Asia

Japanese electronics giant, Sharp has announced the achievement of a 25.09% conversion efficiency, from a cell utilizing both heterojunction (HJT) and back contact technology. The measurement has been validated by Japan Electrical Safety & Environment Technology Laboratories (JET).

Scientists from the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) have announced the development of a new wet chemical process to allow multi-cSi wafers to be cut with diamond wire saw technology, and subsequently textured to reduce their reflectivity.

Last year, the Chinese module maker shipped 9.8 GW, and achieved revenue of $4.0 billion. Both gross and net profit, however, declined due to lower ASPs, higher polysilicon prices and increased output from OEM partners.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd. has signed PPAs for two large-scale, grid-connected solar projects in Malaysia.

Singapore-based solar developer Sunseap will develop 60 MW of rooftop PV across “hundreds of rooftops” on the island-state, to supply Microsoft with solar energy. The companies claim the project will be the largest cumulative solar project in Singapore, alongside being the largest of its kind to supply clean energy to a datacentre in the country.

Only one month after announcing a PERC module efficiency of 20.41%, the Chinese solar manufacturer announced it has now achieved a 23.6% efficiency for its PERC monocrystalline cells, thus beating its own previous records.

The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are on track to make solar and other renewables account for 23% of the region’s total primary energy supply (TPES) by 2025, but governments will need to create better policy and investment frameworks to make it happen, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The Singapore-headquartered renewable energy developer signs agreement to jointly develop large-scale solar farm in Vietnam’s Ninh Thuan province with InfraCo Asia Development Pte.

Switzerland’s Meyer Burger to deliver and install its SmartWire Connection Technology at REC Group’s production facility in Singapore at the start of Q2, company confirms.

Longi Solar will set up a 1 GW solar PV manufacturing facility in India’s Andhra Pradesh. It will manufacture 500 MW of cells and 500 MW of modules, a spokesperson tells pv magazine. The facility is expected to be commissioned by Q1 2019 at the latest, and will seek to take advantage of India’s exemption from the recent U.S. solar tariffs, imposed by President Trump last week.