Solar Cells Info

New Delhi 28 Jul, 2007
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Corporate_Announcement/

Moser Baer Photo Voltaic (MBPV), a Moser Baer subsidiary, has entered into an eight-year, $880-million agreement with Norway-based REC Group for sourcing multi-crystalline silicon wafers. Silicon wafers go into manufacturing wafer-based solar cells.  MBPV uses multiple technologies, including crystalline silicon, nano-technology and thin film, to make solar cells and modules. It has manufacturing facilities in an SEZ at Greater Noida. (more…)

Jimmy Hsu, Taipei; Esther Lam, DIGITIMES, 26 July 2007
Source: DigiTimes.com
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20070725PD220.html

Sun Well Technology, CMC Magnetics’ recently announced subsidiary for thin-film solar cell production, held the groundbreaking ceremony on July 25 for its new plant which is to commence volume production in 2008.  Construction of the plant will be completed in late November with equipment move-in to follow in the first quarter of 2008. CMC reiterated that volume production should commence in the first half of 2008, likely to be the second quarter at the earliest.
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Joint Press Release by WACKER and SCHOTT
Munich / Mainz, August 2nd, 2007
http://www.presseportal.de/pm/9155/1025847/wacker_chemie_ag

SCHOTT WACKER Solar to produce multicrystalline silicon wafers for solar cells, €370 million investment to create at least 700 new jobs, Production start-up in 2007, Capacity expansion phased to reach 1 gigawatt per year by 2012.

Wacker Chemie AG and SCHOTT Solar, a 100 percent subsidiary of the worldwide SCHOTT group, plan to set up two joint ventures to produce and market silicon   wafers for solar applications. WACKER and SCHOTT signed a related agreement today. Over the next years, the two partners plan to invest a total of EUR370 million in facilities in Jena (Thuringia) and Alzenau (Bavaria), creating at least 700 new jobs at these German sites. The project is subject to approval by the German and European authorities. The joint venture – SCHOTT WACKER Solar GmbH – is scheduled to start operations this year. It will produce multicrystalline silicon ingots and wafers, the starting material for solar cells. Solar-wafer production capacity is set to expand in stages, reaching about one gigawatt/year by 2012. This will make the joint venture one of the world´s five largest solar-wafer  manufacturers.
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Will Combine State-of-the-Art Production Facilities for LCD Panels and Solar Cells, As Well As Hosting Plants of Affiliated Businesses
Source: Sharp Corp. Press Release /July 31, 2007
http://www.sharp-world.com/corporate/news/070731.html

Sharp Corporation has been engaged in the manufacture of energy-saving LCDs and energy-creating solar cells as the pillars of its business, with the goal of being an “environmentally advanced company.” Now, the company has made the decision to build on the same site a new state-of-the-art LCD panel plant and solar cell plant for the mass production of thin-film solar cells in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. (more…)

New 70 Megawatt Devans plant will help fill orders
By Martin Luttrell TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Marlboro, July 26, 2007
source: telegram.com
http://www.telegram.com/article/20070726/NEWS/707260389/1002/BUSINESS

As Evergreen Solar Inc. ramps up manufacturing capacity for production of its solar cells, its chief executive officer said the additional orders will put the company on the path to profitability.  Speaking yesterday to about a dozen shareholders at the company’s annual meeting at the Marriott Courtyard hotel, CEO and President Richard M. Feldt said that groundbreaking for a 70-megawatt Devens plant will occur next month, and if work can continue inside the building over the winter, production will begin there next summer.  “In the next year we could break even, and even make money in the following year,” he said.
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SAN JOSE, Calif., July 18, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=254750

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) today announced that it has signed a 10-year silicon supply agreement with Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation with deliveries beginning in 2010. The silicon supplied by this agreement is expected to support more than two gigawatts of solar cell production by SunPower at planned silicon utilization rates over that period.
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Philippines President Macapagal Arroyo to Inaugurate New, Green Building Design
SAN JOSE, Calif., July 27, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=256947

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems, today announced the inauguration of its second solar cell fabrication facility, known as cell Fab 2, in the Philippines. The dedication of cell Fab 2 will take place on July 30, 2007 at the new plant, located in Batangas, south of Manila. President Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines and The Honorable Raphael P. M. Lotilla, secretary of energy, will be on hand to help inaugurate the facility which has been recognized by the International Energy Agency for its superior energy-efficient design.
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Frankfurt, July 23, 2007
Source: Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSL2339494520070723

Q-Cells (QCEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) will ramp up its investment in U.S. solar firm Solaria, hiking its stake to 33 percent, to strengthen its position in the fast-growing U.S. solar market, the German solar cell maker said on Monday.  The two companies also agreed on a cell supply contract worth about 2.5 billion euros ($3.46 billion) at today’s prices, with an overall capacity of up to 1.35 gigawatt over the next ten years, the world’s second-largest maker of solar cells said. (more…)

EMCORE Announces Record Conversion Efficiency of Multi-Junction Concentrator Solar Cells Designed for Terrestrial Applications for Volume Production Achievement of Record 39% Conversion Efficiency at 1000x Concentrated Illumination Affirms EMCORE’s Position As a Leader in Advanced Terrestrial Photovoltaic Technology

Albuquerque, NM, August 6, 2007
Source: Emcore Corp. press release http://www.emcore.com/news/release.php?id=162

EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ: EMKR), announced today that it has attained a record 39% conversion efficiency under 1000x concentrated illumination on its multi-junction solar cell products currently in high volume production. These solar cells are for terrestrial Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) applications. EMCORE’s Concentrator Triple-Junction (CTJ) solar cells were designed and optimized for the most desirable operating conditions, i.e. 500-1000x concentration, for cost effective commercial CPV systems. The record conversion efficiency of 39% was measured on 1-cm2 production concentrator solar cells and at 1000x illumination. EMCORE is currently manufacturing ultra-high efficiency CTJ cells with a variety of form factors for multiple customers and has shipped several million concentrator solar cells to CPV system manufacturers worldwide. (more…)

Source: Memphis Business Journal, June 19, 2007
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/06/18/daily9.html

Sharp’s Solar Energy Solutions Group installed solar modules at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The unit of Sharp Electronics Corp. said in a statement this is the largest commercial solar electricity system in the U.S. to date.  In addition to roof-mounted arrays, the system also features a new structure that encompasses two carports with plug-ins for hybrid cars. Sharp provided 9,212 modules for the project. El Solutions of San Rafael, Calif. designed the 208-watt modules.
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