Technology and R&D

Although the adoption of new photovoltaic inverter technologies “strongly” grew in 2010, they accounted for under one percent of overall inverter revenues, according to new research. However, predictions are this market will grow two-fold annually until 2015.

The U.S. non-residential photovoltaic pipeline is sitting at 24 gigawatts (GW), up from 17 GW two months ago, according to new research. The increase is attributed to falling factory gate module prices.

Day4 Energy has signed an agreement with Ever Energy Co. Ltd under which its Day4 DNA photovoltaic cells will be manufactured in Taiwan.

A new joint venture has been set up, in order to produce metal products and other, valuable materials from old photovoltaic modules.

A USD$150 million loan guarantee for 1336 Technologies Inc. has been finalized by U.S. Energy Secretary, Steven Chu for the development of its multicrystalline wafer manufacturing project.

Following Roth & Rau’s announcement yesterday that it achieved 20 percent wafer efficiency, it has now been publicized that it, along with Day4 Energy Inc., has produced a 19.3 percent efficient photovoltaic module.

Presenting its findings at the 26th EU PVSEC, Avancis says it has reached a thin film photovoltaic module efficiency of 15.8 percent.

Collaborative research between Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) and Amtech Systems Inc. has resulted in laboratory efficiencies of 19.7 percent and 17.6 percent for a crystalline photovoltaic cell and module, respectively.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made over USD$145 million available to 69 solar projects across the country. The goal is to position the U.S. as an industry leader.

Although the photovoltaic module market has suffered setbacks this year, Asian manufacturers are keeping the competition on its toes. According to new research, the top three suppliers in the second quarter of the year (Q2) are Chinese.