The plant owner "Solar Markt Franken" already has plans for the near future. An extension of the plant by another 2,200 tracking systems (approx. 4.5 MW) on the neighbouring premises is in the planning.

Picture: 1.7 MW PV-Plant in Northern Bavaria.Source: BERNT LORENTZ GmbH & Co. KG

BERNT LORENTZ GmbH & Co. KG (01/31/2007)

Thin-Film Solar Cells: Sharp develops Mass-Production Technology for Triple-Junction-Technology

Sharp Corporation has developed mass-production technology for stacked triple-junction thin-film solar cells, the company reports in a press release. Sharp turned a conventional two-active-layer structure (amorphous silicon plus microcrystalline silicon) into a triple-junction structure with amorphous silicon (two active layers) and microcrystalline silicon (single active layer). This new architecture boosts cell conversion efficiency from 11 % to 13 % and module conversion efficiency from 8.6 % to 10%. Industrial production is slated to begin in May 2007 at Sharp’s Katsuragi Plant in Nara Prefecture.

Sharp Corporation. (01/30/2007)

Global Solar Energy to produce thin-film solar cells in Berlin

Global Solar Energy, Inc.(Tucson, Arizona), has announced that it is to invest approximately EUR 30 million to set up a production facility for thin-film solar cells in Germany. The facility, which is to be built at the Berlin-Adlershof science and technology park, will have in two steps a production capacity of round about 30 megawatts. Production is scheduled to commence at the Berlin facility in the first half of 2008. The company also announced that capacity at its site in Tucson, is to be expanded from its current level of 4 megawatts to 40 megawatts. The Global Solar Energy Group had already sold 80 percent of its planned 2008 production of 40 megawatts, the company reports in a press release. Global Solar Energy's largest customer in 2008 will be Berlin-based SOLON AG, which has held a strategic stake in the company since April 2006.

Global Solar Energy uses copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) in the manufacture of its thin-film solar cells. This technology is not reliant on the raw material silicon, which is currently in very short supply, and involves applying the photoactive layer to a flexible steel film"

Picture: Global Solar Energy

With an average efficiency level of more than ten percent, the solar cells manufactured by Global Solar Energy are amongst the most efficient currently on the market. They can be used both in the production of flexible products and for conventional solar modules. Dr. Ilka Luck has been appointed Managing Director of the recently established German subsidiary Global Solar Energy Deutschland GmbH, which is wholly owned by Global Solar Energy, Inc. With a doctorate in physics and as a founder and former Managing Director of a thin-film photovoltaics company, Dr. Luck brings to the company a wealth of technical knowledge and management experience.

Mike Gering, CEO and President of Global Solar Energy Inc.: "The expansion of our production capacity in Tucson and Berlin puts us in a position to manufacture our high-grade solar cells on a new, industrial scale, which will enable us to become a leading international supplier of thin-film solar cells." Dr. Lars Podlowski, CTO of SOLON AG added: "We are delighted that we have been able to persuade our American partners to invest in Berlin. This gives us the opportunity to strengthen our technical collaboration and gives us access to non-silicon-dependent solar cells, which will provide the foundation for the continuing growth of SOLON AG."

SOLON AG. (01/26/2007)

SANYO: New Facility for HIT Solar Cell Module Production to be Established

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO; Tokyo) on January 16th 2007 announced that it will rebuild a part of its Shiga Plant (Japan) to allow the production of HIT Solar Cell Modules. As a new base for assembling modules, approximately 2 billion yen will be invested and operations aimed at starting by FY 2007, SANYO will construct a new facility on the current grounds of the Shiga Plant location. SANYO will also transfer part of the functions of environmental management, quality control, and customer satisfaction in the SANYO Group to another section within the Shiga Plant.

Already in December 2006 SANYO announced to expand the production output of HIT Solar cells from 165 Megawatt to 260 MW in 2007 and up to 350 MW in 2008. "

Picture: 256.5 kW-Solar Roof with HIT-Modules in Alfdorf (Germany). Source: Donauer Solartechnik

40 MW Solar Modules to be produced in a "Zero Emissions" factory

Currently, the production of HIT Solar Cells takes place at two locations, namely the Nishikinohama Plant, Osaka, and Shimane SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Module assembly takes place in four locations, including two locations in Japan (Nishikinohama Plant, Tokyo Plant) and two locations overseas (Hungary and Mexico Plant). Cooperating with Seishin Research and Development Section and Nishikinohama District’s Technological Development Section, SANYO will be able to answer the surging demand for Solar Power Generation system. As for the Shiga Plant, after plans to reach production output of 40 MW by FY 2007, production will be expanded further in FY 2008. The Shiga Plant aims to become a "Zero Emissions" factory.

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (01/23/2007)

Mechtild Rothe elected as VICE-PRESIDENT of the
European Parliament

On January 16th 2007, the European Parliament elected Mechtild Rothe (MEP and President of EUFORES) as VICEPRESIDENT of the European Parliament, the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources reports in a press release. "I am very happy about this challenge!", Mechtild Rothe declared after her election. "With all my energy, I will work on the concerns of the European Parliament. Above all, I will try to improve the efficiency of the work of the Parliament and to enhance its communication with the citizens of Europe", Rothe announced.

"Of course, her work will also stick to the political priorities that she followed in the last years", EUFORES emphasizes. "As Vice-President of the European Parliament and as President of EUFORES, she will keep supporting the development of renewable energy within Europe."

Picture Source: EUFORES

A brand new Brochure provides more information about EUFORES. download at www.eufores.org

EUFORES; European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources (01/19/2007)

aleo solar signs contracts in Germany worth EUR 35 million

aleo solar AG, producer of solar modules can already report firm orders in Germany for 2007 of EUR 35 million. These orders are for the sale of aleo modules, the company announces in a press release. Corresponding agreements were signed with a number of fitters at the end of December and will take effect in 2007. "Our business in Germany picked up again significantly in Q4. We were able to run down our inventories to a large extent and will exceed our forecasts for the year" Heiner Willers said, member of the Management Board of aleo solar AG. In a buyer’s market, module prices now again would be seen as an incentive for investment, while the mild winter has allowed fitters to continue working to date.

Bread-and-butter business in Germany; new facility in Spain

Jakobus Smit, the second Management Board member of aleo solar AG, is also cautiously optimistic: "At a strategic level, we are driving forward the internationalisation of our business at full speed. We finished construction of our facility in Spain at the end of last year as planned, and it has now started production. Our bread-and-butter business in Germany is going well. Our total production capacity of 100 MW (Prenzlau 90 MW, Barcelona 10 MW) gives us precisely the capacity we need to service the continued market upturn."

East Germany turning into a "Solar Valley"

The current debate about the reliability of energy supplies underlines the need for renewable energies, and East Germany is turning into a "Solar Valley". aleo solar AG, which is headquartered in Prenzlau, Brandenburg, has approximately 280 employees and holds a 19 % stake in the thin-film facility in Brandenburg on the Havel that is currently being constructed by Johanna Solar Technology. This is scheduled to start production of its first silicon-free thin-film modules this year, with the number of employees set to rise from the current figure of 60 to 180 during the first stage of expansion alone.

aleo solar AG (01/15/2007)

ESTIF: EU Commission fails to deliver Directive proposal on renewable heating and cooling

Renewable heating and cooling is now definitely recognised as essential for the future of Europe’s energy supply, this is good news from the Renewable Energy Roadmap, presented on January 10th by the European Commission. Bad news is that the Commission did not deliver the Directive proposal requested by the European Parliament, the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) reports in a press release. "We are pleased to see that solar thermal and other renewable heating and cooling technolgies are now fully integrated as a crucial element of Europe’s renewables strategy, at least in the discourse of the Renewable Energy Roadmap" said Mr Raffaele Piria, Policy Director of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), “but we are missing concrete measures”.

Until a few years ago, solar thermal was neglected at EU level and by most Member States, though it is one of the most cost effective renewable technologies, which can be directly applied on most of Europe’s buildings. EU Directives have been adopted to promote renewables in the electricity and in the transport sector, but no legislative framework exists for renewable heating and cooling
(RES-H).

Joint Declaration for a European Directive to promote Renewable Heating and Cooling: Picture Source: ESTIF

A broad alliance supported the European Parliament’s resolution

In 2004, ESTIF initiated a campaign to set RES-H on the European agenda. This concern has been endorsed by a broad coalition of renewable and conventional heating industries, NGOs, energy agencies, municipalities, academics and citizens. In February 2006, the European Parliament adopted, by an overwhelming multi-party and cross-country majority, a resolution asking the Commission to present a Directive proposal to promote RES-H, including specific targets at EU and national level.

Industry disappointed about lack of concrete measures

"Almost one year after the European Parliament’s resolution, we are very disappointed that the Commission is not yet prepared to follow up with action and table a Directive proposal with clear targets and measures to promote renewable heating and cooling", said Ole Pilgaard, President of ESTIF. "The European solar thermal market is growing strongly, but still based on very few leading countries. Our industry needs strong and balanced demand all over the EU, to be able to achieve the economies of scale necessary to make solar fully competitive with heating from fossil fuels or electricity", he added.

Specific sectorial targets for Renewable Heating needed

The solar thermal sector argues for a EU renewable heating and cooling Directive, including European and national targets for RES-H as well as a positive legal framework for support measures to be flexibly adopted by each Member State, according to its circumstances. Without specific targets for renewable heating and cooling, investors, citizens and policy makers might continue to overlook the huge, unexploited potential of solar thermal and other technologies. Renewable heating tragets should be accompanied by updated targets for 2020 for renewables in the electricity and in the transport sector, within the framework of the relative existing Directives.

Solar Thermal Action Plan to be published later this month

Later this month, ESTIF will publish an Action Plan for Solar Thermal in Europe, including analysis of success and barriers to growth as well as guidelines for best practice policies. This Action Plan will be presented at the 2007 European Renewable Energy Policy Conference, organised by EREC (European Renewable Energy Council), 29-31 January, Brussels.

ESTIF (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation) (01/12/2007)