Solar Cells Info

By Chris Morrison, April 16th, 2009
Source: BNet.com
http://industry.bnet.com/energy/10001091/
abound-solar-sunovia-chasing-after-first-solar/

Cadmium telluride-based thin film solar cells are certainly the technology of the moment. Following First Solar’s announcement in February that it’s producing cells for under $1 per watt, two more firms, Abound Solar (previously AVA Solar) and Sunovia have lined up with news of their own.  Of the two, Abound is the more mature firm, having taken a big $104 million funding last year. Now the company is finishing up construction on a 200 megawatt plant, which will reach full capacity in about a year. But the company is betting that it can beat First Solar’s 98 cent per watt production cost within three months, according to statements by CEO Pascal Noronha in Reuters. (more…)

The economic turmoil of the PV market in 2009 could actually turn into a more mature and orderly supply chain for the worldwide solar industry when growth returns, iSuppli predicts.
by Staff — Semiconductor International, 17 April 2009
http://www.semiconductor.net/article/CA6652492.html

What does not kill me makes me stronger. Although 19th century German philosopher Nietzsche probably did not have our global photovoltaics (PV) market in mind when he penned those words, they are nonetheless applicable, according to the latest report from iSuppli Corp. (El Segundo, Calif.). The economic turmoil of the PV market in 2009 could actually turn into a more mature and orderly supply chain for the worldwide solar industry when growth returns, the market researcher said today. (more…)

by Rick Merritt, EE Times, SAN JOSE, Ca, 17 April 2009
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216600243

A steep drop in sales for solar photovoltaic systems this year will create a shakeout, pruning back an overbuilt industry, according to one market research company. Reductions in government subsidies in Spain–a big market driver last year–are a primary cause of the downturn, but the company projects a return to strong growth in 2011.  Worldwide installations of solar photovoltaic systems will decline to 3.5 gigawatts in 2009, down 32 percent from 5.2 GW in 2008, according to iSuppli (El Segundo, Calif.). In addition, average selling prices per solar watt will decline by 12 percent, leading to a 40.2 percent plunge to $18.2 billion in global revenues for PV installations in 2009, down from $30.5 billion in 2008. (more…)

By Chris Gaylord, 14 April 2009
Source: Christian Science Monitor
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/04/14/solar-power-captured-in-space-beamed-to-earth/

West Coast energy giant PG&E unveiled a plan this week to put solar panels in orbit and wirelessly beam energy down to Earth by 2016.  Satellite solar cells would capture the sun’s rays 24 hours a day, without fear of cloudy mornings or dark nights. The orbiters then convert this solar power to radio-frequencies that transmit to ground stations in Fresno County, Calif. Once received, the radio energy would change into electricity and flow into the grid. (more…)

By Justin Smith, 14 April 2009
Source: EnergyCurrent.com
http://www.energycurrent.com/index.php?id=3&storyid=17374

When talking about solar cells, the key figures that are repeatedly brought up are cost and the efficiency of any particular cell. While the cost of a cell is, on the surface at least, fairly straightforward, efficiency can be a bit harder to pin down at first.  Basically, the efficiency of a solar cell is measured by how much electricity is converted from the sunlight that hits it; the energy conversion efficiency of a solar cell is the percentage of sunlight converted by the cell into electricity. In traditional monocrystalline, multicrystalline and thin film cells, most of the light is not converted into electricity, but is either reflected, turned into heat or passes right through the cell. (more…)

MIT research finds that many modern manufacturing techniques use more energy than traditional industries
Sourcer: BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen, 31 Mar 2009
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2239473/manufacturing-study-questions

Many solar panels are made using “spectacularly inefficient” manufacturing techniques that could undermine their environmental benefits, according to new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The study, released last week, found that many of the cutting edge processes used to make computer chips, solar cells and nanomaterials use an “alarming” amount of energy compared to established manufacturing techniques. (more…)

Chinese solar companies got a huge boost in the markets after a massive government subsidy program was announced. But is the uptick justified? Analysts have differing views.
by: Jeff St. John, March 27, 2009
Source: GreenTechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/
china-pledges-huge-solar-subsidies-5964.html

The Chinese government on Thursday announced what some industry analysts called the most aggressive and generous solar power subsidy in the world, giving Chinese solar companies a big market boost amid a generally gloomy outlook for short-term growth.  China’s solar subsidy plan would offer 20 yuan (about $2.94) per watt for solar photovoltaic installations greater than 50 kilowatts. That would essentially cover half the cost of entire installations at today’s low solar panel prices, according to an RBC Capital Markets analyst note. (more…)

Focus on growth through lower cost supplies and manufacturing will lead to phase out of module assembly at Frederick, MD, plant. Silicon casting, wafering, and cell manufacture to continue.
Frederick, MD, 31 March 2009
Source: BP Solar, press release
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9019567&contentId=7052169

BP Solar today announced plans to refocus its manufacturing activities globally, and to reduce its unit costs by 25 percent by the end of 2010. It will achieve this by accessing lower cost supplies, and by continuing to grow only its most competitive manufacturing worldwide.  “The decision is part of our long term strategy to grow our solar business by reducing the cost of solar power to that of conventional electricity delivered through a modern power grid, and in time without the need for government subsidy,” says Reyad Fezzani, CEO of BP Solar. (more…)

Device Simulation Enables Optimization of Solar Cells to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Cost
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1, 2009
Source: Synopsys Inc, press release
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?
ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-01-2009/0004998801

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS), a world leader in software and IP for semiconductor design and manufacturing, today announced that the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) has adopted Synopsys’ Sentaurus TCAD to support its solar cell research and development programs. SERIS is Singapore’s national institute for applied solar energy research and is jointly sponsored by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). The Sentaurus TCAD tools will initially be used to support SERIS’ silicon-based solar cell research. The tools simulate the fabrication steps and photovoltaic (PV) performance of solar cells, allowing SERIS researchers to investigate and optimize current and new cell designs aiming for higher PV efficiency and lower cost. (more…)

Innovative Solar Panels Feature Higher Module Output and Reduce Total Installation Costs
Dallas, TX — March 18, 2009
Source: SanYo Energy Corp. press release
http://us.sanyo.com/News/SANYO-Introduces-New-HIT-Power-N-Series-Solar-Panels

SANYO Energy (U.S.A.) Corporation, a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO), a leading company for energy and environment, today introduces the HIT Power® N Series of solar panels featuring SANYO’s proprietary HIT® technology. The new series features the latest technological improvements including higher module output, lower voltage, space savings and lower installation costs that make the HIT Power® N Series the most efficient and competitive cost per kWh panels in the solar market today. 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 from April. (more…)