Meyer Burger reduces solar module result at German plant because of COVID-19

• Heterojunction cell and module producer Meyer Burger has actually reduced module outcome at one of its manufacturing plants in Germany as COVID-19 is creating above-average workforce lacks via health problem and quarantine orders.

With just one of two assembly line at its module plant in Freiberg, Saxony now operational, the business has actually adjusted its production plans, with the decrease anticipated to last until the end of January 2022.

The trouble comes just months after Meyer Burger exposed supply chain traffic jams were slowing down the ramp-up of manufacturing capacity at its plants, with missing components bring about a delay in commissioning individual parts of assembly line.

Switzerland-headquartered Meyer Burger opened the Freiberg plant and a cell facility in Thalheim, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, previously this year, with both starting production with yearly capacities of 400MW.

The business is preparing to reach 1.4 GW of both cell and module manufacturing capacity by the end of 2022.

Although manufacturing ramp-up at the Freiberg plant gets on track, Meyer Burger stated this week that due to ongoing job needed for its development, manufacturing result at the website has actually been momentarily limited.

And while reduced result is readied to have a small influence on a small number of confirmed orders, restrictions are set to have a negative influence on 2021 sales figures, the firm advised. It published first half sales of CHF18 million (US$ 19.7 million).

At the same time, as a result of cost growths, Meyer Burger has additionally claimed it will boost prices from following year and has actually currently educated its consumers of the changes. Presenting its H1 leads to August, the company disclosed it had around 30 clients, consisting of distributors such as BayWa r.e., Krannich Solar, IBC Solar, Sonepar and Memodo in Europe and United States representative CED Greentech.

Regardless of the interruptions, Meyer Burger claimed its order consumption continues to create favorably, reflected in a growing order backlog, with the business "very positive" about the growth of the solar market in 2022.

It expects to benefit from plans from Germany's brand-new coalition government to raise the nation's installed solar capacity to 200GW by 2030, double its previous target, and it also indicated policy assistance for solar in the US, where it is looking to set up a 400MW module production plant in 2022.

In an announcement in September, the firm said it would certainly make a decision by the end of this year relating to the location of the plant, which will generate modules for residential, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale applications.