Wafer

The innovative wafer maker will be building its first commercial-scale factory overseas.

The Swiss PV equipment manufacturer has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in China against Wuxi Shangji Automation Co, Ltd for the protection of its patented wire winding system for the cutting of solar wafers, the Diamond Wire Management System (DWMS).

India invites suggestions and feedback for its new solar PV manufacturing scheme, which aims to ramp up domestic manufacturing capacity of modules, cells, wafers and ingots, and polysilicon. The scheme is expected to be implemented at the beginning of 2018.

U.S. based PV innovator 1366 Technologies, and Korean PV manufacturer Hanwha Q CELLS have announced a new performance record for cells produced using 1366’s Direct Wafer technique. The cells achieved 20.3% efficiency, which has been independently confirmed by Fraunhofer ISE.

The British manufacturer will now source ingots from a third-party supplier and process these into blocks in the U.K.

The use of diamond wire significantly reduces wafer saw losses. Some photovoltaic manufacturers have begun to switch their production, after technical problems appear to have been resolved.

The UK-based polycrystalline wafer manufacturer posted a decrease in shipments and revenue in 2016. Its UK ingot production is expected to be closed this year due to “deteriorated” market conditions.

The German production manufacturer has announced the development of a new process for the texturing of diamond wire cut multi silicon wafers. Schmid says that it will ship the first systems featuring the new technology in the second quarter of 2017.