Leading polysilicon and solar wafer producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings has secured a US$200 million loan facility from an unspecified number and unidentified banks based in Hong Kong.
Canadian Solar has launched an innovative ‘cool’ PV module design, dubbed ‘Ku’ modules. The new PV module series is based on Low Internal Current (LIC) module technology to provide better module energy yield and reliability.
Specialist solar PV equipment supplier centrotherm has warned that it is unlikely to be profitable in 2017, due to the loss of an arbitration case against a cancelled €290 million integrated (wafer/cell/module) plant in Algeria.
Leading PV manufacturing equipment supplier Meyer Burger has secured a CHF 12 million (US$12.4 million) contract to supply integrated PV module manufacturer, REC Group with its DW 288 Series 3 diamond wire cutting platform.
US-Based wafer producer 1366 Technologies said that a small 500kW PV power plant in Hyōgo, Japan is the first commercial usage of its ‘Direct Wafer’ technology outside several test sites in the US, Germany and Japan.
Major materials supplier Heraeus Photovoltaics has entered into a new strategic technology partnership with China-based multicrystalline solar cell producer, Solar Space, also known as Zhonghui Photovoltaics (Jiangsu Solar Space Photovoltaic Technology Co.), which was established 2010.
According to Bernreuter Research, polysilicon consumption for the production of solar wafers is set to impact the supply-side as the PV industry adopts diamond wire technologies that significantly lower kerf loss.
The US-based solar module assembly operations of China-based Seraphim Solar is ramping capacity to meet demand. Seraphim Solar USA has also been approved by residential financing firms, including Sungage Financial and Sunnova as an approved vendor.
‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member Hanwha Q CELLS said its key strategic focus was to diversify its regional and market segment sales in 2017, while reiterating full-year PV module shipment guidance to be in the range of 5.5GW to 5.7GW in 2017.
