China

The newly developed mono half-cell solar module by DMAGC is based on PERC technology. Its conversion efficiency is as high as 19.78%. The product is available in two versions: with glass and white backsheet structure.

Elon Musk has announced a factory next to Berlin, which is forecasted to provide about 10,000 new vacancies. Tesla is intended to build the plant in the proximity of new Berlin airport.

The Chinese-Canadian manufacturer reported a 1% decrease in sales in the third quarter, with net profit falling 19%, to US$55.2 million. Quarterly shipments were up significantly year on year, from 1.59 GW in July-to-September last year to 2,387 MW this time around. The company expects to ship up to 8.5 GW of panels and achieve turnover of up to US$3.16 billion this year.

Research team from a few German institutes, together with South-China-based University of Technology, breaks a conversion efficiency record for organic photovoltaic modules. The 26 sq cm module consisting of 12 cells shows 12.6 per cent efficiency. The achievement is registered by Fraunhofer ISE.

United States-based solar energy corporation SunPower is spinning off the majority of its manufacture into a separate company, Maxeon Solar. The latter is going to include Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor, the Chinese silicon wafer supplier, as an investor.

Parent company FlixMobility plans to test hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Europe.

The solar supplier keeps speeding up production capacity expansion and expects 10 gigawatts of mono wafers production within the framework of Sichuan project annually starting with Q2 of the next year.

Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed an organic polymer electrode which they claim demonstrates stable function for a sodium-ion battery over 50,000 cycles and also offers encouraging performance in magnesium-ion and aluminum-ion storage devices.

The major string solar inverter supplier is going to focus on large-scale solar projects development along with engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning in China

The largest China-based solar-grade mono-Si wafer maker LONGi Green Energy Technology has been pushing for usage of M6 solar-grade mono-Si wafers (in a square shape eith side width of 166mm) through adopting such wafers for its in-house production of PERC (passivated emitter and rear cell) mono-Si solar cells, according to industry sources.

The recycling industry volume is expected to increase ten times by 2030, driven by vast battery usage in electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. Reusing of valuable materials is becoming a vital necessity. Scores of companies around the world are ready to give second life to the used lithium batteries.

The margin of support for the proposed $198 million takeover by a Beijing entity came as no surprise and the deal now hinges on the holders of $430 million of defaulted debts supporting a delayed settlement of their claims. First up, though, is a date with a winding-up petition on Monday.

The latest figures released by BloombergNEF show new solar and onshore wind power plants have reached parity with average wholesale prices in California, China and parts of Europe. The technologies are winning the race to be the cheapest sources of new generation for two-thirds of the world’s population.

The mono giant has announced the latest aspect of a strategy to massively increase production capacity which is currently set to cost around $3.32 billion. Longi last week issued $710 million of new convertible bonds for investors.

PV InfoLink analyzed the key markets of China’s big module manufacturers, as well as product trends, based on export statistics. According to trade figures, the nation’s module exports totaled 34.2 GW in the first half of 2019, up by more than 90% from the corresponding period of 2018. In a nutshell, overseas demand has been strong in 2019.