Manufacturing

The largest single major polysilicon production facility in Taiwan is underway following a deal between Germany-based centrotherm photovoltaics AG and Taiwan PolySilicon Corp. (TPSI). With an annual capacity of 5,000 tons, and an upgrade option of 8,000 tons, centrotherm’s subsidiary, centrotherm SiTec designed the facility.

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has announced that following a 30-day consultation period, it has finalized the price for the new microFIT ground-mounted solar price category at 64.2 Canadian cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).??

Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd., based in China, has signed a photovoltaics (PV) module distribution agreement with Japanese company, Fujimi Fine Technology Inc., a manufacturer of silicon wafers and distributor of semiconductor products.

Sky Solar Holdings Co., Ltd, and Sinoma International Engineering Co., Ltd, a cement engineering system integration service provider, have joined hands to establish a new photovoltaics (PV) company in Beijing, China.

LDK Solar Co., Ltd. is to invest in a 1.5-gigawatt (GW) solar cell and module facility in Hefei High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in China, following an invitation from the country’s the Anhui Provincial Government. The aim, says the company, is to establish a renewable energy manufacturing hub in the Province.

Germany-based Solon SE has reached an agreement with British project developer, 35 Degrees Ltd, to build a 1.3 megawatt peak (MWp) photovoltaics (PV) solar power plant near Bissoe in Cornwall, the U.K. Pending the necessary planning permits for the energy park, the company says it could be the first ground-mounted solar power plant ever built in the country.

SunPower Corp. has announced that it has signed an agreement with Arizona Public Service (APS) in the U.S. to design and construct a 15-megawatt (MW) (AC) solar photovoltaics (PV) power system at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. Scheduled for completion next summer, it is expected to be the largest solar power installation at a U.S. government facility. According to the company, approximately 550 local jobs will be created during construction.

There is no single solution for meeting energy needs, Professor Vassilios G. Agelidis, director of the University New South Wales’ Center for Energy Research and Policy Analysis (CERPA) tells pv magazine.

The state of Washington in the U.S. is set to house one of the largest photovoltaics (PV) facilities in the world, according to the Teanaway Solar Reserve (TSR).

The Conergy Group has announced increased sales of around 80 percent in the first half of this year, to €389.7 million. The company attributes this positive increase to a “strong” German market and high demand in foreign markets.