Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have used intense pulsed light (IPL) processing for the development of a busbarless silicon heterojunction solar cell. ILP processing is roll-to-roll technique for rapid thermal processing of various thin films.

KilowattSol CEO Xavier Daval has criticized the absence of references to solar in the French government’s post-Covid recovery plan, which has allocated €30 billion to the energy transition. The head of the PV technical advisory says solar must become more central to France’s strategic choices and China must not be allowed to retain its near-monopoly on PV panel manufacturing.

Scientists have developed a new micro CIGS cell by using an area-selective electro-deposition process as a material-saving technique. It has a conversion efficiency rate of 5.2% and a high open-circuit voltage.

Jolywood is one of the few PV manufacturers, who has placed its bet on TOPCon technology. Instead of focusing on the simplicity of the production process, Jolywood believes the conversion rate is more critical. With years of efforts, the company has established its leading position among TOPCon players. During the SNEC 2020 in Shanghai, pv magazine had the opportunity to interview Liu Zhifeng, Vice General Manager of Jolywood, and listened to his views on some hot topics, especially the cell tech route.

Polysilicon maker GCL-Poly has started construction of a factory with an annual production capacity of 54,000 MT as Chinese inverter manufacturer Goodwe launched an IPO on the Shanghai stock market.

Researchers in Germany are scaling up efforts to bring perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell technology into industrial scale production. The scientists say manufacturing cells of that kind is possible on widely-available six-inch silicon wafers and modular systems are being designed to do so at scale.

The annual EU PVSEC conference got under way virtually this morning via an online platform since the planned event in Lisbon could not go ahead due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Opening presentations revealed an air of optimism in the PV industry, amid expectations of a rapidly rising share in the energy mix, growing conversion efficiencies, advancing technology pathways and innovative solutions to the problem of integrating high levels of PV into electricity grids.

Chinese researchers have discovered a new hydrothermal method for the direct deposition of antimony sulfide-selenide films. They used ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to regulate the reaction system, giving the film a flat, compact surface morphology. It has an efficiency of 10.5%, an open-circuit voltage of 664 mV, a short-circuit current of 23.8 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 66.3%.

Scientists led by the Technical University of Munich have packed a variety of perovskite and organic solar cells onto a rocket, and sent it into orbit 240 kilometers above the planet’s surface. Their results demonstrate strong potential for such technologies to power satellites and even deep space missions.

Longyuan has revealed plans to build a 350 MW hybrid wind-solar plant in Shandong province. China Resources, meanwhile, said it will build 200 MW of floating solar in Hubei province.