solar modules

Solar manufacturers Longi and Zhonghuan Semiconductor have reported output at their factories in the two provinces has been reduced by earthquakes that happened on Friday night and before dawn on Saturday. Elsewhere, module maker Jolywood has announced the signing of an agreement with the city government of Taiyuan, in Shanxi province, to build a TOPCon solar cell fab with a 16 GW production capacity.

The Q.Peak Duo XL-G10.3 panel is currently the largest and most powerful product manufactured by the South Korean module maker. It is based on 156 monocrystalline ‘Q.antum’ half cells and is the company’s first panel relying on M6 wafers.

The plant is being built by Dutch developer Groenleven on a former sand extraction lake in the northern Netherlands. The company’s project manager for floating PV, Willem Biesheuvel, told pv magazine about its approach to deploying floating arrays always with a west-east orientation, which he claims ensures more stability and resistance to wind and waves.

The cell was fabricated with a flexible substrate made of indium tin oxide (ITO) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The device was tested through a damp heat test and showed it can retain around 90% of its initial efficiency after 800 hours.

The pilot project is combining hydrogen fuel cell generators with a combined capacity of 500 kW with a 570 kW solar array and 1.1 MWh of lithium-ion batteries. It is planned to come online in the spring of 2022.

India’s Aegeus Technologies has developed an autonomous, water-free cleaning bot for rooftop solar installations. The bot weighs 5 kg (with battery) and can be operated remotely through a web-based app. It uses an air wash technology to clean the panels, ensuring no need for water or any harmful chemicals.

Trina Solar broke ground on its Thai Nguyen plant in December, and completed construction in five months.

The discussion about the extent to which forced labor exists in the solar value chain continues. A video, a university report, a ministerial response and a parliamentary machinations formed notable developments of the debate last week.

The scheme is expected to be issued within 18 months. According to law firm Schoenherr Romania, there is a growing appetite for large-scale solar projects in the country among investors.

An investment of around €5 million will allow an old solar panel factory in the Beja district to reopen and create more than 40 new jobs. Galp Energia’s former director of innovation is part of the new team.