Solar Cells Info

Golden, Colo., July 25, 2007
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/86778.html

U.S. Energy Department researchers and Innovalight Inc. have found that quantum dot materials may improve efficiency of silicon solar cells.  Researchers at the department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have shown that a new and important effect called Multiple Exciton Generation occurs efficiently in silicon nanocrystals. MEG results in the formation of more than one electron per absorbed photon.
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Jimmy Hsu, Taipei; Esther Lam, DIGITIMES, 26 July 2007
Source: DigiTimes.com
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20070725PD220.html

Sun Well Technology, CMC Magnetics’ recently announced subsidiary for thin-film solar cell production, held the groundbreaking ceremony on July 25 for its new plant which is to commence volume production in 2008.  Construction of the plant will be completed in late November with equipment move-in to follow in the first quarter of 2008. CMC reiterated that volume production should commence in the first half of 2008, likely to be the second quarter at the earliest.
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Source: Printed Electronics World / 30 Jul 2007
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/when_will_organic_photovoltaics_be_viable_00000652.asp

The benefits of non-silicon photovoltaic materials are many and varied. Some are transparent, permitting the face of a wristwatch to generate power, the power source having zero footprints. Some, such as Dye Sensitised Solar Cells printed by G24i in the UK, generate electricity at narrow angles of incidence and even with polarised eg reflected light. DSSC designs can use light of all visible frequencies, not just sunlight. G24i’s initial target markets for its DSSC product include mobile phone chargers, particularly in the developing world. (more…)

Joint Press Release by WACKER and SCHOTT
Munich / Mainz, August 2nd, 2007
http://www.presseportal.de/pm/9155/1025847/wacker_chemie_ag

SCHOTT WACKER Solar to produce multicrystalline silicon wafers for solar cells, €370 million investment to create at least 700 new jobs, Production start-up in 2007, Capacity expansion phased to reach 1 gigawatt per year by 2012.

Wacker Chemie AG and SCHOTT Solar, a 100 percent subsidiary of the worldwide SCHOTT group, plan to set up two joint ventures to produce and market silicon   wafers for solar applications. WACKER and SCHOTT signed a related agreement today. Over the next years, the two partners plan to invest a total of EUR370 million in facilities in Jena (Thuringia) and Alzenau (Bavaria), creating at least 700 new jobs at these German sites. The project is subject to approval by the German and European authorities. The joint venture – SCHOTT WACKER Solar GmbH – is scheduled to start operations this year. It will produce multicrystalline silicon ingots and wafers, the starting material for solar cells. Solar-wafer production capacity is set to expand in stages, reaching about one gigawatt/year by 2012. This will make the joint venture one of the world´s five largest solar-wafer  manufacturers.
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Will Combine State-of-the-Art Production Facilities for LCD Panels and Solar Cells, As Well As Hosting Plants of Affiliated Businesses
Source: Sharp Corp. Press Release /July 31, 2007
http://www.sharp-world.com/corporate/news/070731.html

Sharp Corporation has been engaged in the manufacture of energy-saving LCDs and energy-creating solar cells as the pillars of its business, with the goal of being an “environmentally advanced company.” Now, the company has made the decision to build on the same site a new state-of-the-art LCD panel plant and solar cell plant for the mass production of thin-film solar cells in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. (more…)

Foster City, CA, July 31, 2007
Source: UPI
http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/07/31/

California’s fastest-growing solar instillation company, SolarCity, has announced the opening of its new 10,000-square-foot headquarters. SolarCity, recently ranked by the California Energy Commission as the fastest-growing solar installation company in the state, has its headquarters in Foster City.  Employee growth has more than tripled during the last five months. The company now has more than 160 employees. (more…)

Nanjing, China, July 12, 2007
Source; Unted Press International
http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/07/12/s

China Sunergy Co. announced it has received patent approval for its N-type cells from China’s State Intellectual Property Office.  China Sunergy manufactures solar cells from silicon wafers utilizing crystalline silicon solar cell technology based in Nanjing. The approval from the State Intellectual Property Office covers a period of 20 years. China Sunergy has also submitted a patent application to SIPO for P-type selective emitter cell technology and is awaiting the potential approval in 2009. (more…)

Edwin Cartlidge, PhysicsWorld.com /Jul 2, 2007
Feature Article
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/30345

Nanotechnology could transform solar cells from niche products to devices that provide a significant fraction of the world’s energy, as Edwin Cartlidge discusses.

The burning of skin on a hot summer’s day, the awesome power of a tornado or the existence of a simple blade of grass all testify to one thing: the huge amount of energy transmitted to us from the Sun. In a single hour the Sun delivers the same amount of energy as consumed by all of humanity in a year – about 5 × 1020 J – and in 36 hours releases as much energy as exists in the Earth’s estimated oil reserves. When you combine this with the fact that solar energy is essentially inexhaustible, available to everyone the world over and generates no greenhouse gases or other harmful pollutants, it seems hard to imagine why we do not make greater use of it. (more…)

Focus on improving Solar Cell Manufacturers costs and efficiencies
Albuqerque, N.M. /August 3, 2007
Source: Surfect.com press release
http://www.surfect.com/Download/Solar_PR.pdf

Surfect Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: SUFH.OB), announced today that its subsidiary, Surfect Technologies, Inc., a design and manufacturing company offering an innovative single-cell electroplating tool and process for the semiconductor industry has announced a new development program for addressing the requirements of the growing solar cell plating and module packaging industry. Surfect is targeting solar cell suppliers to develop advanced, lower cost interconnect and module packaging technologies leveraging their semiconductor high volume manufacturing experience. Surfect’s solar program will immediately address technology and tools for improving the efficiency and costs for producing solar cells. Surfect’s experience with thin wafer and wafer scale packaging technology should enable more innovative and cost-effective solar products.
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Bangalore, 1 Aug, 2007
Source: The Economic Times
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2247968.cms

BANGALORE: India may set up a 2,500 tonne polysilicon complex, estimated to cost more than Rs 1,000 crore, to give an impetus to the solar energy sector, a key Government official said.  Bangalore-headquartered Bharat Electronics Limited is expected to be the major player in promoting the facility, Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India, Dr R Chidambaram said. (more…)