Solar Cells Info

by: Ucilia Wang. June 23, 2008
source: GreentechMedia.com

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/japan-wants-to-resurrect-solar-incentives-1037.html
Japan may bring back solar subsidies to boost its solar panel makers’ competitive edge in the world market, two ministry officials told Reuters on Monday. Japan, the first country to introduce federal solar subsidies, eliminated them in 2005. Since then, it has witnessed some of its solar-cell makers getting beat in the global market. Q-Cells in Germany overtook Sharp as the world’s largest supplier in 2007, and Suntech Power in China kicked Kyocera out of the third place. (more…)

Los Gatos, CA, June 3, 2008
Source: Tigo Energy press release/Businesswire
http://www.tigoenergy.com/news.html

Tigo Energy, a solar company whose technology enables increased efficiency in commercial and residential solar installations, announced today it has raised $6 million in a round co-led by Matrix Partners and OVP Venture Partners.  “This investment will allow us to deliver lower cost of ownership and increased output power on solar installations, resulting in faster return on investment for our customers,” said Sam Arditi, co-founder and CEO of Tigo Energy. (more…)

by: Jennifer Kho. June 23, 2008
Source: GreetechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/solar-installers-race-for-sf-subsidies-1038.html

Just a week after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officially signed a new incentive program into law, the race is on to take advantage of it.  The program, the largest municipal solar-incentive program in the United States, will provide rebates of $3,000 to $6,000 for residential solar installations and up to $10,000 for commercial installations when it takes effect July 1. With the incentives capped at $3 million total for both residential and commercial installations, plus an additional $1.5 million in incentives specifically for solar projects at low-income and affordable housing approved last week, San Francisco could subsidize between 383 and 1,500 installations, depending on the size of each of the rebates. (more…)

American Capital Energy to Install Solar Photo Voltaic System at ACL’s 240,000 Sq. Ft. Elizabeth, NJ, Facility
Elizabeth, NJ, and North Chelmsford, MA, June 24, 2008
Source: MarketWire
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=872204

Atlantic Central Logistics, (ACL) a leading asset-based logistics company, today announced that a 700-kilowatt (kW) DC solar photovoltaic (PV) system will be installed by North Chelmsford, Massachusetts-based American Capital Energy on the roof of ACL’s Elizabeth, NJ, headquarters.  Established in 1980, Atlantic Central Logistics has become a leading provider of supply chain management, distribution, warehousing, driver leasing, and local cartage to the freight forwarder within the transportation industry. Atlantic Central operates in nine cities throughout the US. (more…)

by Busines Standard Reporter / Chennai/ Hyderabad June 19, 2008
Source: Business Standard
http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=lmnu1&subLeft=1&autono=326450

Solar Semiconductor (SS), a Hyderabad-based manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules, on Wednesday entered into a strategic partnership with TUV Rheinland India Limited for certifying safety and quality of the former’s products, systems and services. Disclosing this here, SS vice-president Ravi Surapaneni said the PV industry was changing rapidly in terms of the technology and materials used and a certification would ensure that quality was not compromised. TUV Rheinland would inspect SS’ plant at the Fab City annually to check manufacturing processes and quality of solar panels and related products. (more…)

by BV Mahalakshmi, Hyderabad, June 24, 2008
Source: The Financial Express
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Ramky-group-all-set-for-Rs-1-000-cr-solar-foray/326716/

The Rs 1,700-crore Ramky group, a multi-disciplinary company focussing on construction, infrastructure development, waste management, design-build-own-operate projects, real estate, infrastructure consultancy, finance and investment, is all set to venture into manufacturing of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Having a market cap of $3 billion, the company would be investing about Rs 1,000 crore for the proposed solar cell plant, to come up at the Fab City, Hyderabad.  Interestinlgy, the Fab City has attracted over 16 solar manufacturing Companies, located on over 1,200 acres, and will soon be adding three more Companies in the next few months. The investment by these three new Companies is expected to generate about $2 billion. (more…)

San Francisco, CA and Wuxi, China, June 24, 2008
Source: Suntech Power Holdings Inc, press release /PRNewswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-24-2008/0004837584

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, and WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH (“WACKER SCHOTT”), a joint venture of Wacker Chemie AG and SCHOTT Solar GmbH, today announced they have signed a long term silicon wafer supply agreement. Under the terms of the supply agreement, WACKER SCHOTT will supply Suntech specified annual volumes of silicon wafers with a total volume of approximately 220MW over the course of the contract. (more…)

Osaka, June 23, 2008
Source: Japan’s Corporate News Network
http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=18763

Sakai City, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (Kansai Electric), and Sharp Corporation today agreed to cooperate on the Sakai City Waterfront Mega Solar Power Generation Plan in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.  Under the plan, mega solar power generation is scheduled for the following two locations:
(1) Sakai No. 7-3 District Solar Power Generation Plant (tentative name), Output: Approx. 10 MW (10,000 kW)
(2) Sakai Manufacturing Complex Solar Power Generation Facilities (tentative name), Output: Approx. 9 MW (9,000 kW) to start, with maximum of 18 MW (18,000 kW). (more…)

Source: Deutsche Welle-World.de / 22 June 2008
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3430319,00.html

A solar power plant described by its operators as the biggest in the world began generating electricity at the site of a former East German air base on Sunday, June 22, 2008. The Waldpolenz Solar Park is built on a surface area equivalent to 200 soccer fields, the solar park will be capable of feeding 40 megawatts into the power grid when fully operational in 2009.  In the start-up phase, the 130-million-euro ($201 million) plant it will have a capacity of 24 megawatts, according to the Juwi group, which operates the installation. (more…)

Los Angeles, CA, June 23, 2008
Source: Reuters UK
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Andre Grenon)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUKN2329087720080623

Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday its SunFab thin film solar technology does not infringe on a European patent held by Switzerland’s University of Neuchatel. The announcement by the maker of equipment for both the semiconductor and solar power industries came after Swiss technology group Oerlikon (OERL.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) said earlier this month its intellectual property was being infringed by Germany’s Sunfilm AG, an Applied Materials customer. (more…)