longi

The Korean company has committed to invest in solar innovation in Germany at a time when the EU and member states are desperately trying to kick-start the Covid-19 recovery.

Plus, equipment manufacturer Shangji Automation is set to enter the silicon ingot making game with plans for an 8 GW fab, while state-owned developer Panda Green says it plans to add 500 MW of annual project capacity over the next three years.

Longi has also joined the 500 W-plus module club with its new Hi-Mo5 product, while Sunport has announced to expand production of its MWT module.

The Chinese manufacturer has debuted two models in the new bifacial, double-glass series to join the scramble for a slice of the 500 W-plus market and to stake its claim to have the 182mm, M10 wafer adopted as the industry standard.

Developer 7C Solarparken has deployed a 729 kW floating system on a lake near Salzwedel. Power trader Next Kraftwerke will integrate power generated at the site into its virtual power plant.

A global assessment of bifacial testing methods conducted in Singapore has endorsed the approach taken by France’s Institut National de l’Énergie Solaire.

The companies aim to jointly develop higher quality and more competitive cells and modules that will in turn ensure the viability of PV power plants.

A Norwegian company has developed a way to melt snow on modules to avoid excess weight on roofs and panels, especially on large commercial and industrial arrays. A control system measuring snow density is linked to DC power supply units to warm the panels.

Australian researchers have unveiled hydrogenation technology to reduce light and elevated temperature-induced degradation in Czochralski silicon PERC solar cells. The developers say the process can minimize degradation without sacrificing performance in cells and modules.

The shift to the larger M6 wafer format could occur faster than many have expected. Promoted heavily by mono giant Longi, the format is said to be a good fit for both cell and module production, while still allowing for relatively trouble-free integration into PV arrays. And it all began in China.