Malaysia

The solar efficiency leader remains on track to complete its planned split into two independently focused pure-play solar companies by the end of the second quarter.

The U.S. thin-film solar company says its production lines in Ohio, Malaysia and Vietnam have thus far been able to carry on operations. The company says measures have been taken to protect its workers at all of its premises.

The company’s technology falls in the ‘kerfless’ wafer category: Instead of sawing silicon ingots into wafers, a time-consuming and wasteful process, 1366’s technology forms wafers directly using molten silicon.

First Solar has reported the largest quarterly production run and shipment volume in its history, and more than 2 GW of bookings in July alone. And with more factories underway, the thin film PV maker is just getting started.

The thin film PV maker has completed one of its most challenging quarters in many years; however it is still sold out into 2021.

The company has rolled out its new A-Series modules as the first product using SunPower’s NGT solar cells, based on larger wafers and a streamlined manufacturing process. But will this be enough to get SunPower back to the black in its finances?

The U.S. wafer maker and the Korean module manufacturer expect to ramp the Malaysian factory no later than September. The fab is next to Hanwha’s existing cell and module facilities and 1366 Technologies plans to produce its Direct Wafers on a gigawatt scale for less than $0.20 per piece.

The thin film PV maker reported solid year-end 2018 results, with future bookings extending out four years and the fourth of five Series 6 factories already online.

The PV maker’s quarterly results show not only the ramping of its Series 6 production at a third location, but also bookings that continuing to climb, with 11.3 GW of modules now under contract.

The PV maker plans to shift its 800 MW of current E-Series production to its new NGT technology, as it records a massive loss on depreciation of its old equipment.