Month: May 2021

Wacker, a polysilicon manufacturer, saw a revenue rebound in the second half of 2020, but continuing cost cuts combined with poor first-half demand resulted in polysilicon plant utilization rates at around 85 percent. Wacker previously posted a first-quarter net profit of 106.6 million euros, up from 68.9 million euros the previous year. Earnings per share are 2.06 euros, up from 1.31 euros. EBITDA was 246.4 million euros, a 42 percent increase over the previous year. Wacker's polysilicon revenues fell to €152.5 million in the second quarter of 2020, the company's weakest quarterly figures in over ten years. However, it reacted strongly in the second half of the year. The company’s revenue in the fourth quarter hit €244 million, the highest quarterly volume since the fourth quarte...

According to IHS Markit, more than 180GW of solar will be delivered worldwide this year, despite setbacks such as increasing module prices and supply chain restrictions. The consulting firm expected a 27 percent year-on-year increase in solar projects for 2021 in its solar deployment forecast report, with total installations hitting 181GW. This figure is generally consistent with other predictions for the year. According to BloombergNEF's updated 2021 prediction, just over 184.5GW will be delivered this year. However, it projected that up to 209GW could be deployed this year, depending on projects in high-growth markets such as China and the United States. According to IHS, the solar industry will overcome hardship such as relatively high module prices, prolonged project delivery sch...

Hanwha Q Cells, a South Korean photovoltaic modules maker, has filed yet another patent infringement complaint in Düsseldorf Regional Court, this time targeting Astronergy Solarmodule GmbH. Q CELLS confirmed in a statement released yesterday that it had submitted a lawsuit against Astronergy, a subsidiary of the Chint Group, with the Regional Court of Düsseldorf on March 12, 2021. A separate complaint was filed with the French Federal Court of Justice a week later. The lawsuit against Astronergy follows a patent complaint brought in March 2019 by Hanwha Q-Cells in Germany, the United States, and Australia against Longi, Jinko Solar, and REC. The latter three are accused of infringing on Hanwha Q-Cells' current designs for passivated solar cell technology. Although Hanwha Q-Cells' ...

Consumers of solar are increasingly concerned with social and environmental issues, as well as high levels of embodied carbon within the current solar supply chain, which significantly reduces the ESG advantages of using solar energy to move away from fossil fuels. REC Silicon anticipates future government support for sustainable supply chains, responsibly manufactured solar products, and lower emissions solar panels. Following this, the polysilicon manufacturer has unexpectedly ended its supply chain collaboration with Violet Power, a US PV processing start-up. REC Silicon believed that collaborating with proven, reliable, and reputable solar companies would best serve its shareholders. The strategic relationship between REC and Violet Power has been terminated, according to REC ...

First Solar, a thin-film solar panel maker, has been working on a new PV panel technology that uses less copper, resulting in low module degradation rates. The company warrants its CdTe thin-film Series 6 modules to have degradation rates of less than 0.2 percent every year, which is thought to be the lowest percentage in the solar sector. Scientists at First Solar's R&D centers in Silicon Valley and Perrysburg developed the CuRe system. It is a patented semiconductor architecture that swaps atoms of Group V elements for copper. These elements improve efficiency and provide long-term stability. dubnium (Db), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), and Vanadium (V) are among these elements. According to First Solar, the 0.2 percent per year warranted degradation rate was up to 60% lower than...