Solar Cells

The former director of Fraunhofer ISE will be officially elected at a general assembly planned for September. The ESCM wants a strong Europe to be part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and also pay attention to sustainability.

The German solar module manufacturer has commissioned its European module factory in Georgia. The manufacturing facility can be readily expanded to about 1.2 GW and the first 500 MW phase should be fully operational in the course of the next month.

According to the general manager of French PV production equipment provider Apollon Solar, Jed Kraiem, multicrystalline cells are expected to have a share of only 40% in 2019 global demand, with mono PERC cell structures now clearly being in advantage thanks to higher efficiencies and increasingly lowering costs. He claims, however, that technological advances in the solar industry historically are implemented first in the mono segment and then transferred to the multicrystalline business.

The Norwegian manufacturer said Hanwha Q Cells’ legal action in Germany has not started yet, and it will take all necessary steps to defend itself against patent infringement allegations.

German and Greek scientists are working with industrial partners on the technological feasibility of making solar modules based on perovskite absorbers. The prototypes should be freely configurable in size, shape and color.

The Brazilian module maker expects to start construction of a factory in the state of Tocantins in the second half of the year. The project is receiving support from the local ministry of environment.

Energy trend and PV Info Link assume little movement in prices for silicon, wafers, solar cells and modules in the coming weeks. The capacity adjustments of solar manufacturers, however, are set to continue.

Taiwanese solar cell manufacturer, Motech has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 300 and further adjust production capacity, while Sino-American Silicon’s CEO has revealed the company may exit the wafer business.

Researchers from Finland’s Aalto University and the Michigan Technological University, in the US, say they have demonstrated the cost per unit of power of black-Si PERC cells could fall 10.8%, despite an increase in cell processing cost.

Taiwanese solar PV cell manufacturer, Motech has shut down production in Suzhou, China, and potentially shelved plans for an 800 MW fab in Kunshan. It will instead focus production on two other sites in the country. In Taiwan, it has reportedly stopped production of solar ingots and wafers, and has suffered massive Q2 2018 losses.