Taiwan

The expansion of the Asian solar market in the first quarter of 2017 was broadly similar to the growth seen in the first quarter of last year, although most countries in the region have yet to reveal official installation statistics for the January-March period, the Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association (APVIA) said in a new report.

Taiwan’s new solar energy strategy envisages the deployment of less than 200 MW of new PV capacity over the next two years, and the achievement of 6.5 GW of cumulative PV by 2020.

Neo Solar Power has posted a net loss of NT$1.3 billion ($43.7 million) for the first quarter of 2017, as weak demand in China weighed on orders.

The DigiTimes has reported that four solar cell manufacturers from Taiwan are planning to set up a 1.5 GWp module production facility in the country, led by Motech.

The Japanese electrical equipment supplier provided the battery to Taiwan Power Research Institute, which will pair the system with variable renewables such as solar in a pilot project.

The Taiwanese company completed the 9.87 MW installation — which consists of arrays on top of two of its liquid-crystal display factories — in late December.

The Taiwanese PV cell producer partly attributed the NT$6.3 billion ($206.9 million) loss — down from a NT$139 million net profit in 2015 — to the idling of some of its production capacity in China.

An preliminary finding by the Department of Commerce could lower import duties first imposed on Taiwan solar cell manufacturers in 2014 from high double-digits to single digits, while tariffs on Chinese module and cell manufacturers imposed at the same time remain in place.

The Taiwanese solar cell maker has confirmed to pv magazine that it will exit the polycrystalline PV business and will focus on its monocrystalline products. The company intends to gradually lower its polycrystalline PV capacity.

Neo Solar Power (NSP) has shifted Thomas Hsu, senior vice president and CFO, to serve as CFO of Clean Focus Yield (CFY).