When we established the Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) a few years ago, it was prompted by the realisation that a select group of solar PV module suppliers were moving away from the 100+ chasing pack, and firmly establishing themselves as the companies that would be the dominant players as the industry moved towards and above annual shipment levels of 100GW.
Ahead of PV ModuleTech conference, Finlay Colville takes an in-depth look at the type of module companies that will be internationally known over the next 12-18 months.
As the solar industry has grown from a 50GW market to 100GW in just a few years, the desire to have differentiated production has increased, especially for companies entering the market or repositioning strategies.
Since Chinese investments into major cell and module facilities started - more than 10 years ago - success ultimately has been driven by overseas market-share gains, above other technical or financial benchmarks that otherwise would be expected.
Struggling major China-based PV manufacturer Yingli Green Energy has said that it would not appeal a notification from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 28, 2018 to de-list the company, due to non-compliance.
Following an extensive research process over the past couple of weeks, we can now reveal the top-10 module suppliers (by shipment volumes) for the calendar year 2017.
Major PV manufacturer Yingli Green Energy is building a 100MW ‘Top Runner’ project in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China using its ‘PANDA’ monocrystalline bifacial modules, the largest project to date deploying bifacial modules in the world.
PV Tech reached its own little milestone of having reported and analysed the R&D spending habits of the same 12 key PV module manufacturers for 10 years. The results have just been published in sister technical journal Photovoltaics International as part of the annual leaders and laggards of R&D spending for 2016.
Leading Silicon Module Super League (SMSL) member JinkoSolar said it had been collaborating with TUV Rheinland to develop standardized testing methods for bifacial PV module technology.
