Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

France’s Liten organization said it raised efficiency more than 20% with improved thickness homogeneity of the perovskite and optimized composition of the n-type interfacial layer. The previous record of 16.9% was attained by the same research group early last year.

Soluxtec is almost trebling output capacity at its 200 MW fab in the Eifel region. The Luxembourg-owned manufacturer says it wants production capacity of 550 MW for monocrystalline PERC modules and special formats this year.

A U.S. research team has discovered that backsheets are most affected by cracking and degradation on inner layers, as such areas tend to become more rigid. The scientists have also discovered that degradation is accelerated by chemicals descending from the solar cells’ EVA encapsulant to the backsheets themselves.

United Renewable Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding to supply project developer Ye Heng Power with 120 MW of its solar panels. It plans to start shipping the PV modules in the second half.

With the opening of insolvency proceedings, the business operations of the company were halted days ago. No potential investor could be found to take over the business.

Korean scientists have unveiled a colorless device made of silicon microwire composites. The enhanced light absorption of the cell, the researchers claim, is due to the re-absorption of light by the microwires, which also benefit from an enhanced electric field.

The alleged resale in developing countries of solar modules sent for end-of-life recycling in Sicily could have an important lesson for the PV industry: select reliable recycling entities to avoid potential trouble further down the line. The PV industry should also avoid another potential risk, that of the illegal disposal of PV waste outside the EU.

Algerian telecoms and renewable energy company Milltech is planning to begin producing panels at a new factory next month. The modules made there will chiefly be distributed in Algeria but the company also hopes to export.

The device exhibited a small performance loss after a 400-hour thermal stability test at 85 degrees Celsius and after the same period under maximum power point tracking at 40 degrees Celsius, according to its developer. The cell was made by combining solution-processed, micrometer-thick perovskite top cells with fully-textured silicon heterojunction bottom cells.

Developers are also expected to drag their heels over project completion during the first half of the year as the safeguarding duty applied to imported Chinese and Malaysian solar products is due to expire at the end of July.