Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Using carbon nanotubes – hollow tubes of carbon atoms – Massachusetts Institute of Technology chemical engineers say they have found a way to concentrate solar energy 100 times more than a regular photovoltaic (PV) cell. Such nanotubes could reportedly form antennas that capture and focus light energy, potentially allowing much smaller and more powerful solar arrays, according to Chinese news agency, xinhuanet.

Thin film solar module producer, Trony Solar Holdings Company Limited has signed separate agreements with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to co-develop solar battery technology. The news comes as the company inaugurated its Hong Kong office in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks.

In what has been described as a “watershed breakthrough” for the photovoltaics (PV) industry, U.S.-based SoloPower has said its flexible copper indium gallium (di) selenide (CIGS) modules are the first of their kind to receive Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certification.

Swiss company, Oerlikon Solar, has launched a new production line ‘ThinFab’ for the manufacturing of thin film silicon modules at the EU PVSEC, which is says will achieve “record breaking” production costs of €0.50 per Watt peak (Wp).

Kyocera is putting a new solar module with 60 cells and 240 watts of output on the market. The KD240GH-2PB module is said to be particularly suitable for ground-mounted solar installations and industrial on-roof arrays, though it can also be used in conventional house roof installations.

Alfasolar presents measurements by the PI Photovoltaik Institute that testify the quality of their Pyramid series modules.

Centrosolar is presenting a new solar module with 54 cells and up to 225 watts of output at this year’s EU PVSEC trade show. These modules have four more cells than their predecessors in the S-Class Excellent series and are wider and shorter, with six by nine cells instead of the earlier five by ten.

Isofotón is presenting its high-performance ISF 240 module at this year’s EU PVSEC. The Spanish company says this module is its most powerful so far, with an efficiency of 14.5 percent and an output of 240 watts.

Thin film manufacturer, Global Solar, is presenting the PowerFlex BIPV, a flexible solar module, at the EU PVSEC. The company produces flexible copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) cells.

Sovello is showing Pure Power T modules that work at high voltage, thus adding high-voltage modules for small roof surfaces to its range of low-voltage modules for large ground-mounted solar installations.