Manufacturing

Malaysia has launched its new feed-in tariff (FIT) system for renewable energy. On December 1, it began accepting applications for projects from 2012 to 2014 through an e-FIT online system. By December 2, 201 proposals for 143.78 megawatts (MW) worth of photovoltaic projects had been submitted.

Roth & Rau AG says it has reached a new milestone, having achieved 21 percent efficiency on a 156 mm wafer. The company expects the heterojunction technology to be ready for mass production “in the near future”.

The third quarter (Q3) of 2011 was not kind to the photovoltaic inverter market. According to new research, revenues fell by 20 percent year on year. Germany has been identified as the main culprit behind the declining figures. Short-term price stabilization and a growing market provide some relief, however.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) voted unanimously (6-0) on Friday, December 2, to go forward with an investigation into whether “dumped and subsidized” imports from China have materially injured the U.S. domestic solar industry.

Despite significant financial incentives and a large project pipeline, comparatively few photovoltaic systems have been installed in Ontario thus far. The solar industry is now relying on faster approval phases, greater acceptance on the part of the banks and dynamic adjustment of the feed-in tariffs (FIT) to decline prices.

Solar product manufacturer, JA Solar has completed its previously announced takeover of Silver Age Holdings Limited.

Cutting red tape is the focus of the U.S. Rooftop Solar Challenge, which was yesterday awarded $12 million by the Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot program. The project will see 22 regional teams working towards cutting costs and reducing barriers for residential and small commercial photovoltaic systems.

Under a new agreement announced today, OSM Solarform Corp. will manufacture around 20 megawatts worth of LDK Solar’s photovoltaic modules at its Welland-based production line in Ontario.

AUO Optronics and utility company Eksom have completed a 1.2 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic project in South Africa. It is said to be the first system of its kind in the country.

Imec and Kaneka have developed a silver-free heterojunction silicon solar cell, with a conversion efficiency of over 21 percent. Imec speaks to pv magazine about the achievement and states that the use of copper in commercial cell production could come sooner than many think.