Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

The research group led by Professor Martin Green has published Version 62 of the solar cell efficiency tables. There are 21 new results reported in the new version, a record number for the Tables.

In the second interview of a series held at Intersolar 2023, pv magazine spoke with Karen Tang, Director – Editorial Lead Europe at Singapore-based market research company OPIS, about current price trends in the industry. She said solar panels may soon be bought at an average of USD 0.185/W but she also revealed that offers under USD 0.15/W are now becoming more frequent. Furthermore, Tang said prices may continue to drop in the future, with the bottom line being difficult to determine. Much will depend on the actual manufacturing capacity we will see coming online, which may not match the huge number of recent announcements released by module producers.

The CSIRO has run an internal ‘Shark Tank’-style competition which will see it test semi-transparent, printed solar films at its greenhouses to assess whether the technology can be used to enhance crops’ growth and cut emissions.

Canadian Solar is offering six versions of its 132-cell TOPBiHiKu7 solar modules, with power outputs ranging from 675 W to 700 W and efficiencies ranging from 21.7% to 22.5%. They have an efficiency range of 26.1% to 27.0%, with a bifacial gain of 20%.

Some of the renewable energy industry’s biggest players have donated equipment, expertise and time to provide a solar and storage solution to help preserve and protect the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s seven natural wonders.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

First Solar has announced a limited production run of the “world’s first” bifacial solar panel with a cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor. The pre-commercial Series 6 Plus Bifacial module is making its debut this week at Intersolar Europe in Munich, Germany.

The value of critical minerals companies listed on the ASX has hit $86.2 billion (USD 58.3bn), just scraping above the value of companies within the All Ordinaries Gold Index. Australia risen to the booming demand for these minerals, but experts have urged caution.

Recharge Industries, which had hoped to begin construction on its Geelong lithium-ion gigafactory this year, is reportedly refocusing its manpower on British endeavours. Despite Australia’s growing rhetoric around capturing more of the battery value chain, companies in the space are turning attention overseas.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.