PV oversupply issues will see 60 GW capacity come offline by 2015
GTM Research forecasts that a massive 60 GW of photovoltaic product capacity will come offline by 2015, as supply continues to outstrip demand. The company furthermore believes that module manufacturing costs will reach US$0.45/W and that product differentiation will be key to survival.
Stion hits 13.4 percent CIGS module efficiency
U.S.-based thin film manufacturer, Stion has achieved a CIGS photovoltaic module efficiency of 13.4 percent, and an aperture efficiency of 14.8 percent. The results have been verified by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
EthoSolar and TecnoSun to manufacture PV tracking systems in Ontario
EthoSolar and its sister company, TecnoSun Solar Canada Inc. have announced they will establish a 50 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic tracking system manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada. The move is part of a strategic partnership, developed with Germany-based TecnoSun Solar Systems AG.
China module manufacturer tops SVTC solar scorecard
Trina Solar ranked first in the U.S.-based Silicon Valley Toxics Coalitions (SVTCs) latest solar scorecard. The Chinese photovoltaic module manufacturer ironically knocked SolarWorld off the top spot.
MBJ Service, Solon and SolarEdge win 2012 Intersolar Awards
In the category “Photovoltaic”, MBJ Service, Solon and SolarEdge have been presented with the 2012 Intersolar Award.
Kaneka and imec hit 22.68 percent heterojunction cell efficiency
Japans Kaneka Corporation and Belgium-based imec have achieved an efficiency of 22.68 percent on a six inch semi-square heterojunction silicon solar cell using an electroplated copper contact grid. The results have been confirmed by the Fraunhofer ISE CalLab.
Panasonic ramps up Li-ion battery production
Panasonic Corporation will begin mass production of its lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery system, which has been developed for European residential homes kitted out with solar.
PV modules: Branding and bankability do not always correlate to quality
Caveat emptor! While photovoltaic modules may have reached the commercial stage of “commoditization”, they are not all the same. According to SolarBuyer, manufacturers are sacrificing quality and reliability in their quest to take shortcuts; something non-transparent supply chains are failing to pick up on.
MiaSole hits 15.5 percent efficiency with flexible CIGS module
MiaSole has reached a new copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin film photovoltaic module efficiency. The results have been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
France: Total and SunPower commission 44 MWp module plant
Oil giant Total, and its affiliate, U.S.-based SunPower have commissioned a new photovoltaic module factory in eastern France.
