Solar Cells Info

by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Adam Hwang
Source: DIGITIMES, 24 September 2008
http://digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080923PD217.html

Solartech Energy, a Taiwan-based producer of crystalline silicon solar cells, is expanding its production capacity through the construction of a new factory in northern Taiwan. Total annual capacity is to increase from the current 60MWp at its existing factory located elsewhere in northern Taiwan to 1,200MWp in 2013, according to company chairman KS Liu.  Solartech is setting up the new factory at a 36,360 square meter site, Liu indicated. Solartech will extend its production from only crystalline silicon solar cells to include high-concentration solar cells produced at the new factory, Liu said. (more…)

Source: Neo Solar Power Press Release, August 19, 2008
http://www.neosolarpower.com/

Neo Solar Power (NSP, 3576 TT), a leading manufacturer of high quality solar cells, and Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG (Centrotherm), a global dominant solar equipment provider, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on research and development collaboration to significantly improve solar cell efficiency targeting at over 20% for mass production. This collaboration project, 20+ solar cell project, aims to develop through production process improvement and eventually a re-engineering on device structure of conventional solar cells. The 20+ solar cell project will emphasize on improvement of conventional solar cell through better spectral response and effective light trapping; and innovative device structure design to substantially raise cell efficiency from current level. Through efficiency advancement, both partners expect to benefit from value created on manufacturing cost reduction and gross profit upturn in solar cell production. (more…)

Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, September 25, 2008
Source: Neo Solar Power Press Release

Neo Solar Power, a leading manufacturer of high quality solar cells, announced today it sealed a 7-year long-term wafer supply contract with REC ScanWafer AS, the world’s largest manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon wafers. Under the contract, REC will provide NSP solar wafers worth of US$442 million (NT$13 billion) for the period from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2015. Adding REC to its well diversified wafer supplier base, NSP expects to further lower supply concentration risk. (more…)

by Gina Roos, Green SupplyLine, Taipei, Taiwan, Sept 18, 2008
Source: EETimes.com
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210602697

Taiwan’s manufacturers of solar cells reported revenues climbed by nearly 70 percent in the first half of 2008, compared to the same period a year ago, due to strong demand from European countries including Spain and Germany, according to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). Six of the solar cell makers listed on Taiwan’s stock exchange reported first half 2008 revenues of NT$35.6 billion (US$1.1 billion) compared with NT$21 billion in the same period a year ago. These companies include Motech Industrial Inc., Gintech Energy Corp., E-Ton Solar Tech, Sino-American Silicon Products Inc., Sinonar Corp. and Green Energy Technology. Motech, Gintech and E-Ton are among the world’s ten largest solar cell makers by revenues. (more…)

Success in Trial Manufacture of BN/Si Heterodiode Solar Cell
September 04, 2008
Source: National Institute for Materials Science NIMS, Japan press release
http://www.nims.go.jp/eng/news/press/press080904-1.html
Abstract
1. A team led by Dr. Shojiro Komatsu, Group Leader of the Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Group, Advanced Electronic Materials Center of the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS; President: Teruo Kishi) succeeded for the first time in the world in trial manufacturing a solar cell using high density boron nidtride (sp3-bonding BN), which is transparent to visible light and is one of the strongest of materials (high temperature refractory). (more…)

by Maulik Pathak, Ahmedabad September 17, 2008
Source: Business Standard.com
http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=334659

After unveiling its plans to harness wind energy, ONGC, the country’s leading crude and gas producer, now plans to foray into solar and geothermal energy. The company is in talks with four companies, including a US-based firm, for setting up a photovoltaic (PV) cells unit.  The oil and gas major is also exploring geothermal energy for which it is in talks with Iceland government. All these projects will be carried out under its ONGC Energy Centre housed at Rajiv Gandhi Urja Bhavan, New Delhi. (more…)

by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Steve Shen
Source: DIGITIMES, 15 September 2008
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080915PD210.html

Taiwan Glass Industrial (TGI) plans to invest an additional NT$2 billion (US$62.7 million) in the next three years in its plant in Changpin Industrial Park in central Taiwan to produce glass products for the solar cell industry, according to data provided by the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

The new investment will call for the production of super white PV (photovoltaic) glass, TCO (transparent conductive oxide)-based glass substrate for thin-film solar cells as well as glass fibers for windmill generators, the data showed. Currently, super white PV glass accounts for 3-4% of overall production costs of silicon type solar cells, whereas TCO glass substrate accounts for 15-20% of production costs of thin-film solar cells, the IDB noted.

San Francisco, CA and Wuxi, China, Sept 16, 2008
Source: Suntech Power Holdings, Co. Ltd, press release
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/
suntech-announces-groundbreaking-of-pv-cell-production-facility-in-yangzhou-china,542086.shtml

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, today announced the groundbreaking of a new PV cell production facility in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, China. Suntech intends to complete the facility with a PV cell production capacity of
300MW by the end of 2009. The new production site will facilitate Suntech’s capacity expansion plans to reach 1.4GW by year end 2009 and 2GW by year end 2010. (more…)

by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Adam Hwang
Source; DIGITIMES, 17 September 2008
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080916PD214.html

Gallant Precision Machining (GPM), a producer of semiconductor, TFT-LCD and electronic component manufacturing equipment, at a September 16 press conference, debuted a set of automatic manufacturing equipment for producing crystalline silicon solar cells, becoming the first Taiwan-based maker of such equipment, according to company CEO Nick Yeh. (more…)

Xinyu City, China and Sunnyvale, CA,  Sept 04, 2008
Source: LDK Solar Co. press release
http://www.ldksolar.com/9-04-08.html

LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (“LDK Solar”) (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of solar wafers, today announced it has signed a new agreement with GT Solar International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOLR) (“GT Solar”) to purchase polysilicon CVD reactors for installation in LDK Solar’s manufacturing facilities in Xinyu City, Peoples Republic of China. This equipment is used to make polysilicon. The estimated value of the contract is $32 million. (more…)