The long read: Open opportunity for PERC solar cell laser processing
Laser contact opening (LCO), a standard process in PERC cell production, has seen little market development in the past few years. Stiff competition from equipment suppliers in Asia, combined with the fact that most new n-type manufacturing doesn’t make use of LCO, has kept the level of interest here quite low. However, as the PV research community increases its focus on reducing silver consumption, new approaches to cell contacting and metallization provide impetus for a second look at laser processing.
The long read: Too big to handle
There has been a flurry of activity within the PV cell manufacturer landscape over the past 12 to 18 months, and it’s largely been in one direction: bigger. But as large-format modules arrive on the market, questions are being raised as to how long the trend can continue and when bigger becomes, quite simply, too big.
Topaz Solar plans 1.2 GW solar module, 500 MW cell manufacturing fab in Odisha
As a first phase, Topaz Solar Private Limited has said it will set up a 500 MW solar PV module manufacturing facility in India’s northeastern state of Odisha. It will seek to increase this capacity by another 700 MW, and add 500 MW of cell manufacturing under a second phase.
