Power-One has introduced its new AURORA ULTRA-1400 central inverter with an output power of up to 1.4MW and is the largest product in the Power-One RE offering for large-scale commercial and utility-grade PV power plants. . Industry-leading power conversion efficiencies of up to 98.7% combined with an extra wide input voltage range and multiple MPPT channels optimize energy harvesting across a wide array of operating conditions.
SunPower has launched the SunPower C7 Tracker, a solar PV tracking system that concentrates the sun's power seven times to achieve what is claimed to be the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for utility-scale solar power plants available today.
OM Group has been providing plating solutions to the electronics industries for over 40 years. Through this experience, the Solar Chemicals division has developed a revolutionary Ni/Cu/Ag plating process for plating on top of fine line silver screened pastes. This economical and efficient process provides PV cell manufacturers cost savings while generating cells with higher efficiencies, as well as improved cell-to-cell consistencies.
RENA has launched its ‘monoTEX,’ IPA-free alkaline texturing process for solar cells. has established that this process is key for their breakthrough mono-crystalline cell concept. RENA’s combination of pre-cleaning and monoTEX texturing is claimed to provide a homogeneous surface with a distribution of pyramid sizes that, together with an optimization of the complete process sequence, enables a cell efficiency that is well beyond the 20% mark. RENA claims to be ‘best in class’ with the monoTEX texturing and has already more than 200 million wafers production experience at different customer plants such as California-based TetraSun.
Ferro Electronic Materials is introducing a new optimized paste system to enhance performance of p-type Metal Wrap Through (MWT) cells at the 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC), in Hamburg, Germany. The materials include a next-generation rear silver plug hole paste, high efficiency front silver contact pastes, and a back contact aluminum paste.
Trident Solar has initiated the global launch of its new single-step ‘VersaEtch’ Etchant / n-Dopant material for inkjet selective emitter application of solar front contacts (c-Si) at EU PVSEC. Used with the Trident 256Jet-S printhead, the new VersaEtch Etchant/n-Dopant is claimed to match the enhanced cell efficiency (0.5-1.0%) and precise deposition performance (demonstrated 50 micron print) of other selective emitter approaches, while offering the additional benefits of being non-contact, single-step, and cost-effective. Ink jet doping and etching with VersaEtch is said to be a hybrid tool that can be used together with either screen printing or electroplating of metallized contacts.
Last Thursday, 31 of Europe’s finest football clubs, and Arsenal, entered the draw for the group stage of this season’s Champions League. Commonly regarded as the most prestigious football competition in the world, between now and next May it will be the battle ground for not just the finest footballers on the continent, but also some of the world’s leading commercial brands, including Yingli Green Energy, Q-Cells and JinkoSolar.
Henkel has introduced ‘Loctite 3382’ in an effort to simplify silicon ingot bonding and protect against wafer breakages. Loctite 3382 provides improved bonding strength of the ingot in the sawing process and is de-bondable in hot water. This new bonding solution helps to avoid corrosion of the equipment and is free of caustic odor.
Edwards, a global supplier of vacuum and abatement equipment and services, has introduced the GXS 450 and 750 series of dry-vacuum pumps optimized for solar laminator applications. The new GXS series is claimed to deliver higher throughput and productivity, while at the same time providing a lower cost of ownership.
Polysilicon spot prices have fallen considerably over the last year as new capacity was introduced and weak demand in the first half of the year reduced demand, especially from Tier 2 and Tier 3 PV module manufacturers. There was a period of real concern from higher-cost producers as poly spot prices fell to the US$50/Kg range, with fear that they would fall further if demand didn’t pick up in Q2.
