Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Under a new agreement, Helios Solar Works will manufacture and supply photovoltaic modules to Arista Power, which is currently expanding its solar presence.

3Sun, Italy’s largest solar module factory, has been inaugurated in Catania, Sicily. A new joint venture (JV) by its owners has now been formed to install 500 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic systems using the modules produced.

GT Solar International, Inc. has received new orders worth USD$81.7 million for its polysilicon production equipment.

Phase II of Gesolar’s workshop has gone into production. The potential for over 200 new jobs has been created and an extra 180 megawatts (MW) of annual production capacity added.

Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd. and MEMC Singapore Pte. Ltd.have entered into a strategic partnership agreement to establish a solar cell production facility.

Due to oversupply in the photovoltaic market in 2010, the global inverter market is expected to decline by over 10 percent, to below $6 billion this year. The long-term outlook is, however, positive.

Suntech has terminated a solar wafer supply agreement with MEMC. It will also discontinue investment in thin film subsidiary CSG Solar AG. Overall, the company will incur expenses of around USD$236 million.

JA Solar will boost its internal wafer capacity following the acquisition of Silver Age Holdings Limited for USD$180 million.

GCL-Poly subsidiary, GCL Silicon Material Technology Development Co., Ltd. has ordered CHF160 million (around USD$192.3 million; €133.6 million) worth of new photovoltaic equipment from Meyer Burger Technology Ltd.

Siemens has acquired around a 16 percent share in high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) module manufacturer Semprius, for an undisclosed amount. The move will help Semprius scale up its activities to production levels by 2012.