EUR 42.9 Million Operating Loss
Centrotherm Reports Quarterly Loss
German centrotherm photovoltaics AG reported a EUR 42.9 million operating loss at the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) level (previous-year: EUR 17.7 million profit). The net income came to EUR minus 30.6 million (previous-year period: EUR 12.2 million). more...
Slumping Sales and Overcapacity Predicted for 2012
Hard Times Ahead for PV Equipment Suppliers
First quarter figures for 2012 indicate a dramatic cooling off of the current order situation for German manufacturers of components, machines, and production plant for the photovoltaic industry. more...
EFFICIENT ENCAPSULATION OF THIN-FILM PV MODULES; SIMPLIFIED WAFER-BASED MODULE PRODUCTION
Bystronic glass to Showcase Products at Shanghai Show
Bystronic glass will demonstrate its photovoltaic’tpa (tpa = Thermo Plastic Applicator) for the efficient encapsulation and sealing of photovoltaic thin-film modules at the 6th SNEC PV POWER EXPO Dialogue & Conference & Exhibition in Shanghai on May 16–18. more...
Solar Sales Up by 10.5 % Despite Difficult Conditions
Manz Reports Record Sales in 2011
Manz AG, Reutlingen-based supplier of photovoltaic and flat panel display (FPD) production systems, has published preliminary figures for 2011 showing sales revenues up from € 181.4 m to € 240.5m, with total operating revenues climbing 30.5 % from € 205.0 to € 267.5m. more...
Optical Character Recognition
Zero-Defect Strategy
In the series production of thin-film solar power modules, code reading systems with OCR (optical character recognition) are employed for tracking & tracing the individual processing steps. Schott Solar Thin Film acquired a Simatic code reader from Siemens to convert module production from barcode to OCR operation. more...
High Performance Module / New Lamination Process
Withstands Temperatures up to 125°C
German PV specialist J.v.G. Thoma, Freystadt, has developed a new lamination process for PV modules that leads to extremely heat resistant modules and a longer life span. The development was accomplished in close cooperation with Bavarian solar provider Jurawatt. more...
CIGS Technology
Manz Provides Update on CIGS Fab
Engineering firm Manz has significantly increased the efficiency of CIGS thin-film modules manfactured under mass production conditions. The company presented the latest advances introduced in its integrated production line at the Fourth Thin-Film Conference held in San Francisco. more...
Inverters
Danfoss Launches TLX 6 kW Throughout Europe
Danfoss Solar Inverters has announced the introduction of the TLX 6 kW photovoltaic inverter which became available on January 2, 2012. The six-kilowatt inverter, designed for residential use, enables customers to utilise a portion of the energy produced by a residential set-up. more...
Linear drive technology with laser sensor system and safety engineering
Knowing User Demands
Effectively quality testing can be accomplished by well-conceived integration of quality control into the production process. In addition to testing expertise and the appropriate inspection technology, such a step also requires reliable and dynamic materials handling engineering. more...
Partially Automated Production Line
Flexibility Counts
The façades of buildings are ideal photovoltaic surfaces. PV Products has invested in a production line enabling cost-effective manufacture of crystalline glass-film and glass-glass modules in just about any color or format to meet a wide range of customer wishes. more...
Purge Gas Recovery
Reduced CO2 Footprint for Silicon Ingot Manufacturers
The ArgonØ recovers and recycles up to 95% of the purge gas from silicon vacuum furnaces utilising technology jointly developed by Gas Recovery & Recycle Ltd and Cambridge University. Furnace users can recover and re-utilise purge gas at a purity level of 99.9998%. more...
Automation of Thin-Film Plant; Concentrated Photovoltaics
High Tech Solutions for Thin-film Module Production
Experience gained in flat glass technology has enabled Grenzebach to develop production machinery for photovoltaic thin-film modules and to manage the entire automation of any thin-film production plant. more...
PV Cell Manufacturing Platform
State-of-the-Art Solar Manufacturing
The Pegaso photovoltaic cell manufacturing platform fabricates electrical circuits on both sides of a solar cell in a process that includes multiple screen-printed metallization steps, metrology, and sorting. more...
String Inverters
All-in-one Inverter Design
After extensive development, product field testing, ramping up production capacity, and training of global company organizations, ABB’s string inverter is now available from stock for delivery throughout Europe. Availability in other countries will follow soon. more...
Central Inverters
Extended Functionality
Central inverters from ABB now have a wider DC input voltage range up to 1000 V, enabling greater series connection rather than parallel connection of solar modules and thus reducing the amount of cabling and the number of junction boxes required. more...
High-efficiency Inverter
Topping the 99-percent Efficiency Mark
The new Sunny Tripower 20000TL High Efficiency is claimed to be the first standard inverter to reach 99 percent maximum efficiency. more...
Metallization Paste Dryer
Cutting VOC Emissions
Developed for advanced drying of metallization pastes, the DriTech dryer offers unique, patent-pending hybrid heating technology and an updated design that decouples the VOC removal and binder burn-off and delivers a more flexible and efficient drying process. more...
New Software for Three-Phase Inverters
Quick Updates
The USB interface now fitted to Kaco’s transformerless three-phase inverters can be used to quickly update the device software using a USB flash drive.This facilitates adaptation of the inverter to new regulations such as the Low Voltage Directive. more...
Inverters no Longer Disconnect at 50.2 Hz
Smooth Disconnection Prevents Blackouts
The successful grid integration of solar power is of high strategic relevance for the continued expansion of photovoltaics. Improved system and supply security benefit all electricity consumer. more...
Inverter System Boxes
Better Communication and Central Control
New system boxes enable control of newly launched Sinvert PVS800 and exisiting Sinvert PVS500 and PVS600 central inverters as the core of a PV power plant. They also permit connection to networks. A new weather station records environmental and meteorological data. more...