Websol Energy mulling solar manufacturing capacity expansion
The crystalline solar cells and modules manufacturer—which has 200 MW of cell line and 250 MW of module line capacity—has secured orders equal to full production capacity for both cells and modules till March 2020.
The long read: Model progress
While it has often been referred to as “the future of PV” in recent years, discussions surrounding bifacial technology are now very much in the present. Modules are beginning to roll off production lines in significant numbers, and industry players are boasting of gigawatts of bifacial projects that are already installed or in the late stages of development. But it’s still early days for the technology, and there are questions to answer for it to achieve its full potential. pv magazine investigates the modeling and optimization of bifacial PV’s performance.
MG Motor mulling EV battery assembly plant in India
The British carmaker, which is launching its electric SUV early next month in India, plans to set up a battery assembly plant in two years for its electric car models.
Cheap Indian imports claim prompts Bangladesh to introduce solar standards
Dhaka has heeded complaints about Indian manufacturers allegedly dumping sub-standard PV products over the border and issued a requirement for modules, inverters, charge controllers and batteries to attain IEC electrical standards.
The smarter E comes to India
The smarter E India event for the new energy world will bring together Intersolar India, ees India and Power2Drive India at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), from November 27 to 29.
TBEA launching GW-scale PV inverter factory in Bengaluru
The Chinese company plans to roll out 2 GW of inverters annually from its manufacturing unit which will have two assembly lines—of 1 GW each—for central and string inverters.
Troubled manufacturing-linked solar tender now reportedly oversubscribed
A new series of tweaks by the Solar Energy Corporation of India appear to have paid off, as the organization’s ambitious manufacturing-linked 7 GW solar tender has reportedly ended up oversubscribed by 1 GW.
New metallization tech to reduce microcracks in solar cells
A U.S. research group has developed a metal-carbon-nanotube composite – MetZilla – which can be embedded in commercial, screen-printable silver pastes and is said to reduce the formation of hotspots in solar modules and to prolong panel lifespan. The composite metal contacts are also ‘self-healing’ as they are able to regain electrical continuity after cycles of complete electrical failure caused by extreme strain.
New material for radiative cooling of solar panels
Spanish researchers have discovered a material said to offer radiative cooling and self-cleaning of devices which undergo critical heating during operation, such as PV panels. The thermal emitter enabled the scientists to lower the daytime temperature of silicon wafers by 14 degrees Celsius.
The long read: Considering the competitive landscape for HJT
The benefits of heterojunction technology are well known. But as the first modules come onto the market from REC Group’s new HJT lines, the competitive landscape is crowded, but not without opportunity.
