Are Europe’s major solar associations divided, again?
An article published in French newspaper Le Monde recently sparked a war between two prominent European PV associations – the decades-old SolarPower Europe and the three-year-old newcomer the European Solar Manufacturing Council. pv magazine looked into the matter to unpick the potential long-term impact the rift could have on the sector.
France’s INES building first TOPCon panels for space applications
France’s National Solar Energy Institute (INES) – a division of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) – is developing ultra-thin TOPCon solar devices for space missions, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA).
GCL claims 18.04% efficiency for perovskite solar panel
The China National Institute of Metrology has certified the result. The manufacturer claims it was able to increase the panel efficiency from 16.02% to 18.04% in a few months.
New solar installations to hit 413 GW this year, says BloombergNEF
BloombergNEF says historically low module prices will drive the global solar industry to record installations in 2023.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: CHN Energy buys 10 GW of solar modules at $0.15/W
CHN Energy has acquired 10 GW of solar modules at $0.15/W in its most recent solar module procurement round. The state-owned company says it bought 3.21 GW of panels from Longi, 740 MW from Tongwei, 2.49 GW from Astronergy, and 3.56 GW from JinkoSolar.
India’s Waaree secures US order for 1.5 GW of TOPCon solar modules
India’s Waaree has signed a three-year deal with Acciona to supply 1.5 GW of TOPCon solar modules for the Spanish developer’s PV installations in the United States from 2024 to 2026.
Renewables helping China to halve power prices compared to US, Europe
Wood Mackenzie says in a new report that China could install 230 GW of PV and wind capacity and export more than 200 GW of solar panels in 2023. Unlike Europe and United States, the country is avoiding the high curtailment of PV and wind.
Solarwatt announces 85 layoffs
German module manufacturer Solarwatt blamed market disruptions and very low module prices for its decision to lay off 10% of employees at the end of the year.
Polysilicon prices could hit all-time low by year-end
Bernreuter Research says in a new report that it expects polysilicon prices to soon dip below the historical low of $6.75/kg, which was reached in June 2020. It says global polysilicon capacity could hit 2.95 million metric tons (MT) by the end of December, with just 200,000 MT of the total outside of China.
AEG releases 445 W all-black TOPCon solar module with 22.27% efficiency
AEG is offering three versions of its new all-black solar panels, with power outputs of 435 W to 445 W and efficiency ratings ranging from 21.5% to 22.0%. They feature 108 half-cut monocrystalline cells with n-type technology.
