Solar Cells Info

Source: DIGITIMES, Nuying Huang, Taipei; Adam Hwang, 25 March 2009
Tsuo and Shi speeches at PV convention in Taipei, compiled by Digitimes, March 2009
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20090325PD202.html

Simon Tsuo, chairman of Taiwan-based Motech Industries, and his counterpart from China-based Suntech Power, Zhengrong Shi, both believe that there will not be any significant breakthrough in the development of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules in the near future. Tsuo and Shi, two important figures in the solar industry in Taiwan and China, expressed their views in their keynote speeches delivered at the first Taiwan-China PV industry convention taking place in Taipei during March 24-25. Motech is the largest crystalline silicon solar cell maker in Taiwan, while Suntech is the largest crystalline silicon PV module maker in China. (more…)

Source: DIGITIMES, Press release; Jessie Shen, 27 March 2009
http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20090327PR201.html

The global photovoltaic (PV) market is set to contract for the first time in 2009 in terms of new installations, according to IMS Research.  IMS Research’s ongoing analysis shows that although the PV market doubled in 2008 in megawatt (MW) terms, a contraction in shipments is anticipated in 2009. The contraction will be caused by the sudden drop-off in demand from Spain, with its newly implemented 500MW cap. This is likely to result in a shortfall of some 1.5-2GW in 2009. Although this will in part be counter-balanced by growth in Italy and Eastern Europe, the dramatic decline of the Spanish market will lead to an overall drop in worldwide shipments. (more…)

Fremont, CA, March 20, 2009
Source: Solyndra Inc press release
http://www.solyndra.com/News/

Solyndra, Inc. announced today that it is the first company to receive an offer for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee under Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.  Solyndra, a Fremont, California-based manufacturer of innovative cylindrical photovoltaic systems, will use the proceeds of a $535 million loan from the U.S. Treasury’s Federal Financing Bank to expand its solar panel manufacturing capacity in California. (more…)

* European Patent Office revokes Swiss university’s patent
* Applied Materials had been accused of violating patent
SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2009
Source: Reuters-UK
(Reporting by Clare Baldwin; Editing by Edwin Chan and John Wallace)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUKN3142574820090331

The European Patent Office on Tuesday revoked a solar patent issued to a Swiss university in an apparent victory for chip gear-maker Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O). The solar photovoltaic technology patent was issued to the University of Neuchatel and licensed exclusively to Oerlikon Corp (OERL.VX), a Swiss technology group, Applied Materials said. Oerlikon had alleged the patent was being violated by Germany’s SunFilm AG, a key customer of Applied Materials. (more…)

The company is closing a panel assembly factory in the United States and one in Spain. BP also plans to outsource panel production to others. This cost-cutting move is becoming trendy.
by: Ucilia Wang, March 31, 2009
Source: GreentechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/bp-solar-plans-to-hire-others-to-make-panels-5981.html

Outsourcing is becoming vogue in the solar equipment business. BP Solar is shutting down some of its production lines in the United States and Spain, and it is looking for manufacturers to produce panels using BP’s components and bearing BP’s brand. The company announced on Tuesday plans to close its solar panel assembly center in Maryland and said it would lay off 140 people out of a 600-person workforce. It plans to continue to manufacture other crystalline silicon solar equipment components at the Maryland complex. (more…)

by Solar Industry Mag Staff on Tuesday 24 March 2009
SOURCE: SANYO Energy Corp.
http://www.solarindustrymag.com/e107_plugins/
content/content_lt.php?content.2793

SANYO Energy (USA) Corp., a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co. Ltd., has introduced the HIT Power N Series of solar panels featuring SANYO’s proprietary heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) technology. The new series features the latest technological improvements, including higher module output, lower voltage, space savings and lower installation costs, the company says. The HIT Power N Series solar panels will be available in North America from SANYO’s authorized representatives, including SunWize Technologies, Conergy and Focused Energy, beginning in April. (more…)

Investment Could Lead to Thousands of New Jobs
Washington, DC – March 20, 2009
Source: US Dept of Energy, press release
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7078.htm
Energy Secretary Steven Chu today offered a $535 million loan guarantee for Solyndra, Inc. to support the company’s construction of a commercial-scale manufacturing plant for its proprietary cylindrical solar photovoltaic panels. The company expects to create thousands of new jobs in the U.S. while deploying its solar panels across the U.S. and around the world. (more…)

by Hiroshi Idegawa, Nikkei Monozukuri /Mar 24, 2009
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20090324/167611/

Toray Industries Inc developed a new polymer donor material, a main material for organic thin-film solar cells, and realized an organic thin-film solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 5.5%. The conversion efficiency is higher than the 5.15%, the highest efficiency that has so far been announced in academic conferences. The company plans to further improve the material performance, aiming to commercialize an organic thin-film solar cell with a conversion efficiency of 7% until 2015. (more…)

By Alexis Madrigal, February 11, 2009
Source: Wired.com
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/02/bigsolar.html

The largest series of solar installations in history, more than 1,300 megawatts, is planned for the desert outside Los Angeles, according to a new deal between the utility Southern California Edison and solar power plant maker, BrightSource.  The momentous deal will deliver more electricity than even the largest nuclear plant, spread out among seven facilities, the first of which will start up in 2013. When fully operational, the companies say the facility will provide enough electricity to power 845,000 homes — more than exist in San Francisco — though estimates like that are notoriously squirrely. (more…)

Source: AZONano.com, Feb 5, 2009
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=9749
Despite a sluggish forecast for the overall high-tech industry in 2009, nanomaterials for solar cells grew 47% in 2008 and is projected to grow another 44% in 2009, according to a report Market Outlook for Nanomaterials for Electronics Applications: Semiconductors, Solar, Displays. Sensors, RFID, Lighting recently published by The Information Network, a New Tripoli, PA-based market research company. (more…)