SolarWorld to shut down multi production, shed 400 staff by 2019
The German-headquartered solar power company posts year-on-year revenue and shipment increases of 5% and 19%, vows to strengthen competitiveness in 2017 with focus on monocrystalline high-efficiency products. Jobs will be lost along the way, however.
Lowest price in Germany’s PV bidding €0.06/kWh
Germany’s Federal Network Agency has awarded 38 bids in the first PV tender under the EEG 2017. The average bid price fell lower than the pilot tenders, reaching €0.0658 per kWh.
M10 Industries Kubus tabber stringer passes Emmvee Solar stress tests
The first two high performance tabber stringers made by the Freiburg based equipment manufacturer have successfully passed a 72 hour site acceptance test at Emmvee Solar’s production facility in Bangalore, India.
Germany’s J. v. G. Thoma finalizes 240 MW solar tooling sale in Turkey
The Bavarian-based solar power specialist has sold two robot layup machines to Turkey for the production of DESERT solar panels. The equipment ordered is capable of developing 240 MW of PV capacity.
Electric vehicle purchases rise by one-fifth in UK
New car registrations across Britain hit a 12-year high last month, with electric vehicles (EVs) accounting for 4.2% of that figure – a one-fifth increase on the previous month.
Schmid develops new multi wafer texturing process
The German production manufacturer has announced the development of a new process for the texturing of diamond wire cut multi silicon wafers. Schmid says that it will ship the first systems featuring the new technology in the second quarter of 2017.
EU project aims for improved solar-based hydrogen
The €2.5 million EU Horizon 2020 project coordinated by HZB tests materials to stabilize a membrane for photovoltaic-based hydrogen production.
Wacker’s polysilicon divison reports strong Q4
The German chemical giant finished off 2016 with increased sales and profit in its polysilicon division, as it remains the only Western polysilicon maker to sell directly into China.
SolarWorld plans to shift domestic cell production within Germany
The firm is considering concentrating all of its German cell production capacity at Arnstadt, shifting volume from Freiberg where wafer production is poised to be scaled up.
Germany installs 450 MW of solar in December
End of year surge in installations pushes annual total towards 1.5 GW – a slightly higher figure than that recorded in 2015. Tumbling module costs in Europe have aided this upturn, with small-scale solar installations predominant.
