Solar Cells Info

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…)

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…)

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…)

By Alan J. Heavens, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 13 Feb 2009
Source: San Jose Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/homeandgarden/ci_11699095?nclick_check=1

You may not be able to spend thousands of dollars to convert your house to solar power. But there are smaller, less expensive ways to do your environmental part with the sun’s help.  Many solar products are available, though there are limits to what some can do. Still, anything to reduce your carbon footprint is worth doing. (more…)

Asia’s dominance in producing solar cells and panels is expected to grow as more European and American companies set up factories while Asian companies do the same, says a new solar report from Greentech Media.
by: Ucilia Wang, February 12, 2009
Source: GreenTechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/go-east-solar-companies-5679.html

Asia already has more solar equipment manufacturing capacity than other regions in the world. That dominance will likely grow.  By 2012, Asia (including Japan) could produce 82 percent of the world’s crystalline silicon solar cells, up from 71 percent in 2008, according to a new GTM Research report, “PV Technology, Production and Cost, 2009 Forecast: The Anatomy of a Shakeout.”  The news might not be embraced by those in the United States hoping to ensure that federal legislation is in place to help solar companies make their products in the U.S. instead of abroad. (more…)

Source: Chem. Mater., 2009, 21 (1), pp 33–40
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm702458p

Wang Zhang et al.report a novel photoanode structure inspired by butterfly wing scales with potential application on dye-sensitized solar cell in this paper. Quasi-honeycomb like structure (QHS), shallow concavities structure (SCS), and cross-ribbing structure (CRS) were synthesized onto a fluorine-doped tin-oxide-coated glass substrate using butterfly wings as biotemplates separately. Morphologies of the photoanodes, which were maintained from the original butterfly wings, were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopies. The results show that the calcined photoanodes with butterfly wings’ structures, which comprised arranged ridges and ribs consisting of nanoparticles, were fully crystallined. Analysis of absorption spectra measurements under visible light wavelength indicates that the light-harvesting efficiencies of the QHS photoanode were higher than the normal titania photoanode without biotemplates because of the special microstructures, and then the whole solar cell efficiency can be lifted based on this.

Source: ScienceDaily, Feb. 10, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090210125531.htm

A team of Los Alamos researchers led by Victor Klimov has shown that carrier multiplication—when a photon creates multiple electrons—is a real phenomenon in tiny semiconductor crystals and not a false observation born of extraneous effects that mimic carrier multiplication. The research, explained in a recent issue of Accounts of Chemical Research, shows the possibility of solar cells that create more than one unit of energy per photon. (more…)

By Steve Almasy, CNN, Jan 28, 2009
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/28/solar.powered.cars

Toyota’s third-generation Prius, due at dealerships this spring, will have an optional solar panel on its roof. The panel will power a ventilation system that can cool the car without help from the engine, Toyota says.  Solar Electric Vehicles in California makes a roof-mounted solar panel for a standar Toyota Prius.  But it’s a long way from the 2010 Prius to a solar-powered car, experts told CNN. Most agree that there just isn’t enough space on a production car to get full power from solar panels. (more…)

By Ucilia Wang, Greentech Media, February 04, 2009
Source: Seekingalpha.com
http://seekingalpha.com/article/118477-q-cells-subsidiary-scales-up-
micromorph-production-together-with-applied-materials

A Q-Cells (QCLSF.PK) subsidiary that makes micromorph thin-film solar panels is scaling up its production nicely, the company said Tuesday.  Sontor, founded in 2006, started mass production at its German factory last August and rolled out 3.6 megawatts worth of solar panels last year. A solar power plant in Lower Bavaria installed 1.6 megawatts worth of those panels, which are now producing power and hooked up to the grid, the company said. (more…)

By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY, 20 Jan 2009
Source: USA Today.com
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-01-19-solar-panel-cars-automakers-prius_N.htm

Even as skies are gray this winter, automakers are looking to sunnier times — not just for more sales, but also to power solar cells going on new cars.  Toyota (TM) just announced that the next-generation Prius will have an optional solar panel that powers an electric fan. The fan activates to cool the cabin when the car is parked and the interior temperature rises.  Fisker Automotive, a start-up based in Irvine, Calif., goes further. The luxury hybrid shown at last week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit has a large solar panel that supplies extra juice to the battery. (more…)