Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Collaborative research between Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) and Amtech Systems Inc. has resulted in laboratory efficiencies of 19.7 percent and 17.6 percent for a crystalline photovoltaic cell and module, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made over USD$145 million available to 69 solar projects across the country. The goal is to position the U.S. as an industry leader.

Although the photovoltaic module market has suffered setbacks this year, Asian manufacturers are keeping the competition on its toes. According to new research, the top three suppliers in the second quarter of the year (Q2) are Chinese.

Centrotec Sustainable AG’s Dutch subsidiary, Ubbink B.V. has opened a photovoltaic module manufacturing factory in Nairobi, Kenya. It is said to be the first such facility in East Africa.

U.S.-based Global Solar Energy has opened a 35 megawatt flexible thin film photovoltaic module manufacturing plant in Germany’s Berlin-Adlershof.

Schiller Automation GmbH & Co. KG will supply automation equipment to an unnamed Chinese customer for a new 120 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic thin film factory.

How can the solar industry achieve, say, 200 gigawatts (GW) of annual installation by 2020? By using a lot of silicon and finding creative means to bring solar to the masses, according a panel of executives at Intersolar in San Francisco on Thursday.

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has posted two world solar cell efficiency records in as many months raising the mark on a mass-produced, crystalline silicon solar cell to 19.4 percent.

A new record efficiency level has been set for Copper-Indium-Gallium-(di)selenide (CIGS) photovoltaic devices at 16.36 percent by California-based company XsunX.

Kaco new energy has opened a two gigawatt (GW) inverter manufacturing plant in London, Ontario. Over 100 jobs are expected to be created.