Mid-way through 2017, end-market demand for PV modules remain in flux as the regulatory landscape in China and the U.S. continues to impact demand. Corrine Lin provides her analysis.

Rena and Aiko Solar Energy will expand their collaboration into electroplating cell metalization technology. Germany’s Rena has already delivered some 4 GW of wet chemistry tooling to the Chinese PV producer, and will now deliver one of its InCellPlate to Aiko’s new Yiwu production facility, in the Zhenjiang province.

The Australian Solar Council (ASC) suggests that the Finkel review into reforming country’s energy system has fallen short of the high expectations the industry had for it. The ASC’s John Grimes said that the report might help produce some “sensible” policy outcomes, it is far less ambitious in its vision as initial draft findings.

PERC application in monocrystalline cells has proven its capability to produce high efficiency cells. Further cost reductions could be achieved with multi PERC, but problems with Light Induced Degradation (LID) has stood in the way of its industry adoption. However, researchers and equipment suppliers are drawing in on an industrial solution.

Leading solar analysts say that SolarWorld’s bankruptcy, announced yesterday, should not have come as a surprise. Pointing to the current “viciously competitive” cell and module market, and the ongoing dispute between Hemlock and SolarWorld subsidiary Deutsche solar GmbH, analysts from IHS Markit and BNEF, say that the writing had been on the wall for the German company for some time.

The European solar industry’s peak body SolarPower Europe says that yesterday’s insolvency announcement, from German-based producer SolarWorld, is regrettable and that it is of “vital importance” that all parts of the solar value chain are present in Europe.

EU ProSun has described the bankruptcy of SolarWorld as a “serious blow to the German and European solar industry.” The lobby group, which has long advocated for tariffs against Chinese solar modules, “deplored” the news of the German-headquartered manufacturer’s insolvency – in a statement released minutes after SolarWorld’s official announcement.

This year’s busy SNEC exhibition delivered its usual steady stream of news, new products and market insight. pv magazine rounds up the main stories and trends from the three-day event.

Schmid Group and MacDermid Enthone have been selected as pv magazine’s 2017 Technology Highlights award winners. In late March, the prize jury of industry experts met to select the winners, from a shortlist of eight innovative new PV production equipment and materials. Dozens of entries to the award were received from suppliers worldwide. Alongside the two winners, the jury selected Sinton Instruments as worthy of special commendation as having provided the ‘Technology to Watch’ in 2017.