‘We have not forgotten how China’s unfair trade practices affected our solar industry’
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said in the 2023 State of the Union Address this week that European solar manufacturers face stiff competition from heavily subsidized Chinese rivals and noted that the bloc is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles from the country.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Trina reveals new US factory plans
Trina Solar has revealed plans to build a new factory in Wilmer, Texas. It will source polysilicon from unspecified locations in Europe and the United States.
Das Solar claims 26.33% efficiency for n-type TOPCon solar cell
The cell has an area of 333.4 cm2 and is based on passivating contacts based on polysilicon and silicon monoxide (SiOx). The Fujian Metrology Institute in China has confirmed the result.
Silfab Solar signs deal with NorSun for US-made wafers
NorSun recently raised $8.5 million of new equity to further develop clean energy manufacturing projects in the United States, including a 5 GW ingot and wafer factory.
European solar manufacturers demand EU support
Solar module prices have hit a new low in recent months, due to market forces that SolarPower Europe describes as a “perfect storm.” The European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC) says domestic solar module production fell from 9 GW in 2022 to 1 GW this year, with production now almost at a standstill. The associations say that urgent action is needed to prevent a potential wave of insolvencies in Europe.
Longi betting on back-contact solar cell tech
Longi Chairman Zhong Baoshen said last week that that the company’s hybrid passivated back contact (HPBC) technology will dominate its production capacity in the future.
Tata secures $425 million from US development bank for 4.3 GW solar fab
Tata Power’s greenfield 4.3 GW solar cell and module manufacturing plant in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu is expected to start PV module production by the end of this year.
How to build, finance product stewardship scheme for photovoltaic panels
Researchers in Australia have provided a series of recommendations to set up regulatory frameworks for PV module recycling and reuse. They said that, as a rule of thumb, landfill bans, tracking of the panels’ serial numbers, and a clear definition of ownership should always be included in the legislation for end-of-life solar products.
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Trina buys 40 GW of factory lines from Robotechnik
Trina Solar said it will use the equipment at its factories in Huaian, Yangzhou, Dongtai, and Tinghu, which are all in Jiangsu province.
China solar module prices dive to record low
In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.
