Talesun

Talesun has opened a new production facility with ARTsolar to manufacture high-efficiency, large-format PV modules. They said they might install a second 500 MW production line in the near future.

The new module series is available in five versions with power outputs claimed by Talesun of 570-590 W and reported efficiencies of 20.3-21.0%.

Talesun has announced plans to deploy 1 GW of new heterojunction solar cell production capacity, while rack manufacturer Akcome Technologies revealed plans to annually produce 2 GW of the same tech. Panda Green, meanwhile, has secured the exclusive rights to a 1 GW project featuring PV and photothermal generation.

Chinese solar manufacturer Talesun has announced plans to raise up to $226 million to expand PV cell and module production capacity by up to 2 GW, with a focus on heterojunction and TOPCon technologies.

According to PV InfoLink’s database, JinkoSolar topped the 2019 rankings for global module shipments with around 14 GW – far higher than any of its rivals. Notably, this is not the first time Jinko has secured the No. 1 spot; it has avoided slipping from the top as many of its predecessors did in the industry’s earlier years. The company is followed by JA Solar and Trina Solar (each shipping more than 10 GW), and then Longi, Canadian Solar, Hanwha Q Cells, Risen Energy, Suntech, Astronergy, and Talesun.

The Italian utility has agreed to buy the PV development pipeline for an undisclosed sum via a subsidiary, and vowed to start building its first large-scale, subsidy-free PV plant in the early months of 2020.

The Chinese manufacturer has embarked upon an upgrade of 1.5 GW of its module production lines which is set to be completed this year. Previously used to get around trade restrictions applied by the EU, the Thai facility will now produce output for the U.S. market.

The solar event in Lyon illustrated how expectations of French solar remain big despite lower-than-expected development and issues related to regulations and carbon footprint requirements. The large participation of international and Chinese players seeking business among installers and distributors is a signal things may improve in the short term, and larger volumes may be deployed in the coming years.

At the weekend’s G20 summit, a framework agreement for the project expansion was signed by project initiator Jemse SE and Chinese partners Power China and Shanghai Electric. The plant expansion will include the deployment of storage capacity. The project is one of two PV plants, totaling 400 MW, selected in round one of the RenovAr program for large-scale solar and renewable energies.

With production and capacity figures provided by industry analyst IHS Markit, pv magazine provides a rundown of the top 10 crystalline silicon module manufacturers based on 2017 production data, followed by a look at the market forces and technology trends that have shaped the supply landscape.