When consolidation comes
Inverter strategies: Data from GTM Research late in 2016 found that the ten largest inverter suppliers cornered 80% of the market last year, marking the greatest level of consolidation since 2010. Faced with this trend, what survival and growth strategies remain viable for those inverter suppliers that do not currently occupy a top-ten position?
A true war machine: Agfa’s UNIQOAT backsheet comes to SNEC
Interview: In this interview with pv magazine, Agfa head of business unit functional foils – specialty products Cesar Campos talks about his company’s new UNIQOAT mono-layer PET backsheet line, which will be unveiled at the SNEC trade show in Shanghai, as well as competition between PET and fluoropolymers in the backsheet market.
Higher efficiencies with bifacial cells
Interview: Chinese company Jolywood made its name in the solar backsheet industry but has recently taken large strides into high-efficiency cell production. Jolywood’s SVP and general manager of its high-efficiency cell division Liu Yong recently discussed the company’s technological goals and strategic aims with pv magazine at the PV Expo in Tokyo.
The big stuff
Thin film: First Solar is moving to a much larger format for its Series 6 modules, which are due to begin production next year. Is this the signal that the thin film industry has been looking for to move to larger formats?
“Thin film enables new use cases”
Thin film production equipment: While long thought to be facing an uphill battle against c-Si rivals, suppliers of thin film production equipment have seen a notable uptick in orders in the last 12-18 months. For later entrants to the PV module production game in China, CIGS has is emerging as the semiconductor choice of many. German robotics giant Kuka is riding this wave of investment and Joachim Döhner, Kuka’s Division Head Technology Solutions spoke to pv magazine about the opportunities.
Kink or fluctuation?
Price development: Anyone interested in an answer to the question of how sustainable the drastic price drop for solar modules is would likely have a look at price-learning curve figures. Although it also tracks technological progress, its forecasting value is limited.
Mono switch and PERC applications drive orders
Wet chemical processes: Since 2015, Rena has supplied some 8 GW of alkaline texturing equipment – for monocrystalline cell production. In Q1 2017 the company reported alkaline texturing and junction isolation sales of some 4.5 GW. Given this, Rena’s sales manager Ulrich Jäger, and Daniel Pusch, from the company’s R&D department, sat down with pv magazine about the current market and technological outlook.
Solar cell manufacturers ranked
c-Si cell manufacturing: Tier-1 cell makers continue to expand their capacities, both in and outside of China. Increased demand for monocrystalline cells is evident in the market, as high efficiency PERC starts to become the dominant technology trend. Industry analysts IHS Markit provide a ranking of the top manufacturers in 2016.
The knock-on effect
China slowdown: The curious lack of any discernible first half installation boom in China is leading to lower multi-Si product prices and suppressed utilization rates in China and Taiwan. These knock-on effects are a result of uncertain policy support from government, exacerbated by a wait-and-see approach adopted by many developers.
Rack and roll
Chinese racking and tracking: With the phenomenal growth of the Chinese PV market, Chinese suppliers of racking and tracking have been growing in size and importance not only at home, but in many global markets.
