The China-based PV manufacturing industry has been in a massive capacity expansion phase since 2019. This intensified in the first quarter of 2020 but had eased off through the year, but the cumulative figures are jaw dropping, which has led to real fears of overcapacity in 2021.
One of the largest merchant solar cell producers in the world, Aiko Solar has now established a base in Europe, with the intention of accessing the best of the R&D activities the region can provide. PV Tech speaks to Dr Christian Peter, managing director at Solarlab Aiko Lab Europe, to determine the direction of that European facility.
Leading ‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member JinkoSolar has set a new record conversion efficiency of 24.90% for its N-type TOPCon monocrystalline silicon solar cell that has been independently verified by the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH), Germany.
A round-up of the latest solar manufacturing capacity announcements in China continued unabated during the festive season, leading up to the beginning of 2021
Meyer Burger has been pledged a total of €22.5 million in regional German government grants when the company starts ramping volume production capacity to 1.4GW for its heterojunction (HJ) solar cell and module assembly.
‘Solar Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Trina Solar has signed an agreement with the Yancheng Economic Development Zone. Jiangsu Province, China to build an 8.5GW advanced solar cell plant at a cost of approximately RMB 3.0 billion (US$460 million).
A small automation and composites manufacturer, Fujian Haiyuan Composite Material Technology Co (ST Haiyuan) has entered into a framework agreement with Jiangsu Gaoyou Economic Development Zone in Gaoyou City, Jiangsu province China to build a 10GW high-efficiency solar cell and module assembly plant at cost of around US$1.6 billion.
Perovskite solar cell developer Oxford Photovoltaics (PV) has smashed its previous industry cell efficiency record for a tandem silicon heterojunction/perovskite solar cell, which has been certified by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at 29.52%.
China-based PV module manufacturer and PV project developer and operator, CECEP Solar Energy Co has started an initial phase of construction of an advanced solar cell facility as part of a new strategy to enter and become a major merchant cell producer with a total capacity of 50GW.
