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U.S. Air Force completes its first solar-powered hydrogen plant on Hickam base
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Solar array at Hickam Air Force Base.
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The public affairs office of the Hickam Air Force Base (Hawaii), home of the 15th, Airlift Wing and several partner units, on May 20th, 2009 announced that a 1.1 million US-dollar
solar photovoltaic (PV) array had been completed to power the base's hydrogen production and fueling station, marking a "first" for both the Air Force and the state of Hawaii. According
to the press release, 810 PV modules had been installed by the local solar company Sunetric (Kailua, Hawaii). The facility is said to be able to produce 146 kilowatts (kW) of energy per
hour, enough to handle the maximum power demand of the hydrogen plant. "The fact that the hydrogen plant is now solar-powered means hydrogen is now a renewable fuel", said
Tom Quinn, Director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT). According to the press release, the combination of solar panels with the hydrogen plant is
what makes the project a dynamic, first-in-the-Air Force and first-in-Hawaii combination.
Sturdy solar system design to withstand tough environment
Josh Powell, Vice President of Construction Operations at Sunetric (Kailua, Hawaii) said: "Solar panels have been around since the space program of the '50s. This system was designed
for the specific environment here." According to the press release, the solar panels are wind-rated hurricane proof, seismic-level four rated and designed not to blow away in the Hawaii
trade winds. The office at Robins AFB had provided the funding and guidance for the program, and the 15th Airlift Wing will operate and evaluate the equipment. "We have a total of seven
hydrogen powered vehicles, all different types, here," Quinn said. The hydrogen station, operated by Hydra FLX Systems (Houston, Texas), is run with an electrolyzer that uses water and
electricity to flash boil water so hot and so fast that the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the water split to make pure hydrogen. The hydrogen provides non-petroleum-based power for
vehicles.
2009-05-28 Courtesy: Hickam Air Force Base Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Hickam Air Force Base
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Gartner analysis: Tough first-quarter for solar companies
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Revenue for selected PV Industry Firms
(Millions of Dollars).
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The recent revenue announcements by the solar companies Q-Cells, SolarWorld and Phoenix Solar reflect the dismal nature of the photovoltaic industry's first quarter revenues, the
information technology research and advisory company Gartner Inc. (Stamford, Connecticut) finds. According to the analysis, the results of these three solar companies reflect the issues
the PV industry as a whole is facing in the wake of the market crisis. PV firms have been hit with factors that include more-conservative credit sources, a contracting market and
shrinking average selling prices (ASPs). Gartner reports that its current market forecast reflects these issues and expects a market contraction of 28 percent compared to 2008 for the
current year as a result.
Solar companies react to difficult market environment
Gartner believes that while announcements of first quarter results highlight revenue contractions, seriously increasing inventory levels and net losses, they also point to how solar
companies plan to address this market. According to the analysis, Q-Cells has cleaned up its finances by drawing down on its credit facilities, by selling CSG Solar and by merging the
Sontor group with Sunfilm. Gartner notes that SolarWorld emphasizes on its vertical structure, with capabilities in polysilicon processing, module manufacturing and the supply of
complete solar systems. Phoenix Solar has invested in international growth by opening new regional offices, and expects the market to trend towards thin film photovoltaics. Therefore,
the company has established extensive relationships with key silicon thin-film PV, copper-indium-gallium-di-selenide (CIGS) thin-film PV and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film PV
vendors, Gartner reports.
Companies follow strategies to tap into system integrator market
Considering these three companies as a representative slice of the PV market, Gartner finds that even companies with premium products and brands need to touch end customers in a much
more proactive fashion. A key area for PV firms, according to the market study, is to reach out to end customers via system integration and engineering services. Gartner reports that
apart from Q-Cells, companies such as Suntech, SunPower and First Solar have all bought and developed system integration arms as part of a vertical integration strategy. More PV cell
and module firms are expected to move downstream into the system integrator market. Given the extensive history of the technology industry in managing its channels, Gartner projects
much more sophisticated management by the PV firms in terms of how they manage both their direct system integration efforts and their system integration partners.
2009-05-27 Courtesy: Gartner Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Gartner (May 2009)
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SANYO reports energy conversion efficiency of 23 % for HIT solar cells
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO; Tokyo, Japan) on May 22nd, 2009 announced that it had broken its own record for the world's highest energy conversion efficiency in practical size
crystalline silicon-type solar cells. According to the press release, the new cells are able to achieve an efficiency of 23.0 percent at a research level for the company's proprietary
HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) solar photovoltaic cells, up from the previously reached 22.3 percent. This particular type of solar cell is composed of a single thin
crystalline silicon wafer sandwiched by ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. SANYO reports that the increase in the solar cell conversion efficiency this time is accompanied
by significant advances in lowering the production cost of the photovoltaic system and the reduction in the use of raw materials such as silicon. This achievement represents the first
time that a photovoltaic manufacturer has broken through the 23 percent mark in conversion efficiency at the research-level for practical-sized solar cells, the company reports.
Mass-production goal for novel solar cells
SANYO plans to continue to advance its efforts into applying this research-level achievement into mass production, and to promote further research into energy efficiency, as well as
reductions in cost and materials. The structure of the HIT solar cell is such that it has a feature that can reduce recombination loss of the electrical element by surrounding the
energy generation layer of single thin crystalline silicon (c-Si) with high quality ultra-thin amorphous silicon (a-Si) layers, SANYO reports. The company claims that it had recently
managed to improve the quality of the HIT solar cell junction through developing a technology for depositing a higher quality a-Si layer over the c-Si substrate, while protecting the
c-Si surface from being damaged. According to the press release, the result was an increase in the open circuit voltage (Voc) from 0.725 Volts (V) to 0.729 V. SANYO reports that it had
also been able to achieve improvements by reducing optical absorption losses and resistance loss.
2009-05-26 Courtesy: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
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REN21 releases "Renewables Global Status Report": Renewable energy capacity reached 280,000 MW
The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21; Paris, France), in May 2009 released its "Renewables Global Status Report," which shows that the fundamental
transition of the world's energy markets continues. The report finds that the global installed power capacity for renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) had reached 280,000
megawatts (MW) in 2008, which is a 16 percent rise from the 240,000 MW in 2007. According to REN21, the installed solar heating capacity had increased by 15 percent to 145
gigawatts-thermal (GWth), while biodiesel and ethanol production both increased by 34 percent. Grid-connected solar PV continued to be the fastest growing power generation technology,
with a 70 percent increase in existing capacity to reach 13 GW. Spain became the PV market leader, with 2.6 GW of new grid-tied installations. The concentrating solar power
industry saw many new entrants and new manufacturing facilities in 2008. Solar hot water in Germany set record growth in 2008, with over 200,000 systems installed. For the first time
ever, more renewable energy capacity than conventional power capacity was added in both the European Union and the United States, the report finds. Mohamed El-Ashry, Chairman of REN21,
believes that much of this growth was due to more favorable policies amidst increasing concerns about climate change and energy security.
Ambitious targets for Renewables
According to the report, a number of governments enacted new policies during 2008, and many countries set ambitious targets. At least 73 countries have currently set renewable energy
policy targets, REN21 reports, up from 66 at the end of 2007. Feed-in tariffs were adopted at the national level in at least five countries for the first time in 2008/early 2009,
including Kenya, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa and Ukraine. In response to the financial crisis, several governments have directed economic stimulus funding towards the
renewable energy sector. The study finds that developing countries, particularly China and India, are increasingly playing major roles in both the manufacture and installation of
renewable energy. During much of the year 2008, the renewable energy sector had been able to resist the credit crunch more successfully than many other sectors, and new investment
reached 120 billion US-dollars, up 16 percent over 2007. However, the report finds that by the end of the year, the impact of the crisis was beginning to show. According to the press
release, climate change and energy security continue to be the two main drivers of the renewable energy sector.
The REN21 report shows that this industry offers an essential path for growth that can stimulate economic recovery and job creation without the burden of increasing carbon emissions.
"This fourth edition of REN21's 'Renewable Energy Report' comes in the midst of an historic and global economic crisis," said El-Ashry. Although the future is unclear, he said, "there
is much in the report for optimism."
The Renewables Global Status Report is available to download at http://www.ren21.net/pdf/RE_GSR_2009_Update.pdf
2009-05-26 Courtesy: Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century; REN21 Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: REN 21
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Enphase Energy to expand manufacturing, sales and development of PV micro inverters
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Micro inverter by Enphase Energy.
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Enphase Energy (Petaluma, California), a manufacturer of solar micro inverter systems, on May 18th, 2009 announced that it had secured 22.5 million US-dollars in new financing, led
by Madrone Capital Partners (Menlo Park, California). According to the press release this round of funding also includes the new investor Bay Partners as well as the existing investors
Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners and Applied Ventures, LLC. "Enphase's ability to raise funds in this challenging economic environment is a clear sign of investor
confidence in the company's products and management", said Prof. Dan Kammen, Professor of Energy and Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of
California at Berkeley. Enphase reports that its micro inverters convert the DC output of each solar module to grid compliant AC power, thereby eliminating the need for large
traditional inverters. The micro inverter systems are said to be able to increase the energy harvest by 5 to 25 percent and to reduce installation and operational costs by as much as 15
percent compared to traditional solar systems. Enpase reports that its systems are capable of being monitored at the module level to ensure maximum performance.
Capital to be used to further company growth
"We are experiencing exceptional demand for our micro inverter systems. This financing will be used to ramp up manufacturing, accelerate new product development, and expand into new
geographic markets", said Paul Nahi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enphase Energy. The company reports that it has sold tens of thousands of micro inverters since the launch
of this product, and that it had been able to sign sales and distribution agreements with major partners and distributors. "The Enphase Energy team has demonstrated extraordinary
innovation and execution and we're excited to be an investor in a company that is poised to extend its leadership in solar inverters", said Jamie McJunkin, General Partner at Madrone
Capital. "This capital will give Enphase the resources necessary to further accelerate its growth." Enphase Energy provides solar energy management systems for residential and
commercial markets. The company was founded in 2006 and offers a system that includes high-efficiency micro inverters, communications and web-based monitoring and analysis.
2009-05-24 Courtesy: Enphase Energy Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Enphase Energy
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Enerqos and ESP present a photovoltaic car park canopy
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Weather protection for parked cars, with the
environmentally friendly production of solar
energy from the sun’s rays: The Flexa Solar
Parking.
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Enerqos plc, a leading Italian photovoltaic system and solar power plant construction company, and ESP, specialist in the design of metallic structures for solar installations, have
announced their new solution: the "Flexa Solar Parking", a multifunctional solar canopy. This canopy combines acting as a simple weather protection for parked cars with the
environmentally friendly production of solar electricity from the sun’s rays, Enerqos reports in a press release. The Flexa Solar Parking can be adapted to any car park design
(linear, vertical, angled etc) whilst optimising the available surface space. According to the press release the flexibility of the canopy’s structure enables it to be used in
various ways – to shelter cars from the sun or to protect against hail storms for example, or even for greenhouses. "Enerqos is always looking for new solutions to
enable its clients to maximise the profits made from photovoltaic installations, whilst simultaneously streamlining the space devoted to their usage", comments Giorgio Pucci, Sales
& Marketing Director at Enerqos. "Our partnership with ESP is the result of a real strategic decision, which thus enables us to design and create innovative and attractive solutions
for our clients."
"The refined, minimalist design of the Flexa Solar Parking allows it to be totally integrated into any environmental or architectural context", explains Fabrizio Piomboni, Director of
ESP. "The Flexa Solar Parking offers numerous advantages: the creation of covered parking spaces, optimisation of a space and its productivity, and savings on energy bills. For many
companies this easy to integrate, ingenious structure is the perfect architectural solution to prove their dedication to the use and generation of renewable energies."
Designed to conform to all types of locations
According to Enerqos there are two models of the Flexa Solar Parking. The first, The Flexa Solar Parking has been designed to conform to all types of locations and withstand even the
harshest climatic conditions such as snow, wind or rain. The height of the 2 to 3.5 metre pillars can be customised to suit the building, the company reports in the press release. The
creation of the pillars was the result of careful study to allow easy access for cars without blocking the doors. Thanks to a system of beams, the pillars support a metal plate composed
of photovoltaic panels. The incline of the plate increases panel productivity, Enerqos emphasizes in its press release.
15 photovoltaic panels allow the potential production of 3.3 kWh of electricity
Each plate provides cover for two cars and consists of 15 photovoltaic panels allowing the potential production of 3.3 kWh of electricity. All the components of the Flexa Solar Parking
are coated with galvanised zinc to guarantee maximum resistance to corrosion, the company reports. The second version of the Flexa Solar Parking is the Flexa Solar Parking II. This
module is equipped with a double covering and provides cover for 6 cars.
2009-05-23 Courtesy: Enerqos plc Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Enerqos plc
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Winners of International Solar Technology Awards to be announced at Intersolar 2009 in Munich
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International
solar technology
awards (cellaward).
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Photovoltaics International, a leading source for technical manufacturing information and news concerning the solar industry, along with the organizers of the "International Solar
Technology Awards," on May 20th, 2009 revealed the shortlist of nominees for the inaugural "Cell Awards." The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at 5 pm on May 28th, 2009 at
booth 658 in Hall A3 at the Intersolar in Munich. Nominated companies, judges and invited participants of the trade show are expected to attend the event. Photovoltaics
International reports that a poster presentation of all the short listed nominees is scheduled to take place at the PV Group, Tech Arena in hall A3 for the duration of the Intersolar
exhibition.
The nominees for the eight "International Solar Technology Award" categories are:
Green Solar Manufacturing Award:
- Flex-F 80 Onsite Fluorine Generator, Linde
- Edwards Spectra Z 3000
Best Region for Manufacturing Solar Technologies:
- Solar Valley, IMG Saxony
- Silicon Border - Mexicali
- State of Oregon
Best Technology for Si Feedstock and Wafer Processes:
- VINSPEC SP Inline process control for AR's on PV wafers, Tec5
- Solaicx CZ manufacturing
Best Process Technology for c-Si Cell Lines:
- Sunbox Silane free coating system, Sixtron
- Ventura, Advent
- BTU Meridian In-Line Diffusion
Best Technical Product for Module Assembly:
- PV Cell Ribbon and Bus Bar Methodology, EFD
- Cookson - Alpha PV ribbon
- Komax - Xcell Stringer
Best Technical Product for Thin-Film Module Manufacturing:
- KAI 1200 PECVD system, Oerlikon Solar
- AMAT Sunfab
- Veeco thermal Deposition Sources
Industry Choice Award:
- Meridian In-Line Diffusion System, BTU
- IMG Saxony - Solar Valley
- Sixtron - Sunbox Silane Free
A more detailed description of the nominated companies and their technologies can be found online at http://www.cellaward.com.
Photovoltaics International is a media platform that is designed to give real world manufacturing information to decision makers and implementers responsible for producing solar cells,
modules and thin film. Photovoltaics International collects and disseminates news and in-depth technical information through its website PV-Tech.
2009-05-22 Courtesy: Photovoltaics International Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Photovoltaics International
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Solmetric develops photovoltaic layout and estimation software tool for National Semiconductor power optimizers
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Solmetric developed the "SunEye",
a hand held electronic device to
assess total potential solar energy.
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The National Semiconductor Corporation (Santa Clara, California) on May 14th, 2009 announced a partnership with the Solmetric Corporation (Sebastopol, California), a developer of
test and measurement tools for solar installations. According to the press release, Solmetric has developed a software tool, dubbed "PV Simulator," to estimate the energy production of
solar arrays, including installations outfitted with National's proprietary power optimizers. National reports that its "SolarMagic" power optimizers enable solar photovoltaic (PV)
panels to produce maximum energy regardless of whether other panels in the array are under-performing due to shade, debris, panel mismatch and aging. To help determine how
much benefit an installation will gain by using the power optimizers, PV installers and developers can create a system design with the new PV layout and estimation software by
Solmetric. According to the press release, the system uses data collected from real-world installation sites and enables a solar energy system designer to experiment with different
array configurations, with and without the "SolarMagic" power optimizers. National reports that with the new software tool, designers are now able to compare different hardware and
different roof layouts and estimate the energy production of a solar array. Solmetric is offering a technology preview of the "PV Simulator," which can be downloaded for a 30-day trial
starting in late May 2009 by visiting http://www.solmetric.com.
2009-05-22 Courtesy: National Semiconductor Corporation Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Solmetric Corporation
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Solar Power, Inc. to utilize cylindrical Solyndra-modules for 500 kW Costco installation in New Jersey
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Solar roof with cylindrical modules by
Solyndra.
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Solar Power, Inc. (SPI; Roseville, California) an international manufacturer, designer, distributor and installer of photovoltaic (PV) solar systems, on May 18th, 2009 announced that
it had been awarded a contract by Costco to design and install a 500 kilowatt (kW) AC system at Costco's retail store in Hazlet. According to the press release, the system will be
designed by Solar Power, Inc. and will use Solyndra's unique cylindrical copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide (CIGS) solar modules. These tubular devices can capture sunlight
across a 360-degree photovoltaic surface and are thereby capable of converting direct, indirect, and reflected sunlight from the roof's surface into solar electricity. SPI reports that
this installation will be the single largest commercial PV solar system to date that incorporates the innovative Solyndra panels. "We look forward to producing an outstanding system for
one of America's leading retailers. The Costco organization is a fantastic team to work with", said Bradley Ferrell, President of Solar Power, Inc.'s commercial sales division.
Warehouse to host solar power system in New Jersey
Costco's retail facility is located in Hazlet, New Jersey, and is one of twelve Costco retail warehouses serving the state. The system Solar Power, Inc. is designing will utilize 3,300
Solyndra panels (173 w) and a 500 kW Advanced Energy inverter. According to the press release, the installation is scheduled for completion at the beginning of the third quarter of
2009. "The Costco relationship represents yet another example of our repeatable footprint development strategy", said Steve Kircher, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Solar Power, Inc.
"By providing companies with a low-cost formula for deploying solar wherever needed across their enterprise we can leverage economies of scale for our client partners while we build a
solid book of business for our company", Kircher concluded.
2009-05-21 Courtesy: Solar Power, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.
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Suntech to supply solar panels for 1 MW photovoltaic power plant in Switzerland
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Suntech will ship solar panels for a MW
photovoltaic plant to Switzerland.
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Suntech Power Holdings Co., Limited (Wuxi, China), the world's largest manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, on May 18th, 2009 reported that it will supply
Sunergic SA (Vevey), one of Switzerland's leading PV system integrators, with solar panels for a 1 megawatt (MW) solar power plant for Services Industriels de Geneve (SIG; Le Lignon), a
Swiss utility. The SIG 1 MW solar project will become one of the largest PV plants in Switzerland to date. "Switzerland has demonstrated a clear commitment to pursuing
sustainable energy solutions and we are pleased to partner with Sunergic to bring solar into the mix", said Jerry Stokes, Suntech's Vice President of Strategy and Business Development.
"With Suntech's European headquarters located in Schaffhausen, we are in the process of uncovering the potential for more solar projects in Switzerland and other new markets across
Europe." C. Hennard, Sunergic's Chairman, added: "Sunergic is delighted to have won the tender for the SIG solar project despite strong competition. We believe that the quality and
credibility of the Suntech brand made the difference. With this result, we are well positioned to become a leader in the Swiss solar market, and look forward to working with Suntech on
future projects."
2009-05-21 Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co.
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Thin-film PV manufacturer Abound Solar announces framework supply agreement with Juwi Solar
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Insight of Abound Solar's production at
Longmont, Colorado.
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Abound Solar (formerly AVA Solar; Loveland, Colorado), a manufacturer of low-cost, thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, on May 14th, 2009 announced that it had signed a
long-term sales agreement with juwi solar, a leading global solar integrator based in Wörrstadt, Germany. "Abound Solar is excited to be working with juwi solar to deploy our low-cost
thin-film modules. Juwi is a premier solar integrator in the large-scale segment of the market and has the scale and global footprint to support our aggressive growth plans", said
Pascal Noronha, Chief Executive Officer of Abound Solar. "We are proud that they have selected Abound Solar as a strategic partner to deliver industry-leading solutions to
their customers."
Thin-film modules to deliver cost-effective performance
"Having carefully examined many emerging solar technologies, we are convinced that Abound Solar will be a leading photovoltaic manufacturer with modules that meet our strict
requirements for cost-effective performance and reliability", said Lars Falck, Managing Director of juwi solar. "The agreement we are announcing today will enable juwi to continue our
growth in developing the world's largest solar photovoltaic installations." Abound Solar was founded in 2007 to commercialize a proprietary process for manufacturing thin-film
photovoltaic modules. Built upon 15 years of development at Colorado State University and with support from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Abound Solar has developed a
robust, commercial-scale, continuous process for producing solar modules that significantly reduces the cost of generating solar electricity. The company recently began commercial
production at its manufacturing facility in Longmont, Colorado.
2009-05-20 Courtesy: Abound Solar Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Abound Solar
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Pennsylvania Governor Rendell opens "PA Sunshine" solar energy rebate program for homeowners and small businesses
Thousands of Pennsylvania homeowners and small business owners are now able to install new solar technologies at a discount of up to 45 percent, thanks to a new incentive program
Governor Edward G. Rendell launched on May 18th, 2009. The "PA Sunshine Solar Program" is designed to provide 100 million US-dollars in rebates to help fund solar electric and hot water
projects, reimbursing eligible consumers up to 35 percent of the purchase and installation costs of solar energy technology. In combination with federal tax credits, consumers could
reduce system costs by 45 percent, the governor's press release explains. "Today marks another exciting milestone in Pennsylvania's efforts to achieve energy independence
while helping homeowners and small businesses reduce their energy costs", said Governor Rendell. "For years, many homeowners and small business owners wanted to join the alternative
energy effort, but they often found solar technology to be cost-prohibitive. Now that the 'PA Sunshine Program' is open, we're making it possible for more consumers to move forward with
their solar plans."
First come, first serve rebates to be claimed by installers
By making it easier to install environmentally friendly technologies, Pennsylvania is helping consumers conserve energy by relieving demand on the electricity grid, which will drive
down costs for everyone, the state Governor announced. According to the press release, "PA Sunshine" is part of the 650 million US-dollar "Alternative Energy Investment Fund" Rendell
had signed into in July. Homeowners and small businesses wishing to apply for rebates are asked to first select an installer that had been approved by the Department of Environmental
Protection. This installer is then expected to submit all application materials on the consumer's behalf. The scheme calls for project approvals to be granted on a first-come,
first-served basis until funds are depleted. Rebates will be dispersed to the home or small business owner upon completion of the project. "This highly anticipated program will help
families and small businesses lower their energy use, which will cut their bills substantially," Governor Rendell said. "At the same time, they'll be able to generate their own power in
a cleaner and increasingly more cost-effective manner."
Apart from renewable energy generation, energy conservation remains essential
The Governor made the announcement at a private home, where several energy efficiency improvements had been made over the past few years, including new windows and doors and added
insulation. The homeowners had been waiting for the launch of the state's solar rebate program to enter into an agreement to install a five kilowatt solar system on their home. "Our
residents understand how important developing new energy technologies are to our future", said Governor Rendell. "They are showing vision, imagination and a willingness to depart from
the conventional methods of electricity generation and invest in greener, more efficient ways to meet their energy needs." He noted that solar technology makes sense environmentally and
economically. However, Rendell cautioned that while the state continues to press renewables forward, it was also important to continue to conserve energy and not to be wasteful. "Energy
efficiency is often a low- or no-cost way to reduce energy consumption", he said.
2009-05-20 Courtesy: Government of Pennsylvania Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Chinese manufacturer ReneSola announces Zhejiang province's first building integrated photovoltaic project
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Wafer production at the ReneSola facility in
China.
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ReneSola Limited (Jiashan, China), a manufacturer of solar PV wafers, on May 13th, 2009 announced that it had obtained approval from Zhejiang's provincial government to pioneer a
five megawatt (MW) building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) rooftop project in this province. According to the press release, the project has a total planned area of 80,400 square meters
on several government buildings in Jiashan County and is subject to final approval by the Ministries of Finance and Housing and Urban-Rural Development. The BIPV rooftop
project due to ReneSola has a budgeted total investment of RMB 160 million (23.4 million US-dollars) and is planned to be partially funded through the RMB 15 per watt installed capacity
subsidy announced by China's Ministry of Finance in March of 2009.
Zhejiang government plans to increase solar energy-related projects to 50 MW by 2012
The local government may provide additional subsidies and ReneSola has reached a tentative partnership agreement with a local bank to provide additional funding. "We are very pleased to
have been approved by the Zhejiang government to spearhead the province's first BIPV project", commented Xianshou Li, ReneSola's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). "This project, combined
with national and local subsidies and the Zhejiang government's recently announced plans to increase solar energy-related projects to 50 MW by 2012, demonstrates the increasing
importance both national and local governments are placing in developing clean, renewable solar energy."
2009-05-20 Courtesy: ReneSola Limited Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: ReneSola Limited
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Detroit Edison signs renewable energy agreement to meet portfolio standards
DTE Energy (Detroit, Michigan) on May 14th, 2009 announced that its subsidiary, the electricity utility Detroit Edison, had entered into a 20-year agreement with Michigan-based
Heritage Sustainable Energy (Traverse City) to purchase wind power and renewable energy credits that it will use to help the utility meet the state's renewable portfolio standard.
According to the press release, the agreement is the first signed by Detroit Edison following a new state law that requires Michigan's electric utilities to provide 10 percent of their
power from renewable resources by 2015. "This is the first of many agreements we will be signing to provide renewable energy to our customers", said Tony Earley, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DTE Energy. "Michigan's new energy law will encourage the development of renewable energy projects in the state, providing Michigan-based companies like
Heritage with incredible growth opportunities today and in the future."
Electric utility plans to operate own renewable energy projects with a capacity of about 600 MW
To fulfill its agreement with Detroit Edison, Heritage Sustainable Energy plans to install 7 - 8 large-scale wind turbines at a wind farm near Cadillac. The wind turbines, which
according to the press release will have a capacity of about 15 megawatts (MW) are expected to be operational by late 2009. Marty Lagina, Chairman of Heritage Sustainable Energy said:
"This agreement will enable us to expand our wind energy business, create a number of new jobs here in northern Michigan and be a part of the state's exciting energy future." DTE Energy
reports that it expects the majority of its renewable energy to come from wind resources. The company has acquired easements on more than 60,000 acres of land for development of
large-scale wind farms, and has proposed two solar energy pilot projects that could produce about 20 MW of power, according to the press release. To meet the state's renewable portfolio
standard, Detroit Edison expects to add about 1,200 MW of renewable power, half of which it plans to generate through its own renewable energy projects.
2009-05-19 Courtesy: DTE Energy Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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New York's Governor Paterson announces plans for 100 MW solar power project
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Power Authority rooftop solar system atop the
Gun Hill Road Bus Depot.
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On May 15th, 2009, David A. Paterson, Governor of New York, announced what he believes to become the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) project in his state. The governor expects that
it will help the New York's to meet its energy needs, foster the development of solar technologies and stimulate the economy with new clean energy jobs. According to the press release,
this new initiative follows on the heels of the governor's recently announced 50 megawatts (MW) solar photovoltaic project which is led by the utility Long Island Power Authority
(LIPA). Together these projects would total 150 MW thereby positioning New York as the state with the second highest installed PV capacity. "Today's announcement is a
critical step forward in achieving New York's goals under its Renewable Portfolio Standard and in boosting the state's energy independence", said Governor Paterson. "The installation of
100 megawatts of solar power at our schools, municipal and commercial buildings, and other state sites will enhance New York state's status as a leader in the new clean energy economy
and will create clean energy jobs right here."
NYPA to organize public-private partnership
On behalf of the state, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) is expected to organize a public-private partnership for the installation of up to 100 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems,
including roof-mounted and ground-mounted PV arrays at municipal facilities, public and private schools, businesses and state agencies. The NYPA is currently seeking proposals from
companies, especially those that could promote the regional economic development opportunities for local PV component manufacturing and assembly to foster clean energy jobs in the
region. Senator Darrel J. Aubertine, Chair of the Senate Energy Committee, explained: "A public-private partnership like this will spur job growth in Upstate New York with a potential
for manufacturing and assembly, in addition to construction, operation and maintenance of the photovoltaic systems."
Decentralized power generation and transmission to be explored
In addition to providing solar power to the host facilities, NYPA's project is expected to provide information on the technical and economic feasibility of large-scale power production
at distributed locations. According to the press release, the use of solar power as localized electric generation to support the electric grid is to be examined, which would defer the
need for new distribution lines. Among the proponents of the solar power initiative were the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA), the Citizens Campaign for the
Environment (CCE), the Network for New Energy Choices, the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Alliance for Clean Energy (ACE NY). According to NYPA, the power generated by
100 MW is the equivalent of powering approximately 15,000 homes. Governor Paterson's "45 by 15" program calls for 45 percent of clean renewable energy for the state by 2015. It is
estimated that this program will create 50,000 new jobs throughout New York.
Questions and comments about NYPA’s 100 MW Solar Project initiative can be emailed to info@nypa.gov.
2009-05-19 Courtesy: www.ny.gov Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: www.ny.gov
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Suntech to manufacture solar products in the United States
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Suntech Headquarters at Wuxi, China.
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Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China), the world's largest producer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules May 11th, 2009 announced plans to establish products
manufacturing in the United States. According to the press release, the company is currently exploring locations in several states where a production and distribution center can be
built to create a long-term presence of Suntech within the U.S. This decision is expected to be made within the coming six months and will depend in part on local manufacturing
incentives and long-term policy commitments that create vibrant local markets for Suntech's products. Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
said, "A number of favorable developments have led us to this decision, including the dramatic growth in utility demand for large-scale wholesale solar projects, the increasing number
of states with incentive programs for customer-owned systems and the federal government's recent stimulus package, all of which will drive steady, long-term growth in demand." By
locating manufacturing facilities close to its customers, Suntech expects to drastically reduce logistics issues and costs, thereby reducing carbon emissions due to the transport of
modules and increasing its just-in-time delivery capabilities.
Suntech to double European sales and marketing team, relocates EU headquarters to Switzerland
Suntech also announced that it intends to double its sales and marketing team in Europe over the next three to six months, and that it had relocated its European headquarters from
London to Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The company reports that this was part of its ongoing strategy to centralize regional operations and broaden the level of local service and support
to its rapidly expanding European customer base. According to the Shi, the European market represents almost 80 percent of Suntech's business, and is expected to significantly grow in
the coming years. Shi added: "Schaffhausen's proximity to key, established solar markets, such as Germany, France and Italy, and to nascent markets in Greece, Portugal and the countries
of Central Europe, is ideal for Suntech as we enhance localized service and support for existing and prospective customers." As part of its European expansion initiative, Suntech is
looking to enhance its European based team with experienced professionals with expertise in sales, marketing, technical customer service, and product management. Interested candidates
are asked to email their applications to: recruitment@suntecheurope.com.
2009-05-18 Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
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Enerqos and Foresight Solar sign contract on 4 MW solar farms in Apulia, Italy
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Bi-axial tracker "Solar Totem".
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Enerqos Plc, one of Italy’s largest turnkey suppliers of solar energy systems and PV plants, in a press release announced the signature of a new agreement with Foresight Solar
LPP, a subsidiary of the UK based Foresight Italia Fund. Under the terms of the agreement, four new solar farms, with a total capacity of 4 MWp are to be constructed in Apulia, Italy,
one of which will use the Enerqos-ESP patented Solar Totem bi-axial trackers, the company reports in the press release. The solar farms will be equipped with Osiride PVE, the operating
system patented by Samares, an Enerqos-controlled IT company, which allows management, performance maximisation and the reduction of operation and maintenance costs in PV plants.
"This agreement with Foresight is the first of a long series. Together we plan to develop various tens of MW in the next three years", declared Giorgio Pucci, Vice President
Sales and Marketing at Enerqos. "This partnership with Foresight reinforces the connection between Enerqos and the world of international finance", added Bruno Pavesi, Vice President
Finance at Enerqos.
Italian PV market experiencing rapid growth and attracting investors
Giovanni Terranova of Foresight commented: "The solar infrastructure market is experiencing rapid growth and continues to attract strong interest from investors. We have been able to
partner with Enerqos, a market leader in the construction and operation of solar PV plants, to endorse Foresight’s growing reputation as a major player in the solar infrastructure
market in Italy."
2009-05-17 Courtesy: Enerqos Plc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Enerqos Plc.
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Yingli Green Energy becomes the first China-based producer to join PV CYCLE
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PV CYCLE targets end-of-life recycling
for PV-cells.
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Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China), one of the world's leading vertically integrated photovoltaic (PV) producers, on May 11th, 2009 announced that it had
become the first China-based company and the 40th member to join PV CYCLE. The organization PV CYCLE, based in Brussels, Belgium, promotes voluntary take-back and recycling of
end-of-life PV modules. According to the press release, PV CYCLE working groups aim to define collection and recycling targets for the PV industry, develop voluntary agreements among
members and hone PV CYCLE's business model and outreach strategy. "Yingli Green Energy is committed to helping lead the search for a truly sustainable energy solution to
reduce life-cycle energy consumption and the environmental impacts associated with PV production. Our membership to PV CYCLE will substantiate our commitment to customers, authorities
and stakeholders, while allowing us to join a global team of industry leaders that are similarly committed to preventing climate change tomorrow", said Liansheng Miao, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yingli Green Energy.
Full-scale end-of-life recycling for PV-cells is still another 10 to 15 years away
Jan Clyncke, Managing Director of PV CYCLE, commented: "We hope Yingli Green Energy's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of PV production will encourage other Asian
manufacturers to take steps towards developing a sustainable PV solar industry. PV modules are designed to generate clean, renewable energy that can last for more than 25 years. The
first significant installations took place in the early 1990s, and full-scale end-of-life recycling is still another 10 to 15 years away." According to the press release, Yingli Green
Energy's PV CYCLE membership began on April 29th, 2009. The company believes that it represents another step forward in its commitment to developing sustainable energy solutions
throughout all stages of the PV value chain. PV CYCLE was founded in 2007 with the specific purpose of implementing the photovoltaic industry's commitment to set up a voluntary
take-back and recycling program for end-of-life waste PV modules. According to the press release, the scheme is in its final development phase and is scheduled to be presented to the
European Commission by spring 2009 for formal acknowledgement.
2009-05-17 Courtesy: Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: PV CYCLE
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PG&E announces 250,000 US-dollars grants to California schools
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"Solar Schools Program" promotes
PV systems in public schools.
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The US-utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E; San Francisco, California) on May 7th, 2009 announced that it had committed 250,000 US-dollars in "Bright Ideas Grants" to
23 schools districts within its service area, to help reduce energy usage, save money and educate students in environmental stewardship. According to the press release, the new
initiative is part of the larger PG&E "Solar Schools Program," and is expected to support the understanding of renewable energy in public schools throughout northern and central
California. PG&E reports that it plans to issue "Bright Ideas" grants of up to 10,000 US-dollars to credentialed teachers, professors, instructors, principals, deans,
department heads, district administrators and facilities managers in 2009. The company wants to support educational solar project, energy and environmental programs for youths,
renewable energy or science related field trips, projects aimed at "greening" schools and workforce development programs.
About 200,000 students have benefited from "Solar Schools Program"
Ophelia Basgal, Vice President of civic partnerships and community initiatives at PG&E said: "These students are learning how to make real contributions in the advancement of
renewable energy and the fight against climate change. We thank the participating schools who make this possible with their commitment and dedication." According to the press release,
the PG&E Solar Schools Program includes installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems in public schools, a solar-based curriculum training package, workshops for teachers, and "Bright
Ideas" grants. PG&E reports that since its inception in 2004, its shareholders have contributed more than 8 million US-dollars to the program in which more than 125 schools have
participated. It is estimated that about 200,000 students have benefited from the initiative so far. PG&E partners with leaders in the education sector and the solar industry to
deliver the training and infrastructure associated with the company's award-winning Solar Schools Program, which has nationally been recognized for teaching the value of renewable
energy.
2009-05-17 Courtesy: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Pacific Gas and Electric Company
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KYOCERA solar modules installed on European Court of Justice
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Kyocera solar module installation on the
European Court of Justice.
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Kyocera Corporation (President: Tetsuo Kuba) on May 13th, 2009 announced that the European Court of Justice, officially known as the Court of Justice of the European Communities, has
installed Kyocera solar modules on its new building. As one of the leading manufacturers of photovoltaic systems for more than three decades, Kyocera produces its solar modules without
procuring any semi-finished components in its fully integrated production process, thus ensuring quality at every stage of manufacturing. Quality was the decisive factor in installing a
photovoltaic system composed of Kyocera solar modules at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, the company emphasizes. The roof of the new building will be lined with 2,262
KC175GH-2P modules with a total capacity of 400 kWp, and the system is expected to generate an estimated 360,000 kWh annually. By using this environmentally-friendly energy
source the court facilities will be contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. The installation of the system was completed in December 2008. "We are proud that the roof-mounted
system at the European Court of Justice will be equipped with Kyocera module," stated the President of Kyocera operations in Europe, Mitsuru Imanaka. "The confidence shown in our
products adds further impetus in our continual pursuit for superior quality. While aiming to achieve this, we are driven by our resolve to develop environmentally-friendly products and
technologies that provide both environmental and economic advantages."
Kyocera is a pioneering company in the solar energy industry which first began developing solar cells in 1975. Over 30 years of experience have allowed the company to master all stages
of production at the highest level - from processing raw materials, making wafers and solar cells to module installation. The result of Kyocera’s years of experience and fully
integrated production process is superior quality and long product life. Kyocera has also started construction of a new production facility for solar cells in Shiga Prefecture, Japan,
which will contribute to achieving plans to increase the cell production output from the current 300 Megawatts per year to 650 Megawatts per year by 2012.
2009-05-15 Courtesy: Kyocera Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Kyocera
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PG&E and BrightSource sign record deal: Power output of solar projects expected to equal the consumption of 530,000 average homes
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Solar thermal power technology by
BrightSource Energy.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E; San Francisco, California) on May 13th, 2009 announced today that it has entered into a series of contracts with BrightSource Energy, Inc.
for a record total of 1,310 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal power. These power purchase agreements, covering seven projects, supersede the agreements PG&E executed with BrightSource
in April 2008 for up to 900 MW of solar thermal power. The first of these solar power plants, sized at 110 MW and located in Ivanpah, Calif., is contracted to begin operation in
2012. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. All seven projects are expected to
produce 3,666 gigawatt-hours of power each year, equal to the annual consumption of about 530,000 average homes. "The solar thermal projects announced today exemplify PG&E’s
commitment to increasing the amount of renewable energy we provide to our customers throughout northern and central California", said John Conway, senior vice president of energy supply
for PG&E. "Through these agreements with BrightSource, we can harness the sun’s energy to meet our customers’ power requirements when they need it most - during hot
summer days."
BrightSource energy's technology for efficient production of solar energy
"Today’s agreements reflect the technological milestones that the BrightSource Energy team has achieved over the past year", said John Woolard, CEO of BrightSource Energy. "Our
technology is setting the bar for efficient production of solar energy. We’re thrilled by the opportunity to help PG&E and other leaders bring energy customers more clean and
reliable solar energy." Since 2002, PG&E on own account has entered into contracts for more than 20 percent of its future electric power deliveries from renewable sources.
2009-05-14 Courtesy: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: BrightSource Energy Inc.
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3TIER expands availability of "FirstLook" assessment reports and launches third-party licensing
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An example of FirstLook's solar data.
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3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc. (3TIER; Seattle, Washington), a global company that is engaged in weather-driven renewable energy assessment and forecasting for wind, solar,
and hydro power projects, at the end of April 2009 announced that the company had expanded the geographical coverage of its "FirstLook assessment reports. According to the press
release, these reports now provide detailed estimates of wind resources in Western and Eastern Europe, much of Asia and the Pacific Rim, in addition to the previously available data
covering the United States, Canada and Mexico. The data for the expanded regions had been derived using a physical-statistical model, run through a 10-year simulation, 3TIER
reports. "'FirstLook Assessment Reports' provide a detailed look at the estimated wind regime in a given location, bridging the gap between basic prospecting and the deployment of
observational resources", said Kenneth Westrick, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 3TIER. "By expanding coverage of this scientifically rigorous, but cost-effective product,
we can help shorten the development cycle in these regions of the world that have good wind resources, but currently lack reliable wind resource information." The geographical expansion
of the wind assessment reports closely followed 3TIER's opening of three new offices in Germany, India and Australia.
Third-party licensing now available for wind and solar datasets
3TIER also announced the launch of an application programming interface, dubbed "FirstLook API," that provides the technical mechanism and licensing rights for third parties to
integrate wind and solar resource datasets into their own operations and customer experiences. According to the press release, the datasets had been scientifically derived and had been
developed as the foundation 3TIER's "FirstLook Prospecting," an online tool that provides access to initial solar and wind resource data through dynamic, clickable high-resolution maps.
"'FirstLook Prospecting' enables renewable energy companies to better educate their own customers on the value of their onsite wind and solar resources, make informed hardware and
installation decisions, and calculate returns on investment," Westrick said. He added that "FirstLook API" offers access to the initial wind and solar assessment data, as well as
extended datasets that are not publicly available. "Companies can use the 'FirstLook API' to integrate these datasets into their own customer experiences, developing added value and
more complex applications tailored to the needs of their customers," Westrick added.
2009-05-14 Courtesy: 3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: 3TIER Environmental Forecast Group, Inc.
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Evergreen Solar introduced new black-framed "String Ribbon" solar panels
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ES-A series panels by
Evergreen Solar.
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Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Marlboro, Massachusetts, USA), a manufacturer of "String Ribbon" solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost silicon wafer technology, introduced its
new black-framed ES-A Series String Ribbon solar panels during Solar Expo 2009 in Verona, Italy on May 7th – 9th, 2009. These panels are an improvement of the company’s line
of 200, 205 and 210 W solar panels designed with a black frame that, when installed on roofs, improves the aesthetic appearance of solar arrays. The ES-A line of panels deliver more
electricity with the least environmental impact of any solar panel currently available, Evergreen Solar emphasizes in its press release. The ES-A series panels due to the
producer feature the best power tolerance currently available in the industry and String Ribbon panels received high rankings in recent TÜV and Photon performance tests. All Evergreen
Solar panels are manufactured using its proprietary silicon wafer technology which is the most environmentally-friendly process in the industry giving them the smallest carbon footprint
and quickest energy payback of any panel ever made.
PV installations aesthetically pleasing to the end user
Installation of the new black-framed ES-A series panels is identical to former panels with silver frames. Evergreen Solar recommends the use of black anodized mounting clamps to ensure
a homogenous appearance of the system. "The black-framed ES-A series panels allow our customers to create installations that not only provide more electricity and less impact on the
environment than any other solar panel made today but also do so in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to the end user", said Dr. Terry Bailey, Senior Vice President, Marketing and
Sales. "We created this improvement of our product line in response to input we received from our installers and partners. They have been very well-received since their introduction in
April."
All panels in the ES-A series are produced at Evergreen Solar’s new state-of-the-art Devens, Massachusetts, manufacturing facility and use the company’s proprietary Quad
furnaces to create the solar wafers.
2009-05-14 Courtesy: Evergreen Solar, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Evergreen Solar, Inc.
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NREL solar cell wins Excellence in Technology Transfer award
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NREL's research and development is
aimed at advancing PV technology.
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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and
development, on May 7th, 2009 announced that its "Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction" (IMM) solar cell design had been named a winner of the 2009 Award for Excellence in Technology
Transfer by the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). According to the press release, NREL's IMM design is a new class of ultra-light, high-efficiency
solar cells and had been awarded the national prize for the commercialization of federally funded research. The original IMM cell had been invented by Mark Wanlass of NREL's
Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) Group. NREL reports that this design had established a solar cell efficiency of 37.9 percent under concentrated light equal to 10 suns in 2005. In
2008, a modified version of the IMM design had set a new record of 40.8 percent efficiency under 326 suns at NREL, the organization reports.
Cooperation on commercialization of innovative solar cells
According to the press release, NREL and Wanlass have worked with the Emcore Corporation of Albuquerque (New Mexico) since 2005 to develop a commercial version of the IMM cell under a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The commercialized versions of the IMM cells are aimed at the space satellite market and for use on earth in concentrating
photovoltaic arrays (CPV) which use lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto the solar cells. Wanlass and Emcore's Director of research and development, Paul Sharps, were the recipients
the award. NREL is operated for the DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
2009-05-14 Courtesy: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: NREL
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Solar companies continue to innovate despite economic crisis
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Gartner's current estimate for the
market on a US$ basis.
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Gartner, Inc. (Stamford, Connecticut), a leading information technology research and advisory company, on May 11th, 2009 reported that recent company announcements reflect varied
types of developments that are expected to help drive the photovoltaic (PV) industry forward. As examples, the company lists the launch of the "High Gain Solar" (HGS) architecture by
Skyline Solar, the announcement of a new solar PV mounting system by Unirac, and the IEC certification of Oerlikon Solar's micromorph thin-film silicon solar by TÜV-Rheinland.
Gartner believes that as the PV industry copes with the crisis of a contracting market and shrinking average selling prices, these ongoing innovations focus on extracting costs from the
system by either improving the system's power output or by lowering the overall cost of the components. Gartner expects that overall PV installation costs will be reduced by more than
10 percent annually through 2013.
Three approaches to reduce solar energy system costs
Recent solar industry announcements according to Gartner highlight three core approaches to reducing PV system costs: Performance improvements, installation improvements and system
thinking. According to the analysis Oerlikon Solar's and Applied Materials' tandem junction technologies are examples of the potential that PV module efficiency improvements have to
remove costs by increasing the electricity production of the modules. Cost are to decrease by both their increased efficiency and their relatively lower inverter, balance-of-system
(BOS) and installation costs, Gartner finds. According to the press release, notable installation improvements, such as Unirac's structure redesigns, can reduce installation time and
materials and effectively lower the overall solar energy system price. Another important approach to reduce costs for renewable energy generation is summarized under the term "system
thinking." Gartner believes that companies such as Skyline Solar and SolFocus are revisiting the notion of how a system is deployed with a holistic approach that reduces costs from both
a materials and a labor perspective, while improving the overall energy output. In addition, Gartner points out that several companies are leveraging techniques developed in the
automotive industry to improve their manufacturing costs and lower the complexity of their systems.
Great business opportunities for the semiconductor and solar industries
Gartner finds that these examples of innovations highlight different approaches to solve some of the key problems for the PV industry, with the focus not just on lowering the cost of
the system but also on lowering the cost of the electricity produced. The challenges for performance, installation and system thinking are believed to represent opportunities for
semiconductor companies. Examples would be the development of new micro-inverters or capacitors for panels or low-cost Wi-Fi radio systems that can improve monitoring at the string or
panel level to optimize solar system maintenance. These opportunities need to be addressed in terms of how the semiconductor innovations can lower the overall cost of solar electricity
while decreasing, or at least not increasing, the risk of the system, Gartner finds.
2009-05-13 Courtesy: Gartner, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Gartner, Inc.
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Duke Energy to build up to 400 'mini' solar power plants in North Carolina
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PV panels on Duke's Kokomo office.
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The Duke Energy Corporation (Charlotte, North Carolina), one of the largest electric power companies in the USA, on May 7th, 2009 announced that it plans to build between 100 and 400
electricity-generating mini solar power plants throughout North Carolina over the next two years. According to Duke Energy's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jim Rogers, this is one of
the first large-scale initiatives of its kind in the country. "Solar and wind are both going to be key parts of our strategy going forward", Rogers said. The North Carolina
Utilities Commission had previously issued a decision that allowed Duke Energy to proceed with its 50-million US-dollar proposal to install solar panels on the roofs and grounds of
homes, schools, office buildings, shopping malls, warehouses and industrial plants, the company reports. Installations are scheduled to start later this year.
Innovative, decentralized power generation instead of large solar plants
Collectively, the grid-tied solar systems to be build under the program are expected to generate enough electricity to power about 1,300 homes. Duke Energy believes that its solar
initiative will be among the nation's first and largest demonstrations of distributed generation in which electricity is produced at numerous micro generating sites instead of at one
large, centralized power plant. "We are redefining our boundaries. We're looking ahead and we're looking around the corner," Rogers told shareholders in a meeting. According to the
press release, Duke Energy will own and maintain the solar panels during their expected 25-year lifespan. The company also will own the electricity generated. Under the scheme, property
owners who host the panels for use of their roofs or land will be paid a rental fee, based on the size of the installation and on the amount of electricity generated at any given site.
Duke Energy reports that the solar plan was just one of several renewable and clean-energy initiatives announced by the company in the last 12 months, that included programs for the
generation of power based on solar, wind, biomass or landfill gas resources.
2009-05-13 Courtesy: Duke Energy Corporation Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Duke Energy Corporation
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PV producer Skyline Solar emerges from stealth after achieving development and financing milestones
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HGS technology by Skyline Solar.
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Skyline Solar (Mountain View, California), a manufacturer of "High Gain Solar" (HGS) arrays for commercial, industrial, government and utility markets, on May 4th, 2009 announced the
official launch of the company and its HGS architecture, after achieving key product, financing and customer milestones. Skyline Solar reports that its HGS architecture delivers the
performance and durability of tracked silicon photovoltaics at the cost of thin-film technologies in sunny climates, thereby accelerating the path to grid parity. Skyline's
HGS system uses single-axis tracking and metallic reflector racks that concentrate light onto strips of monocrystalline silicon solar cells. According to Skyline Solar the HGS maintains
a low cost by using components already available at a high volume (silicon cells and aluminum) in the right proportions.
In conjunction with the formal launch of the company Skyline Solar announced that it had reached several key corporate milestones, including the construction of its first demonstration
plant in San Jose, the start of pilot manufacturing in the United States and Asia as well as the start of the component certification process in the wake of a year of reliability and
system testing. According to the press release, the company had also been able to secure 24.6 million US-dollars equity investment from New Enterprise Associates (NEA; Menlo Park,
California) along with several other financial and strategic investors, and 3 million US-dollar funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) "Solar America Initiative."
Ten times more energy per gram of silicon
"'The Solar America Initiative' PV incubation process was extremely competitive and we're confident we've selected innovative companies to drive the solar industry forward", said Martha
Symko-Davies, Research Senior Supervisor at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). "We were impressed by Skyline's total system approach which packages many high-gain solar
design elements into an elegant array leveraging traditional manufacturing for large scale. Skyline is one of the first to recognize and drive the High Gain Solar systems movement
towards grid parity over the next 18 months."
Skyline Solar asserts that its HGS architecture is able to deliver ten times more energy per gram of silicon compared with traditional flat-panel systems in sunny locations and that it
offers industry-leading energy density. The company's proprietary HGS arrays combine industry-proven silicon cells, durable reflector materials and single-axis tracking into a complete,
easy-to-deploy system. According to the press release, the systems are primarily built out of commodity materials with globally available manufacturing processes from the photovoltaic
(PV) and automotive industries. Skyline Solar believes that its HGS architecture is the fastest path to grid parity. "Skyline Solar has developed an innovative, differentiated approach
that simultaneously provides the performance and reliability of silicon PV while driving a much lower delivered cost", said Mark Perry, General Partner at NEA.
Technology to accelerate path to grid-parity
By increasing the productivity of silicon-based PV technologies and using only a fraction of the materials to reduce costs, Skyline Solar believes to be well positioned to capitalize on
the forecasted solar market growth. Skyline HGS is said to use 90 percent less silicon and 66 percent fewer parts versus traditional flat panel solar power plants. "Skyline Solar is
focused on a single goal as a company, accelerating the deployment of solar energy to meaningfully offset fossil fuel consumption. This requires rapidly achieving grid parity and
dramatically improving scalability of PV systems", said Bob MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Skyline Solar. "We have a laser-like focus on real-world system performance and
delivering the lowest cost of energy in the industry. We believe that we can help solar integrators, project developers and project finance firms reduce the cost and complexity of
system installation, while delivering a high-yield, low maintenance system for their commercial, industrial and utility customers."
2009-05-12 Courtesy: Skyline Solar Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Skyline Solar
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National Bank of Arizona announces largest commercial thin film solar installation in Phoenix
The National Bank of Arizona (NBA; Phoenix, Arizona), on May 6th, 2009 announced its plans to build a 222 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) installation in Phoenix, which it believes
to become the city's second largest commercial solar PV installation to date. According to the press release, the project will be comprised of two carport-mounted systems that will be
utilizing Tempe-based First Solar's advanced thin film modules. "National Bank of Arizona's solar systems will leverage Arizona technology, installed by Arizona workers to
turn Arizona sunlight into electricity for an Arizona business", said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. "This project is a great step toward a greener Phoenix and demonstrates our city's
potential as a leader in solar power generation." According to the press release, the solar PV systems will consist of 2,960 First Solar modules that are to be installed atop the
carports in the parking lot of National Bank of Arizona's headquarters in Phoenix.
Reduction of greenhouse gases, energy cost expected of solar installation
The systems is expected to produce more than 350,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar electricity annually, enough to power approximately 20-30 Phoenix-area homes. The project had been
made possible, in part, because of an incentive from the Salt River Project EarthWise Solar Energy program. According to the press release, the PV system is expected to allow NBA to
offset the emission of more than 11 million pounds of greenhouse gases over its lifetime, the equivalent of taking more than 1,400 cars off the road for a year. The agreement between
the two companies calls for SolarCity to handle the design, the permitting and the installation of the system. "NBA's decision is a reflection of the changing economics of solar", said
Lyndon Rive, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SolarCity. "We expect NBA's solar installation to serve as a blueprint for other area companies seeking to take advantage of Arizona's
tremendous solar potential."
2009-05-12 Courtesy: National Bank of Arizona Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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OPEL International launches new solar tracking system
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"TF-500" dual axis tracking systems by
OPEL International Inc.
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OPEL International Inc. (Toronto, Canada), a global developer and supplier of high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) systems including ground-mounted and rooftop tracking systems, on
May 6th, 2009 announced the introduction of its new large scale "TF-500" dual axis tracker systems. According to company officials, the manufacturing of the tracker with will not only
ensure expeditious delivery of North American orders, but contribute to the growth of jobs and the green economy in the United States. The company reports that the TF-500
solar tracker is the largest dual axis tracker system in its product line and being produced primarily by Charles J. Dickgiesser & Co., Inc. located in Derby, Connecticut. "The
manufacture of tracker systems in Connecticut creates jobs in the state where OPEL Inc.'s operations office is located and brings the 'green economy' to life as President Obama aims to
do", said Robert Pico, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OPEL International Inc.
Up to 6,400 watts of power with silicon flat plate panels and up to 7,560 watts of power using OPEL's HCPV panels
OPEL reports that solar panels can generate up to 40 percent more electricity when mounted on tracking systems, because they maintain the ideal 90 degree angle between the sun's rays
and the panels' surface by following the sun across the sky. "Working with a local company has many advantages especially for the development and manufacturing of our products. We have
challenged Dickgiesser on price, quality, and delivery; and they have met that challenge", said Ed Linke, Director of Mechanical Engineering for OPEL: Ray Gildea, plant engineer at
Charles J. Dickgiesser & Co., commented: "With so many industries downsizing in this economy, solar and wind power represent bright spots with potential for significant growth for
many years to come." OPEL reports that its TF-500 tracking system is designed for large scale applications such as utility grade solar farm installations. According to the press
release, a fully equipped TF-500 can support up to 6,400 watts of power with silicon flat plate panels, and up to 7,560 watts of power using OPEL's Mk-I HCPV panels.
2009-05-12 Courtesy: OPEL International Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: OPEL International Inc.
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Sovello's PV-modules take first place at the half-year review of the TÜV Rheinland durability test
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PV production at Sovello's facility in Thalheim,
Saxony-Anhalt.
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The PV-modules of the German producer Sovello AG headquartered in Thalheim, Saxony-Anhalt, delivered the best results in the durability test "Energy Yield 2008" of TÜV Rheinland at
the half-year review. After six months (April - September 2008), Sovello’s module came in first place among 17 tested photovoltaic modules by achieving the highest specific energy
output among all participating competitor products. The durability test of TÜV Rheinland, whose semi-annual results were just released by the TÜV, runs twelve months and is highly
respected in Germany due to its rigorous scientific testing methods in combination with realistic environmental conditions. "The positive test results show the superior output that is
possible with Sovello modules", beamed Sovello’s Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Christian Langen. "By using our 'Made in Germany' modules in photovoltaic roof
installations of all sizes, the potential returns are tremendous at this point."
Sovello AG on own account is one of the largest fully integrated producers of photovoltaic modules in the world with an excellent reputation for highly technological innovations. At its
production location Thalheim in Sachsen-Anhalt, "STRING RIBBON" wafers and cells are produced and further processed into Sovello Pure Power PV-modules. "With ecologically and
economically balanced production methods, Sovello AG achieves the best CO2-report and energy amortization time when compared with competitive products of other manufacturers; the result
is a long-term sustainable, environmentally friendly approach", the company emphasizes. Since its production inception in 2006 in Thalheim, Sovello has produced more than 150 MW in
PV-modules.
The Sovello Pure Power PV-modules of the T-Series and X-Series are officially registered with the TÜV and certified according to the relevant norms IEC EN 61215 and IEC EN 61730. More
information about the performance capacity of Sovello modules is available for visitors of the Intersolar in München (May 27-29, 2009) from the Sovello team in Hall A1/Booth 150.
2009-05-11 Courtesy: Sovello AG Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Sovello AG
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US-Secretary of the Interior Salazar announces stimulus investment to develop renewable energy projects on public land
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on May 2nd, 2009 announced that the US-government will fund more than 650 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) projects across the country with 305
million US-dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The investments aim at creating jobs, restoring landscapes and habitat and at spurring renewable energy
development on public lands, Salazar explained. "The President has said that our nation has a 'moral, environmental, economic, and security imperative to address our
dependence on foreign oil and tackle climate change in a serious, sustainable manner,'" Secretary Salazar said. "Many of these BLM investments, including several here in Nevada, will
lay the groundwork for our clean energy future by opening the new energy frontier and creating new, green jobs here in America."
41 million US-dollars for renewable energy developments and power transmission infrastructure
The BLM is expected to invest 41 million US-dollars through the ARRA to advance the nation's development and transmission of renewable energy on public lands. According to the press
release of the Department of the Interior, these funds will be invested in reducing the backlog of pending applications for wind and solar projects on BLM-managed land. If approved in
the permitting process, these large-scale renewable energy projects will create new jobs and increase renewable energy supplies. In addition, these funds will be invested in regional
planning and siting of future development and transmission of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass energy, Salazar announced.
2009-05-11 Courtesy: U.S. Department of the Interior; Office of Communications Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Photovoltaics: DuPont opens technical center in China
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DuPont's photovoltaics center in Shanghai.
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DuPont opened a photovoltaic (PV) technical center at its China global R&D Center in Shanghai on May 4th, 2009 to support material developments for the fast growing crystalline
silicon photovoltaic market. DuPont reports that it expects to nearly triple its annual photovoltaic sales to more than 1 billion US-dollars in 2012. According to the press release, the
total investment for the center to date amounts to approximately 25 million US-dollars and the newly established facility contains three labs that focus on processes including cell to
module manufacturing, PV metallization and PV module and reliability testing. The center is expected to provide integrated research, development and technical support for
customers in the PV industry in China. Douglas Muzyka, President of DuPont Greater China, said: "The center will allow us to collaborate more closely with our customers in the PV
industry, to provide technical support and to develop new materials technologies to meet the market needs. Through this partnership, we will be able to help create solar modules that
run more efficiently, last longer and make solar energy a more viable alternative for everyone."
Innovations to improve lifetime and efficiency of photovoltaic modules
According to the press release, the new PV technical center is equipped with evaluation facilities that resemble customers' production lines. DuPont believes that it can thereby conduct
more systematic product evaluations, troubleshoot issues more quickly and modify material properties for maximum performance. The center is expected to play a key role as a technical
focal point, connecting the China market with other technical networks in the region and with DuPont's global R&D headquarters, the Experimental Station in the United States.
"DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions is accelerating its ability to deliver innovations that will improve the lifetime and efficiency of photovoltaic modules, while helping lower the cost per
watt", said Marc Doyle, Global Business Director of DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions. DuPont's China R&D Center is located in the Zhangjiang High-tech Park, Pudong, Shanghai, one of
China's national level technical parks dedicated to high-tech start-ups and research organizations. The center is expected to provide an enhanced platform to enable technological
exchanges and research collaborations between DuPont and leading Chinese and Asian universities and research institutes.
New PV-encapsulant helps accelerate BIPV Roofing
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS; Wilmington, Delaware) announced that the company SYSTEM Photonics S.p.A. is using the DuPont "PV5300 Series" encapsulant sheets for the production
of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) solar tile modules. The company reports that its encapsulant sheets are made of clear, supertough ionomer, and that they can improve module
strength, durability and the cost-per-watt efficiency. "Our technical focus is crystalline silicon based photovoltaic power generation, in durable roofing tiles that mount directly to
the structural framing",said SYSTEM Photonics Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gianluca Aiazzi. According to the press release, these roofing tiles feature power generating cells embedded
between two 35-mil sheets of clear "PV5300 Series" encapsulant, mounted onto individual ceramic tiles that are about 1 meter wide. The BIPV roofing tiles are topped with low-iron glass,
also held in place by the encapsulant. The company reports that the completed assembly is then pressed together and heat-sealed using automated vacuum laminators with robotic feeds.
According to the press release, DuPont's encapsulant sheets are stiffer than other such products, which adds to solar module strength and allows for automated sheet handling.
2009-05-11 Courtesy: DuPont Microcircuit Materials Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: DuPont Microcircuit Materials
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Intersolar North America announces threefold expansion of exhibition
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Cutting-edge developments in concentrating
solar power on display at Intersolar
North America.
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Intersolar North America, the most diverse global business-to-business exhibition in the United States dedicated to the transformation of the solar marketplace, on May 6th, 2009
announced that growing demand in booth sales has prompted organizers to open another floor, tripling the size of last year’s exhibition and bringing the 2009 total floor space to
approximately 120,000 net square feet. Intersolar North America 2009 now expects to accommodate around 500 exhibitors. Currently more than 370 exhibitors from 20 countries worldwide are
confirmed to exhibit with 15,000 expected attendees anticipated at this year’s event, co-located with SEMICON West, in San Francisco on July 14-16. "Solar is a complex
global market with a wide variety of participants - from banks and governments, to manufactures and distributors. As evidenced by the massive increase in size of Intersolar North
America 2009, this is an event that brings together the entire solar value chain to connect, develop partnerships and help define the vision for solar’s future", said Markus
Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion International GmbH, organizer of Intersolar North America. "With the massive infusion of public and private capital over the last year, there has never
been a bigger opportunity for solar’s growth - despite the economy. Intersolar North America 2009 will help our industry seize every advantage to advance solar as a ubiquitous
energy source", Elsaesser said.
Exhibitors from around the world among the 500 companies featured at the 2009 expo
For a diverse global industry including photovoltaics and solar thermal for both residential and commercial markets, the challenge of patchwork of regulations, incentives and quality
standards can hinder market success. Intersolar North America’s exhibition will help both domestic and international solar businesses connect with other businesses to strengthen
their positions and further the industry. Exhibitors from around the world, such as Solar World (Germany), LDK Solar (China), Nexolon (Korea), Schüco (Germany), Applied Materials
(U.S.A.), Canadian Solar (Canada) and Acciona Solar Power (U.S.A), will be among the 500 companies featured at the 2009 expo, designed to create access for attendees to the entire value
chain of companies that make up the billion international solar industry.
"Intersolar North America is the premier exposition, attracting the top suppliers, buyers and technologists who are leading the charge toward the greening of America", said Dan Martin,
executive vice president of the SEMI PV Group. "Visitors will gain keen insight into the North American and global solar industries by taking part in the vast array of educational
programs and discussions offered to create strong global relationships for those within the industry."
Job and Career Forum powered by Solarjobs.com
Intersolar North America 2009’s exhibition programs are also expanding to accommodate the growing needs of the solar industry this year, including the expansion of the Innovation
Exchange and the addition of the Job and Career Forum. The Innovation Exchange, which showcases innovative and new products or services in 25 minute presentations, will feature double
the amount of planned presentations by exhibitors. To help the industry fill the potential 5 million green jobs needed by the renewable energy industry over the next 15 years, according
to The RAND Corporation, the Job and Career Forum, powered by Solarjobs.com, will host a variety of presentations on available training programs, the solar job market and details on
future career opportunities within the solar industry. To connect attendees seeking solar jobs and companies looking to fill positions, the Job and Career Forum will provide free job
search computer terminals, and will feature Solarjobsplus - Executive Search and Talent Management, a dedicated program to address the recruitment needs of senior and specialist
candidates.
Further Information: http://www.intersolar.us
2009-05-11 Courtesy: Intersolar North America Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Intersolar North America
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Canada: "Solar Water Heating Program" launched to reduce energy costs and environmental impact in Ontario
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Bullfrog Power and partners launch
Solar Water Heating Program.
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Bullfrog Power (Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Canada), Enbridge Gas Distribution (Toronto), EnerWorks (Dorchester), and the Government of Canada on April 30th, 2009 announced the
launch of a new "Solar Water Heating Program." Solar water heating systems allow homeowners to reduce their energy costs and environmental impact by harnessing the sun's energy for
their warm water needs. According to the new scheme, qualifying homeowners will be able to save substantially on the purchase and installation of solar water heating systems, in part
through the Government of Canada's "ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat" program and through volume discounts from EnerWorks. According to the press release, the program, although
limited in time, could give homeowners in the Enbridge Gas Distribution franchise area the opportunity to save up to 50 percent on their solar water heating systems. Once installed, a
reduction of up to 60 percent of energy costs for water heating is feasible, the companies believe.
Certified contractors to install solar water heating systems
"New technology, active energy conservation activities and green power are all effective ways that homeowners can reduce their environmental impact", said Tom Heintzman, President of
Bullfrog Power. "Through this new 'Solar Water Heating Program,' we are happy to provide another option that makes it easy for Ontarians to support renewable energy." The scheme calls
for local certified contractors to install solar water heating systems by EnerWorks. According to the press release, these systems Canada's first solar water heaters to receive an
all-season CSA certification. These integrated systems are composed of solar panels, an energy pack and a solar storage tank. They are expected to be able to meet a household's primary
demand for hot water, but existing water heaters will remain in place to provide a secondary heating source. "This solar water heating program represents a fabulous opportunity for
homeowners to realize the economic and environmental benefits of heating their water with the renewable power of the sun, while taking advantage of significant additional incentives and
discounts", said Phil Whiting, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at EnerWorks.
2009-05-09 Courtesy: Bullfrog Power Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Bullfrog Power
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IX Energy provides update on 12 MW solar module fabrication line
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Steve Hoffmann,
Founder and CEO
of IX Energy.
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IX Energy Holdings, Inc. (New York City, New York), a renewable energy solutions company engaged in the design, marketing and development of solar power and other renewable energy
solutions, on May 1st, 2009 provided an update on its 12 megawatt (MW) semi-automated fabrication line, which it had purchased from Spire Corporation (Bedford, Massachusetts). Steve
Hoffmann, IX Energy's Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), commented: "We are currently planning to establish production capacity for our commercial and international businesses.
Recent incentives provided through the federal stimulus package should provide attractive opportunities to deploy our fabrication line and in the process promote local job
growth." The company reports that it had narrowed the discussions about potential partnerships and locations to a few US-states, and that it expects to be able to announce a
final decision within the coming months.
US economic stimulus driving force for solar market growth
"There has never been a more exciting time for the US Solar market", said Roger G. Little, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Spire Corporation. "The new stimulus funding
is fueling a rapid expansion domestically and we are excited to help IX Energy pursue it. Domestic job creation is driving the policymakers and US-made Spire equipment adds to the jobs
created." Hoffmann added: "The advantages of Spire's modular line will enable us to expand capacity in the future to support our growth. In addition, the line can also be used to
produce product for building-integrated PV applications, which is key to our future plans."
2009-05-08 Courtesy: IX Energy Holdings, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: IX Energy Holdings, Inc
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PV-Producer Evergreen Solar announces new wafer factory in China
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A close up of "String Ribbon" production.
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Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Marlboro, Massachusetts), a manufacturer of solar power products, on April 30th, 2009 announced that it had entered into a frame agreement with Chinese solar
products manufacturer Jiawei Solar Co. (Jiawei; Wuhan) and with the Wuhan Donghu New Technology Development Zone Management Committee. The agreement calls for a significant expansion of
Evergreen Solar's "String Ribbon" wafer manufacturing in Wuhan, which is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2010. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will manufacture
wafers at a leased facility that is being built at Jiawei's campus and Jiawei will in turn process those wafers into Evergreen Solar-branded panels on a subcontract basis.
According to the press release, the Wuhan government had agreed to coordinate with other Chinese governmental agencies to provide various incentives, including guarantees necessary to
obtain third-party bank or other financing. The initial production capacity is expected to be approximately 100 megawatts (MW), but the parties report that they intend to expand this
capacity to approximately 500 MW by 2012.
Solar module manufacturing costs to reach one US-dollars per watt by 2012
"We are thrilled about our new relationship with Jiawei and the support that we are receiving from the Wuhan Management Committee", said Richard M. Feldt, Chairman, Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and President of Evergreen Solar. "The cost of our 100 MW wafer facility will be between 40 and 50 million US-dollars and we will seek financing for about two thirds of
that amount, reducing our portion of initial capital required to approximately 15 to 20 million US-dollars." At full capacity of about 25 MW per quarter by the end of 2010, Evergreen
Solar expects that the total manufacturing cost of its solar panels produced in China will be in the range of 1.40 to 1.50 US-dollars per watt. "We believe that total manufacturing cost
could be reduced to approximately 1.00 US-dollar per watt by the end of 2012", Feldt concluded.
2009-05-07 Courtesy: Evergreen Solar, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Evergreen Solar, Inc.
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Suntech's CTO Stuart Wenham wins 2009 Inventor of the Year award
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Suntech's CTO Dr. Stuart
Wenham.
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Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China), a manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, on April 30th, 2009 announced that its Chief Technology Officer Dr.
Stuart Wenham, had won the 2009 Inventor of the Year award. The Inventor of the Year award is hosted by NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd. (Sydney, Australia), a technology commercialization
company of the University of New South Wales (UNSW; Australia). According to the press release, Wenham holds a dual position as the Director of the UNSW's ARC Photovoltaic Centre of
Excellence and is a world-leading solar cell inventor with more than 25 years experience in solar research and development. He had been involved with the invention of eight
suites of solar cell technologies and had been instrumental in helping develop Suntech's "Pluto" technology. Suntech is currently utilizing the Pluto technology to produce PV cells on
commercial grade solar wafers. The company reports that mono-crystalline Pluto cells reach conversion efficiencies of approximately 19 percent and multi-crystalline cells approx. 17
percent.
Award recognizes solar technology breakthroughs
"The standard of excellence among the finalists at these awards was first class and I'm humbled to have been chosen top inventor," said Wenham. "Through the course of my career I have
witnessed solar progress from the lab to field installations and now into a multi-billion dollar global industry. The potential of solar to redefine energy generation is enormous and I
have no doubt that we will witness further breakthroughs that will facilitate even greater adoption of solar", Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and CEO, added. "Stuart's
contribution to the solar industry has been exceptional and it is fitting that he receive this award. Under his guidance, we have successfully commercialized the high efficiency Pluto
technology and plan to start shipments within the next few months. This technology clearly demonstrates the strength of Suntech's R&D capability and leadership position in
crystalline silicon solar technologies." The NSi Inventor of the Year awards reward innovative technologies of UNSW researchers and students that benefit the community and the
environment. Suntech reports that 2009 is the first year of the awards, which carry a total prize pool of 20,000 Australian dollars (14,800 US-dollars).
2009-05-07 Courtesy: Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
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Q-Cells completes the placing of its shares in REC, raising EUR 530 million
The German PV producer Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen) on Mai 6th, 2000 announced today the successful completion of its placing of 84,956,767 shares in Renewable Energy Corporation
ASA (REC) at a price of NOK 55, raising gross proceeds of approx. EUR 530 million. This placing represented Q-Cells’ entire shareholding in REC, which amounted to approximately
17.2% of REC's outstanding share capital. A portion of the net proceeds from the sale of REC shares will be used to repay the current drawdown of Q-Cells’ syndicated credit
facility (EUR 360 million), Q-Cells reports in an Ad hoc announcement. Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, ABG Sundal Collier, Dresdner Kleinwort/Commerzbank and UniCredit Group acted
as bookrunners for the placement.
2009-05-07 Courtesy: Q-Cells SE Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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US-Department of Energy funds solar fuel center at Arizona State University
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Devens Gust, director of the new
Energy Frontier Research Center
at ASU.
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The Arizona State University (ASU) on April 30th, 2009 announced that it will be home to one of the 46 new "Energy Frontier Research Centers" (EFRC) announced by the White House in
conjunction with a speech delivered by US-President Barack Obama. According to the press release, the new center at ASU will pursue advanced scientific research on solar energy
conversion based on the principles of photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy. The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to fund ASU's EFRC for
bio-inspired solar fuel production with about 14 million US-dollars over a five-year period. "These centers will mobilize the enormous talents and skills of our nation's scientific work
force in pursuit of the breakthroughs that are essential to make alternative and renewable energy truly viable as large-scale replacements for fossil fuels", said U.S. Secretary of
Energy, Steven Chu. R.F. Shangraw Jr., ASU's Vice President of research and economic affairs added: "Understanding and using the scientific principles underlying the photosynthesis
process will allow us to devise new and environmentally responsible ways of tapping future energy sources."
Mimicry of photosynthesis as a key to new renewable energy technology
ASU reports that it had assembled a first-class team of scientists that had been studying various pieces of the photosynthetic apparatus over a period of more than 15 years, trying to
understand the chemistry and biochemistry of the processes and learning how to design and build solar energy harvesting components based on this fundamental science. "This grant will
allow us to put together a complete system that starts with the absorption of sunlight and ends with the creation of a clean fuel, such as hydrogen", says Devens Gust, an ASU Professor
of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who is also the designated Director of the new center. According to the press release, the goal of the
facility is to design and construct a synthetic system that uses sunlight to convert water cheaply and efficiently into hydrogen fuel and oxygen. The University believes that the use of
solar energy to produce a clean fuel such as hydrogen is essentially the only process that can satisfy these criteria at a scale large enough to meet the world's energy demands.
Following the natural design principles of photosynthesis, scientists in the new ASU center are expected to investigate how to make artificial analogs of these catalysts and light
harvesting units, and how to put them together to build a complete system that uses sunlight to oxidize water (producing oxygen gas) and make hydrogen or other fuels. "The ASU center
will not only investigate new scientific realms, but also study how best to incorporate new discoveries about energy into useful technology and the fabric of everyday life," Gust
said.
ASU to energize campus with 3.3 MW solar PV project
ASU also announced its plans to build a 3.3 megawatt (MW) solar array at its West campus, that is expected to produce enough energy to meet nearly all of its energy needs, according to
David Brixen, ASU interim Vice President of university services. The project is part of the second phase of ASU's overall "solarization" project on all of its campuses. "The new solar
photovoltaic system at ASU West is a significant investment for our campus," said ASU President Michael Crow. According to the press release, the solar power installation will mostly be
located in an open area, but some of the solar panels will cover existing parking areas and provide shade to cars. The construction of the system is expected to begin this summer with
the system operational by December 2009. According to the press release, the companies Independent Energy Group, APS Energy Services and Carbon Free Technology are providing the
photovoltaic systems and infrastructure for the overall ASU project.
2009-05-06 Courtesy: ASU Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: ASU
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Sunny Hill Energy signs 55 MW module supply agreement with Ningbo Solar Electric
Sunny Hill Energy, Inc. (San Jose, California), a solar financing and business support company, on April 30th, 2009 announced that it had signed a two-year agreement with Ningbo
Solar Electric Co., LTD (NBSolar; Ningbo, China), a manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. Under the terms of the agreement, NBSolar will supply Sunny Hill with 55 megawatts
(MW) of its high-efficiency mono-crystalline panels for use in residential and commercial installations. The deal is expected to increase NBSolar's US presence and guarantee adequate
supply for Sunny Hill's pipeline of projects. "We're excited to have found the ideal solar panel solution for our residential and investment-grade projects", said Dorian
Maras, Chief Science Officer (CSO) for Sunny Hill Energy. "NBSolar's large European presence and 40-year history in solar technology manufacturing won us over. Additionally, we found
great synergy between NBSolar's desire to enter the US market and our ability to develop it." Dong YuMing, NBSolar's Director of Worldwide Sales said: "We are very pleased to sign this
agreement with Sunny Hill Energy. Our modules are widely known in Europe, but have emerging presence in the US market. This agreement provides us a new and significant channel into a
growing market."
2009-05-06 Courtesy: Sunny Hill Energy, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Photovoltaics: Solyndra and Satcon launch strategic partnership
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Solyndra Panels: easy to transport.
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Satcon (Boston, Massachusetts), a provider of utility and commercial scale distributed power solutions for the renewable energy market, and Solyndra (Fremont, Kalifornien), a
manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops, on April 30th, 2009 announced a strategic partnership to
develop and deliver optimized system solutions for commercial rooftop solar power production. As part of the agreement, Satcon and Solyndra will both market Solyndra's commercial solar
PV systems with Satcon's commercial solar PV inverters as well as collaborate on new technologies that will further optimize design, implementation and return on investment of large
commercial and industrial solar PV power plants, the companies report in a press release. This partnership between two innovators in commercial grade solar PV lays the
groundwork for long term cooperation on solutions that will revolutionize commercial solar power for years to come, Solyndra emphasizes. By marketing Solyndra's highly efficient solar
panels and Satcon's commercial ready suite of high efficiency solar inverter solutions, including Satcon's PowerGate Plus, S-Type inverters, or the groundbreaking Solstice power
conversion platform which due to the producer dramatically increase power conversion from roof and ground mount solar PV plants, Solyndra and Satcon intend to leverage off the unique
contributions that each has made to the solar PV market.
360-degree photovoltaic surface combined with design flexibility
Solyndra solutions enable customers to maximize rooftop solar energy generation through a combination of their unique 360-degree photovoltaic surface and through design flexibility that
allows high rooftop coverage. Matching this with Satcon's feature-rich solutions for power conversion assures maximum power production in virtually any rooftop environment. In addition,
Satcon on own account offers the industry's widest range of large scale inverter power ratings, allowing each solar installation to be tailor fitted to the optimal inverter size for
increased system efficiency and performance.
"Our partnership with Satcon allows us to align our respective technologies and give our customers the maximum performance benefit from their systems," said Dr. Chris Gronet, CEO of
Solyndra. "The combination of Satcon's innovative power platforms, long history in commercial solar, and their wide range of commercial inverter power ratings, make them the obvious
partner to collaborate with when creating highly optimized, flexible total system solutions."
"Solyndra is the leading innovator in the commercial rooftop solar energy market," said Steve Rhoades, President and Chief Executive Officer of Satcon Technology Corporation. "We are
excited to partner with them to deliver a highly optimized solution for commercial rooftops and to drive the next level of innovation for the PV market. "
2009-05-06 Courtesy: Satcon Technology Corporation; Solyndra Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Solyndra Inc.
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Manz Automation AG publishes preliminary 3-month figures for 2009
Manz Automation AG (Reutlingen, Germany), one of the world’s leading technology providers for the photovoltaic and LCD industries, recorded revenues of € 16.49 million in
the first quarter of 2009 according to preliminary figures (previous year: € 38.61 million), the company reports in a press release. At the same time, the Manz Group recorded
total operating revenue of € 21.30 million, compared to € 37.08 million in the same period of the previous year. In the first three months EBIT totaled € -4.96 million
(previous year: € 5.58 million). EBT fell to € -4.87 million after € 5.58 million in the first quarter of 2008. This resulted in a consolidated net loss for the period
of € -4.69 million compared to net income of € 4.24 million last year. In contrast, the cash flow from operating activities increased significantly to €
5.25 million (previous year: € -1.75 million).
The weak Q1 figures for revenues and income were offset by a very solid balance sheet as of March 31, 2009, Manz emphasizes. The company has an equity ratio of 73 % and cash and cash
equivalents of around € 70.0 million, and thus believes that it is excellently equipped to face future challenges. This means that Manz is superbly positioned to develop
next-generation systems for the solar and LCD industries.
Difficult situation in the solar and LCD industries
The results were lower due to the current difficult situation in the solar and LCD industries. The company believes that many projects are currently being postponed as a result of the
financial crisis, as customers are often unable to secure financing. Order intake in the past few months was thus also at a low level. The current situation on the market and the order
book of € 93.00 million (as of March 31, 2009) means that the Managing Board does not expect that it will be able to match the previous year’s revenues and earnings. That is
why the Managing Board is forecasting negative EBIT in the first six months of 2009. However, balanced EBIT is forecast for 2009 as a whole, as the activities that have been put in
place to reduce costs, such as short-time hours and the reduction of overtime, will start to take effect then.
Dieter Manz: 2009 is characterized by research and development
In spite of this however, Dieter Manz, Manz Automation AG’s CEO, believes that the company is excellently positioned over the medium to long term: "Fiscal year 2009 is
characterized by research and development. We will use this time consistently to successfully drive our innovations to market readiness. We are very confident that this will allow us to
further increase our technology leadership, and that we will return to our on-track growth once the economic crisis abates. Over the medium term, we believe that the solar market will
return to its former strengths."
The full report for the first three months of 2009 will be published on May 12, 2009 and can be downloaded from the company's website in the Investor Relations section.
2009-05-06 Courtesy: Manz Automation AG Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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New study: global CSP industry may reach 25 GW by 2020
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CSP industry is scaling rapidly.
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Led by the developments in Spain and by the potential in the United States, the concentrated solar power (CSP) markets are entering a new growth phase amidst a tumultuous global
economic landscape, a new study by the industry advisory company Emerging Energy Research (EER; Cambridge, Massachusetts) concludes. The company announced the release of its study,
dubbed "Global Concentrated Solar Power Markets and Strategies 2009-2020" on April 28th, 2009. According to its findings, the CSP industry is scaling rapidly with solar power plants
currently with a total capacity of 1.2 gigawatts (GW) under construction, and with another 13.9 GW new developments announced globally through 2014. Spain is believed to be
the epicenter of CSP development, with 22 projects for 1,037 megawatts (MW) under construction. A current Spanish Royal Decree calls for the installation of 500 MW of solar CSP by 2010
and has been largely responsible for the dramatic increase in CSP development activity in Spain, EER reports. The Spanish feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme is currently being reviewed and the
outcome is expected to have a significant impact upon the 6 GW of solar projects in the pipeline. EER believes that the success of Spain's longer-term CSP position will largely depend
on the government's willingness to continue fostering CSP development through feed-in tariffs.
Large solar, land and technological resources for the US CSP-market
"If the 2009 global financial climate remains challenging, weaker projects in the CSP pipeline and some developers will be shaken out," said EER Research Director Reese Tisdale.
"However, the long-term trend toward CSP technology adoption remains strong." Despite a meager 75 MW of CSP under construction in the USA, EER believes this market to offer a
significant opportunity for CSP, with 8.5 GW of projects in the pipeline. "Ultimately, the US market is considered to have the greatest upside for CSP potential given its solar
resources, space availability, proximity to load, and growing pressure to mitigate carbon emissions", Tisdale said. EER reports that U.S. utilities had turned to CSP through Power
Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and by direct ownership, in part to meet their Renewable Portfolio Standard mandates. "In the US CSP market, the advantage will fall to larger independent
power producers and project developers with access to capital, companies with a demonstrated technology, and companies able to navigate the currently drawn out permitting processes,"
Tisdale added.
Different solar thermal technologies put to the test in US-CSP-market
While the parabolic trough technology represents more than 96 percent of all CSP projects currently under construction in Spain, this technology accounts for only 40 percent of the US
CSP pipeline. According to EER, Spanish CSP developers have not been compelled to take on major technology risks because they are backed by sufficient government incentives. "The US
market has a greater technology mix, as the highly cost-competitive marketplace encourages innovative technology development, such as central receiver, dish engine, and linear Fresnel",
Tisdale said. "The race is on to determine which CSP technology can deliver, particularly in the uncertain economic climate." According to the EER market study, Spain and the United
Sates will continue to lead the CSP project development activity for the next decade because of their solar resources and policy support. EER predicts that CSP activity will also gain
momentum in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions.
2009-05-05 Courtesy: Emerging Energy Research Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Emerging Energy Research
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NREL to install iTi Solar inkjet and sprayer systems for advanced solar cell research
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A close up of the inkjet station.
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iTi Solar (Boulder, Colorado) on April 22nd, 2009 announced that the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) had installed inkjet and spray
workstations supplied by iTi Solar in NREL's advanced Atmospheric Processing Platform, which is located in the Process Development and Integration Laboratory at the National Center for
Photovoltaics. NREL is expected to use the iTi Solar workstations to develop low cost atmospheric processing methods and materials for use in photovoltaic (PV) applications. According
to the press release, solar cells today are not cost-competitive with more traditional sources of energy for many applications. The reduction of material costs and process
inefficiencies through inkjet technology could therefore be an important component in NREL's research project to reduce costs, the company believes. It reports that the
inkjet technology is emerging as a versatile, precise printing method to advance manufacturing processes while lowering substrate, materials and capital costs.
Inkjet deposition allows for precise drop volume and exact placement
iTi Solar's Materials Deposition Systems (MDS), which are being used as part of NREL's research project, are said to enable digital deposition of a wide range of fluids utilizing inkjet
printhead and sprayer technologies. The company reports that inkjet technologies offer manufacturing cost efficiencies for silicon-based, thin-film and next generation photovoltaic
cells. "Inkjet printing is an attractive, viable alternative to many existing deposition approaches and has the potential to produce high-quality solar cells at reduced cost", said Dr.
Maikel van Hest, scientist at NREL. "After a global competition, we selected iTi Solar's inkjet and sprayer systems." According to the press release, much of today's research is focused
on thin-film photovoltaic cells as thin film technology uses lower cost substrates compared to silicon and is suitable for applying solar panels to many surfaces from roof shingles to
cell phones. Compared with traditional processes of coating, sputtering and etching, inkjet is an additive, direct material deposition process. The drop placement can be digitally
controlled, so that only what is required is precisely deposited. This offers considerable savings in applications utilizing high cost fluids by reducing waste and raw material volumes.
The company reports that because inkjet deposition is non-contact there is less damage to materials, which is why a wider range of highly efficient but fragile substrate materials can
be utilized in manufacturing.
"The greatest promise for significantly reducing solar cell manufacturing costs"
"Addressing the global need for efficient, economic renewable energy requires technology breakthroughs that improve conversion efficiencies and enable low-cost manufacturing to drive
mass scale production", said Dr. Ross Mills, Chairman, Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the iTi Corporation. "We believe inkjet technologies combined with flexible,
thin-film substrates hold the greatest promise for significantly reducing solar cell manufacturing costs and accelerating the use of solar energy." NREL's Atmospheric Processing
Platform is a sophisticated, multi-functional process line with integrated vacuum processing, materials analysis, inkjet and spray stations housed within atmospherically controlled
chambers. According to the press release, its purpose is to facilitate NREL research into the materials and processes required to reduce the manufacturing costs of solar cell
technology.
2009-05-05 Courtesy: iTi Solar Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: iTi Solar
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Solar energy pioneer Adolf Goetzberger is European Inventor of the year 2009
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Adolf Goetzberger and Alison Brimelow,
President of EPA.
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Professor Dr. Adolf Goetzberger, founder of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany, was awarded the title “European Inventor of the
Year” in the category of Lifetime Achievement on April 28, 2009. In Prague Castle in the presence of the Head of the Czech Parliament Miloslav Vlček and more than 400 guests,
EPO President Alison Brimelow and Heinz Zourek, Director General in DG Enterprise and Industry, honoured inventors in four different categories. Adolf Goetzberger was honoured for his
work on the commercial use of solar energy, helping to make solar cells a viable alternative to fossil fuels. "It was an interesting lifetime", Mr Goetzberger said. "I am surprised
myself to see how far we have come. I am glad I have lived long enough to see my work come to fruition."
Human imagination and technological innovation
To quote Günter Verheugen, the Commission Vice-President in charge of Enterprise and Industry: "The prizewinners are a testament to the richness of the human imagination and the
significance of technological innovation. Their inventions have saved lives all over the world and protected the environment; yet their innovatory spirit has also helped to create jobs
in Europe and strengthen its competitiveness." In the words of EPO President Alison Brimelow: "The award celebrates the creativity of all inventors who, in applying their technical,
scientific and intellectual skills, make a major contribution to technical progress, growth and employment in Europe. Such skills are particularly important in economically difficult
times."
Further Information on Adolf Goetzberger:
news-ea2009m04.html#news604
2009-05-05 Courtesy: Fraunhofer ISE Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Veeco introduces "FastLine" glass coating platform for production of CIGS thin film solar cells
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Veeco's "FastLine" for CIGS
production.
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Veeco Instruments Inc. (Veeco; Plainview, New York), a manufacturer of production equipment for HB-LED, solar, data storage, semiconductor, scientific research and other industrial
markets, on April 27th, 2009 announced the introduction of its "FastLine" platform of glass coating systems, leveraging the company's "PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources." Veeco
reports that its new FastLine platform had been designed for high throughput, low cost of ownership production of CIGS (copper, indium, gallium and selenium) solar cells.
Piero Sferlazzo, Senior Vice President of Veeco's Solar Equipment business, commented: "Veeco is now the only equipment company offering integrated production-scale solutions for CIGS
manufacturing on glass using thermal evaporation sources for the CIGS/absorber layer. Customers can now choose Veeco to provide comprehensive, fully integrated equipment to manufacture
CIGS solar cells, whether they choose to use our 'FastLine' systems for glass or our 'FastFlex' systems for flexible substrates."
High-efficientcy deposition system to help reduce cost-per-watt
According to the press release, the thermal evaporation technology is able to produce the highest efficiency thin film solar cells compared to other deposition methods, and has the
lowest materials costs with high material utilization, thereby driving down the manufacturing cost per watt. Veeco reports that its "FastLine" systems can handle up to thirty 1.1m x
1.4m glass panels per hour. The modular architecture of the system is said to allow customers to scale their output according to their needs. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has recently claimed a world record for CIGS thin-film solar cell conversion efficiency of 19.9 percent, bringing the conversion efficiency
for CIGS close to that of multi-crystalline silicon-based solar cells. This achievement had been hailed as an important milestone because the efficiency of thin film solar cells is now
achieving its goal of matching silicon in performance.
2009-05-05 Courtesy: Veeco Instruments Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Veeco Instruments Inc.
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Lux Research introduces tool to assess emerging technology companies
Emerging technologies offer breakthrough investment and business opportunities, but it is challenging to identify winners in these industries because they are populated by an
abundance of unproven start-ups alongside established companies and international players, the independent research and consulting company Lux Research (Boston, Massachusetts) reports
in a press release. All these companies due to Lux Research follow diverse business plans and some engage in the development of novel, yet unfamiliar technologies. Lux Research
announces that it is addressing the problems in evaluating emerging technologies companies with the launch of a tool that provides a standard reference, dubbed the "Lux Innovation
Grid." According to the company's press release, users have access to intuitive industry information based on the proprietary insights of Lux Research's highly-regarded
analyst team.
Proprietary research data, core technology, business execution and maturity basis for company evaluation
"The 'Lux Innovation Grid' builds on Lux Research's ongoing scouting of emerging technology markets", said Michael Holman, Research Director at Lux Research. "This framework gives our
clients a more incisive tool to cut through the fog and quickly arrive at better decisions, whether they're corporations looking for partners or M&A targets, financiers identifying
early market leaders, or start-ups seeking insight into the competition they face." According to the press release, the "Lux Innovation Grid" provides a visually intuitive snapshot of
individual companies in a given technology area, based on three criteria: the strength and value of their core technology, their business execution, and their maturity. Also, Lux
Research reports that it incorporates its own "Lux Take" in the analysis. The scoring takes into account Lux Research's market insights in each technology domain, and is based on
factual information collected in primary interviews and during site visits, as well as on Lux Research analysts' independent evaluation of the company on 10 different factors.
Start-ups lead the way from the nanomaterials lab to market
According to the press release, the new analysis framework had made its debut in the company's latest report entitled "Grading Nanomaterial Start-ups on the Lux Innovation Grid." The
company reports that this study is taking stock of the landscape of start-ups supplying six types of nanomaterials: ceramic nanoparticles, nanoporous materials, carbon nanotubes, metal
nanoparticles, quantum dots, and graphene. According to the press release, key findings of this new study include the realization that "heavyweights," such as possibly German chemicals
giant BASF, will enter the nanoporous materials space. Also, many ceramic nanoparticle producers are expected to either fail or be acquired on the cheap, due in part to weakening
financial positions during the current economic downturn. Companies with valuable technologies or patent portfolios are expected to get picked up by corporations with shared interests
and complementary skills. Finally, the study predicts that carbon nanotube suppliers will experience a shakeout, with many companies unable to weather the difficulties connected to
securing financing and encroachment from larger corporations. "By positioning nanomaterials companies on the 'Lux Innovation Grid,' this report helps clients spot potential
opportunities, including partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, technology licensing plays, and investments, as well as competitive threats," said David Hwang, a Research Associate at
Lux Research and the report's lead author.
For more details on the "Lux Innovation Grid," see http://www.luxresearchinc.com/lig.
2009-05-05 Courtesy: Lux Research Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Abengoa Solar begins operation of 20 MW solar tower plant in Spain
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Solar tower plant by
Abengoa Solar.
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Following a successful three-day production and operational testing period, Abengoa Solar S.A. (Seville, Spain) on April 27th, 2009 started with the commercial operation of its new
"PS20" solar power tower plant located at the Solúcar Energia, S.A. Platform near Seville (Spain). According to the press release, it had surpassed the predicted power output over the
course of the testing period, thereby further validating the high potential of the power tower technology. PS20 due to Abengoa is the world's second power tower plant in commercial
use. According to Abengoa, the company included a number of significant technological improvements compared to its first commercial power tower PS10, such as a
higher-efficiency receiver, various improvements in the control and operational systems, and a better thermal energy storage system. The construction of the plant had been carried out
by Abener Energia, S.A., a company of Abeinsa, Abengoa Engineering and the Industrial Construction Business Group.
Clean energy for 10,000 homes; 12,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions to be avoided
"Generating more power during production testing than the design output is indeed a significant milestone. The technological breakthroughs we have achieved, coupled with our cumulative
expertise, have enabled us to take a qualitative leap forward in our power tower technology", said Santiago Seage, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Abengoa Solar. With a capacity of 20
megawatts (MW), double that of PS10, the new PS20 solar power plant is expected to produce enough clean energy to supply 10,000 homes, thereby avoiding the emission of approximately
12,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere that a conventional power plant would have caused.
1,255 mirrors concentrate solar energy for electricity generation through steam turbine
According to the press release, the PS20 plant consists of a solar field made up of 1,255 mirrored heliostats designed by Abengoa Solar. Each heliostat has a surface area of 1,291
square feet, reflecting the solar radiation onto a receiver which is located at the top of a 531 feet-high tower. With the heat of the concentrated solar rays, electricity is produced
by a steam turbine. Abengoa is a technology company that applies innovative solutions to sustainable development such as solar, bioenergy, environmental services, information
technologies, and industrial construction and engineering.
2009-05-04 Courtesy: Abengoa Solar S.A. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Abengoa Solar S.A.
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Los Angeles Metro and Chevron Energy Solutions inaugurate 1.2 MW solar power plant
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Metro's L.A. Support Services Center.
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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on April 27th, 2009 unveiled an energy efficiency and renewable energy project with the installation of a solar
panel system at one of its transit facilities. The company reports that this was currently the largest solar panel installation within the city, with 6,720 solar panels that had been
installed at its "Support Services Center" in downtown Los Angeles. The 1.2 megawatt (MW) system is used to generate renewable, emission-free electricity. Along with the
project's other energy-efficient improvements, the solar array is expected to cut the facility's annual 1.1 million US-dollar energy bill approximately in half. Metro plans to reduce
its purchase of utility power, which the company reports will help to reduce carbon emissions by more than 3,700 metric tons, which would be the equivalent to taking more than 600 cars
off the road.
Solar power plant realized through public-private partnership and financed by major US bank
"Los Angeles is now one step closer to becoming the solar capital of the United States,", said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Antonio Villaraigosa. "Today's unveiling of the
city's largest solar-powered facility will not only generate clean, renewable energy, but will provide the kinds of green jobs that this economy so desperately needs." According to the
press release, the project is a public-private partnership between Metro and Chevron Energy Solutions (San Francisco, California). The 16.5 million US-dollar project is expected to be
eligible for about 6.3 million US-dollars in incentives from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Southern California Gas Co., (SoCalGas), and the South Coast Air
Quality Management District. According to the press release, the project had been financed by the Bank of America. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Metro to help it
achieve its sustainability goals", said John Mahoney, Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Chevron Energy Solutions. "Metro is demonstrating how a transit authority can reduce its energy
consumption and use clean, renewable power."
Solar power and energy efficiency improvements to reduce operating costs and carbon footprint
California-based Chevron Energy Solutions, which designed and installed the solar photovoltaic (PV) system, had agreed to provide the long-term oversight of the facility's solar panel
array and, in addition, guarantees energy savings and the level of energy generated by the solar panel array for the next 10 years. Metro reports that other energy conservation measures
at the facility included the installation of new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, compressed air systems, and the replacement of about 4,000 lighting fixtures,
all controlled by a state-of-the-art energy management system. The Metro "Support Services Center" is used for the rebuilding of bus engines, transmissions, and general bus repair.
Spanning 27 acres, the 400,000-square-foot facility consists of five separate buildings where technicians and mechanics keep Metro's bus fleet in all of the agency's 11 operating
divisions in top condition. "Metro's 'Support Services Center' uses a huge amount of electricity every year", said Arthur T. Leahy, Metro CEO. "The facility's use of solar energy sets a
real benchmark for Metro to reach its goals of using new technologies to reduce carbon emissions and operating costs."
2009-05-04 Courtesy: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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Intersolar North America announces 2009 event partners
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Intersolar provides a platform for exchange
between industry experts and exhibitors.
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Intersolar North America, the most diverse global business-to-business exhibition dedicated to the transformation of the solar marketplace, announced SEMI PV Group, SolarTech, and
Greentech Media as partners for the 2009 Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for July 14 – 16, 2009 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. The cornerstone partnerships with
SolarTech, an industry group focused on standards and workforce readiness, Greentech Media, publisher of solar technology- and trend-focused research, and PV Group, the global
photovoltaic initiative of SEMI - one of the world’s most influential organizations for the semiconductor and PV manufacturing industry value chains - Is designed to help solar
companies at all stages of growth to secure the best resources and processes across the entire billion international solar industry.
Conference and expo designed to advance the solar market into the next phase of growth
"Intersolar North America has assembled these partnerships to create a 'one-stop-shop' event that will help companies across the global solar value chain march towards grid parity,
including workforce training, financing and project development, technological innovations and key government policies", said Professor Eicke Weber, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute
for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and Conference Committee Chairman for Intersolar North America. "By joining forces with Semi PV Group, SolarTech, and Greentech Media, we’ve
designed this year’s conference and expo to advance the solar market through the downturn and into the next phase of growth."
With the pressures of the recession affecting project financing and dedicated stimulus funds focused on encouraging solar adoption, the industry must focus on innovation, efficiency and
leveraging public dollars with private investment in order to ensure continued growth in this economy. To provide a well-rounded perspective on the issues that underpin the development
of the global solar industry, PV Group will bring a focus on global supply chain and manufacturing to Intersolar North America 2009. To help companies address the economic and political
issues facing the North American solar industry today, SolarTech will focus on key elements to strengthen the sector, including improving standards, quality assurance and training
programs.
To identify key trends and provide key market insights at the 2009 event, Greentech Media and the Prometheus Institute will provide critical analysis of the market and focus on key
trends facing the industry, including utility-scale solar, smart grid, and solar finance. Detailed information on the 2009 Intersolar North America conference tracks and exhibition will
be announced in the coming weeks.
Intersolar North America 2009 features an expected 400 exhibitors and 15,000 trade visitors in San Francisco’s Moscone Center West on July 14-16. Intersolar North America was
created in 2008 as a sister event to Intersolar in Munich, the world’s largest and longest-running solar technology trade show: http://www.intersolar.us/.
2009-05-04 Courtesy: Intersolar North America Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Intersolar North America
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Photovoltaics: Inventux Thin-Film Modules X-Series MICROMORPH pass TÜV certification
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Inventux modules certified by TÜV Rhineland.
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Inventux Technologies AG (Berlin), a solar enterprise that has put series production of micromorph thin-film solar modules into operation last December and already produces modules
with a power-rating of 120 watts, has successfully passed all tests required for IEC 61646 at the TÜV Rhineland. Inventux has yet set another milestone and is, next to Sharp, Mitsubishi
and Kaneka, the first European manufacturer of micromorph photovoltaic modules that meet the high certification standards, the company emphasizes in a press release. "After
successfully conducting all tests required by IEC internally at the end of 2008 and handing over an Inventux product quality certificate to our customers, we are proud to have received
the official confirmation of our test results from the TÜV Rhineland", says Roland Sillmann, Chief Technology Officer of Inventux Technologies AG.
"The TÜV certificate has established itself internationally as the most important sign for quality during the last years. Especially because we do not utilize a turn-key factory
solution to produce our micromorph modules and consequently follow our `best-in-class? strategy regarding the selection of equipment and processes, the independent test results confirm
the first-class product characteristics of the X-Series MICROMORPH", Sillmann adds.
Normative requirements by IEC confirmed
The thin-film modules exclusively produced in Germany were put through several months of extensive examinations by the recognized TÜV Rhineland, including accelerated damp heat and
freeze tests, thermal cycling, humidity and UV exposure as well as electrical and mechanical load tests. All normative requirements by IEC were confirmed successfully and in some cases
even exceeded: The unique product design with rear backbars fulfills the mechanical load capacity of 5400 Pascal (540 kilogram per square meter) suggested within the norm. Combined with
the stress- and tension-free load characteristics of the frameless glass/glass modules when installed, possible glass breakage is eliminated and utilization of the product in areas with
high snow- and wind loads is possible. "The modules having been tested by the TÜV were taken out of series production in Berlin, thus guaranteeing our customers and their
project-financing banks the highest product- and quality standards available on the market", says Sillmann.
The TÜV-Rhineland certification helps the worldwide marketing of the non-toxic and future-orientated Inventux thin-film modules: "The successful completion of the qualification process
in our accredited lab shows, that silicon-based micromorph thin-film technology complies with the strict requirements of all relevant international standards", says Andreas Cox,
Teamleader for Thin-Film Photovoltaics at TÜV Rhineland and adds: "The state-of-the-art and highly automated production processes which we were able to witness during our factory
inspection at Inventux allow for the complete back-tracking and a comparable quality of each product."
2009-05-04 Courtesy: Inventux Technologies AG Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: Inventux Technologies AG
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SolFocus achieves 15-fold production increase for glass reflectors for CPV systems
SolFocus Inc. (Mountain View, California), a developer of concentrating photovoltaic systems (CPV), on April 23rd, 2009 announced the completion of its expanded solar glass reflector
manufacturing factory in Mesa, Arizona. With an over 175 percent increase in manufacturing floor space and a new line of advanced manufacturing equipment, the SolFocus 'Glassworks'
facility is expected to have the capacity to produce 2 million concentrating reflectors annually for 30 MW of solar power generation, increasing the plant's capacity of 2008 by over 15
times. The original factory had opened in December of 2007 with 50 employees, and had produced 45,000 mirrors in 2008, the company reports. According to the press release,
the new SolFocus facility makes the city of Mesa one of the first municipal examples in the USA of the "new energy economy" as envisioned by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA).
150 green-collar jobs to exemplify a vibrant new green economy
The new manufacturing site is expected to create over 150 full-time jobs by the end of 2009, which would be a 200 percent increase over 2008. The expansion could thereby demonstrate the
combined value of local economic development and global investment in sustainable energy. SolFocus reports that it plans to utilize the 30 percent manufacturing investment tax credit,
as set forth in ARRA. "Mesa is an example of a town poised to become the living and breathing paradigm of a vibrant green economy", said Jason Ellsworth, Vice President and General
Manager of the SolFocus Glassworks facility. "In addition to providing green collar jobs in the factory, Mesa is positioned to create additional long-term, high-skilled jobs, through
the deployment, operation and maintenance of solar installations."
Transition from CPV research and development stage to commercialization
SolFocus reports that the proprietary convex mirrors that are being manufactured at the facility serve as a critical component within the SolFocus CPV system design. As part of a full
CPV system, these mirrors reflect the sun's rays 500 times onto a solar cell, which enables the system to produce solar power with industry-leading panel conversion efficiency levels of
25 percent, according to the press release. The demand that drove the expansion of the manufacturing facility is believed to signal the transition of CPV from the research and
development stage to commercialization. "The 30 MW of product enabled by this factory will allow us to meet the rising demand for CPV technology", said Mark Crowley, President and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of SolFocus. "Government bodies, utilities and large scale commercial operations are quickly recognizing that CPV can deliver three times the efficiency of
traditional solar systems with lower land use." Scott Smith, Mayor of Mesa added: "We anticipate that this facility will allow Mesa to serve the increasing demand in the U.S. for
advanced solar energy technology. The City of Mesa has a tremendous opportunity to showcase an innovative, renewable energy technology, build a long-lasting solar cluster, and be an
American Recovery Act success story."
2009-05-03 Courtesy: SolFocus Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: SolFocus Inc.
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Sunrise Solar offers energy saving lighting solutions
The Sunrise Solar Corporation (San Antonio, Texas) in April 2009 announced that it is now able to deliver energy saving lighting solutions to cities and agencies concerned about high
energy consumption from street lights and parking facilities. Sunrise Solar reports that it has partnered with Barker Communications to deliver 50 percent more efficient lighting
options to reduce the electrical consumption of traditional street lights. In addition, the company reports that it can expand the efficiency of its new lighting options with
solar power panels on each light. The energy savings for cities and parking facilities are expected to more than pay for the cost of upgrading the lighting infrastructure. "Our clients
are asking for energy saving solutions that can be immediately implemented by cities and corporations seeking green alternatives to meet energy needs," noted Maurice Stone, President of
Sunrise Solar. "Reducing the energy used by static facility lighting can substantially reduce overall energy consumption."
2009-05-02 Courtesy: Sunrise Solar Corporation Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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First Solar to supply modules for Australia's largest solar PV installation
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First Solar produced a total of
1 gigawatt of PV modules.
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First Solar, Inc. (Tempe, Arizona) on April 28th, 2009 announced that it will supply photovoltaic (PV) modules to Solar Shop Australia, Pty Ltd. (Solar Shop), for a 1 megawatt (MW)
rooftop project. The solar power system, installed on six separate buildings at the Adelaide Showground in South Australia, will be the largest PV installation in the country, First
Solar emphasizes in its press release. The rooftop system is being commissioned by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia. First Solar, the
world’s largest manufacturer of thin film solar modules, recently announced that it has produced 1 gigawatt of its PV modules since beginning commercial production. In addition,
First Solar has the lowest manufacturing cost in the industry, having broken the per watt price barrier by reducing its manufacturing cost to 98 cents.
The beginning of a promising future for solar energy in Australia
"First Solar is proud to be supplying modules for the country’s largest PV system", said John Carrington, First Solar's executive vice president of marketing and business
development. "This project will take one of Australia’s most abundant resources, sunlight, and convert it into clean, affordable electricity. This project marks the beginning of
what we expect to be a very promising future for solar energy in Australia", Carrington emphasized. "Australia’s policy initiatives have set the stage for the growth of affordable
renewable energy, and First Solar’s advanced, cost-effective solar technology is a perfect fit."
PV installation expected to displace approximately 1,500 tons of CO2 every year
Solar Shop, in an alliance partnership with building and engineering company Build Environs Pty Ltd., will design and construct the 1 MW installation, which is expected to displace
approximately 1,500 tons of CO2 every year. Construction is anticipated to begin immediately and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2009. The power produced by the
solar installation will be used predominantly at the Adelaide Showground site, displacing power generated from conventional sources.
"Solar Shop Australia is excited to be introducing First Solar’s modules into the Australian market and particularly for use on this project, Australia’s largest solar PV
installation", said Adrian Ferraretto, Solar Shop’s managing director. "Solar Shop determined First Solar’s modules offered the best option for the Showground after
considering a number of other solar technologies and the client’s specific requirements."
2009-05-01 Courtesy: First Solar, Inc. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
Picture Courtesy: First Solar, Inc.
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Swinburne University of Technology and Suntech team up to develop next generation solar cells
The Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne, Australia) has teamed up with Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China) to create the next generation of solar cells, the
world's largest photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer reports in a press release. The university and Suntech plan to collaborate on the development of solar cells that are twice as
efficient and run at half the cost of those currently available. Swinburne is expected to contribute 3 million Australian dollars (AUD; 2.12 million US-Dollars) to the venture, with
Suntech pledging a further 3 million AUD (2.12 USD) over the course of the collaboration. The parties say that they are also seeking funding from the Victorian Government for the
project. The Director of the Swinburne Centre for Micro-Photonics, Professor Min Gu, and Suntech Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Shi Zhengrong will be leading the group.
According to Professor Gu, the group's combination of research and business expertise will allow them to develop and manufacture the revolutionary solar cells within five years.
Collaboration to develop and commercialize high-efficiency solar cells
"The project will be based around the development of nanoplasmonic solar cells", said Professor Gu. This new technology allows for the efficient collection of solar energy in a wider
color range than those currently being developed in other laboratories, Suntech reports. "These will be twice as efficient as the current generation of cells, and will also cost
significantly less to run", Gu added. The Swinburne university is expected to lead the R&D, while Suntech manages the manufacturing of this collaborative project. "By working with
Suntech in the development phase, we can ensure the technology can be transferred to the production line. This should allow us to have the cells ready for manufacture within five
years," added Professor Gu. Suntech reports that the research group will be housed in Swinburne's new Advanced Technology Centre, which is a 130 million AUD (92.1 million USD)
development that is expected to be completed by early 2011. Dr. Shi said, "This relationship will combine Swinburne's high quality research with Suntech's ability to rapidly
commercialize new technologies into cost effective applications. Nanoplasmonic technology has the potential to take solar to the next level."
Further information on the Swinburne University of Technology: http://www.swinburne.edu.au
2009-05-01 Courtesy: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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Spire Semiconductor to develop 42 % efficient solar cells for concentrating photovoltaics
Spire Corporation (Bedford, Massachusetts), a global solar company providing turnkey production lines and capital equipment to manufacture PV modules and cells, in April 2009
announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor, LLC, had been awarded an 18-month, 3,706,359 US-dollar (USD) program by the Department of Energy's National Renewable
Energy Laboratory (NREL), consisting of 2,960,850 USD in government funding and a 745,509 USD cost share. Under the contract, Spire Semiconductor will develop next-generation
manufacturing technology to produce III-V three junction solar cells with an efficiency of 42 percent. "We are pleased that NREL selected Spire to participate in this highly
competitive Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Incubator program, whose goal is to shorten the timeline for companies to transition prototype and pre-commercial PV technologies into pilot and
full-scale manufacture. Our new growth technique has the potential for producing concentrator cells with record-level efficiencies with lower manufacturing costs and higher
reliability", stated Edward D. Gagnon, General Manager of Spire Semiconductor.
Technology developed expected to provide processing platform for commercial concentrator solar cells
Roger G. Little, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Spire Corporation, added, "Spire has been involved in the solar energy market for over 25 years. Development of this cell
will put us in an excellent position to capitalize on the growing market opportunity for custom gallium arsenide (GaAs) based solar cells for Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems.
Our Spire Semiconductor facility has state-of-the-art capabilities for producing these devices. We plan to offer our new series of triple junction "Triathlon" concentrator solar cells
to system integrators around the world."
2009-05-01 Courtesy: Spire Semiconductor, LLC Solarserver.de © Heindl Server GmbH
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