhardt, Gwénaelle DeBoutte, and Pilar Sánchez Molina, along with Jonathan Gifford – look at four trends shaping the market.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Canadian Solar plans 3 GW inverter factory
Moreover, Linyang Energy announced a plan to build a 10 GWh lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Qidong city, Jiangsu province. Chinese state-owned lender China Development Bank (CDB) has allocated RMB500 billion in special loans to support projects in the energy sector to help China reach its decarbonization targets
Polysilicon price rally may have reached its peak
Market analyst Bernreuter Research reports that the price of the raw material rose by around 160% from US$11/kg at the beginning of the year to $28.50/kg currently. However, following the SNEC trade show in Shanghai last week, the price rose by only 1%, which suggests a turnaround or a price stabilization may be expected.
Pure sulfide CIGS solar cell with 15.2% efficiency
The device was built by an international research team. The cell features a buffer layer based on zinc sulfide oxide and a low copper absorber. The cell showed an open-circuit voltage of 920 mV. And though a different material from the widely commercialized CIG selenide PV thin films, the researchers claim similar processes could be used in its large-scale manufacturing.
