SOLARCON China 2013 was held as scheduled on March 19, 2013 by SEMI. The exposition, however, was a disappointment; sparse visitors and frustrated manufacturers had suggested that the solar industry was facing extremely difficult times. Though gloom spread throughout the exposition, enthusiastic discussions over the solar industry implied that in spite of the downturn, manufacturers still truly believed in the bright future of the solar industry.

Many large vertically integrated manufacturers were absent from the exposition; instead, technology and equipment, raw material, and auxiliary material manufacturers have attended the event (including Astronergy and 23 other manufacturers from Zhejiang, as well as TBEA, Hareon Solar, and Xi’ an Longi). Although the number of exhibitors was not impressive, there were still several highlights in the exposition.

1.The PV ceramic tile of Heda Solar Technology Co., Ltd.

Traditional building tiles are integrated into the PV ceramic tile power generation system. This type of tile has three major functions including heat insulation, waterproof, and power generation; moreover, different than the PV modules installed directly on the roof, this more beautiful power generation system will not damage the original design of the building. However, due to the high initial investment cost, popularization of this system may not be achieved in the short-term.

2.The solar tracker of Green Source Technology

Product efficiency defines the revenue of power plants. While solar cells and module manufacturers are striving for better conversion efficiency, the concentrating solar tracking system is already equipped with 30% conversion efficiency. In contrast with fixed designs, the generation curve of the solar tracker is relatively smooth, and the stability of the solar system is also greatly enhanced. The major problem, however, remains the initial investment cost that is significantly higher than that of mainstream silicon-based solar panels.

3.The MWT&IBC solar cell module production equipment of SIBCO

SIBCO provides MWT for P-type materials and IBC for N type materials. This production line could increase 4%-8% of the module’s power output, and in order to meet the high efficiency demands in the market, the technologies will also be applied in future cell production. In addition, the module production line must cope with the cell production line in order to prevent efficiency loss caused by C2M.

The above highlights have drawn attention in the industry because the products and technologies are beneficial to the PV development; more specifically, production cost could be reduced, rooftops could be used more efficiently, and power efficiency could be enhanced. If improved PV technology could be put into practice, there may still be a good chance for the solar industry to blossom.