Cylindrical CIGS thin-film manufacturer Solyndra has announced that it has suspended its manufacturing operations, immediately laid off its 1100 full-time and temporary employees, and intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Fremont, CA-based company cited "the negative impacts of global economic and solar industry market conditions" as the reason for the actions. The firm also said it is evaluating its options, which could include "a sale of the business and licensing of its advanced CIGS technology and manufacturing expertise."
Ubbink East Africa, Centrotec Sustainable's Dutch subsidiary, has opened East Africa's first PV module factory in Naivasha, Kenya. Ubbink plans to produce around 30,000 modules a year, with the majority of these being used to cater for the growing number of small-scale systems in Africa.
Avancis PowerMax copper indium selenide (CIS) thin-film PV modules have been certified for higher reimbursement entitlements in Italy. Because the panels are made in Germany, Italian system operators who purchase the products can be eligible for a 10% higher feed-in rate that will apply for 20 years.
Schott Solar advised that it had achieved 20.2% efficiency on its monocrystalline screen-printed solar PV cell; a feat that was confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE). The 4.92W cell uses an industrial sized 156mm x 156mm wafer, which led Schott to maintain that this is the first PV cell of its size to reach this efficiency.
Five of First Solar’s senior executives, using personal funds, purchased a combined total of 5,500 shares of the company stock during one of four annual open trading windows for the company’s directors and Section 16 officers. The purchases have been reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission in Form 4 filings where appropriate.
Silex Systems’ subsidiary, Silex Solar, revealed plans to restructure its silicon PV panel business located at Sydney Olympic Park, a facility it bought a few years ago from BP Solar. Changes will revolve around management and operations, which the company hopes will strengthen its position in the business.
As part of its strategy to supply a complete materials offering to the PV industry, Dow Corning has brought online a new 4,000MT per annum monosilane gas facility, adjacent to Hemlock Semiconductor’s polysilicon manufacturing plant in Hemlock, Michigan.
One of the prime movers in First Solar’s rapid transformation into a leading vertically integrated PV company is moving on. Jens Meyerhoff, current president of the utility systems business group and former CFO, will be leaving the firm effective Sept. 30.
Day4 Energy has signed a deal with Austrian solar module manufactuer PV Products to provide the equipment and technology to upgrade its 30MW production facility for the manufacture of solar panels featuring Day4 DNA crystalline-silicon cells. The upgrade of PVP's automated 30MW production facility to Day4 technology is scheduled to begin immediately, with production anticipated to start in early September, the companies said.
