Solar Cells Info

Shanghai, Feb 12, 2009
Source: JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd press release
http://investors.jasolar.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=208005&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1256176&highlight=

JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: JASO), a leading manufacturer of high-performance solar products, today announced that it has signed a supply contract with BP Solar International, Inc., pursuant to the broader strategic cooperation agreement signed with BP Alternative Energy Holdings Limited, announced last November.  Under this new agreement, JA Solar will supply monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells to BP Solar in 2009, with an initial volume of 175 MW and with the potential to expand to 360 MW. JA Solar is already delivering product under its existing supply agreement with BP. (more…)

Toronto, Feb 02, 2009
Source: Canadian Solar Inc, press release
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=196781&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1250809

Canadian Solar Inc. today announced the official opening of its new PV Cell Research Center. The new center is located in the Company’s solar cell Fab II in Suzhou and consolidates all of the Company’s R&D facilities in one place.  The purpose of the center is to improve the efficiency and production yield of both regular polysilicon cells and our proprietary solar grade e-cells. CSI has been actively investigating several high efficiency solar cell structures, including selective emitter, N-type and back-contact cells. The Company has ongoing research programs with DuPont, University of Toronto and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. (more…)

CEO, CFO and CSO to Drive Company’s US Manufacturing Ramp-up
Austin, Texas, February 4, 2009
Source: HeioVolt Corp. press release
http://www.heliovolt.net//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=142&Itemid=95

HelioVolt Corporation, a producer of highly efficient thin-film solar energy products, today announced additions to its executive management team as the company builds out its US manufacturing capacity. Board member Ron Bernal has been appointed as interim chief executive officer and Sanjeev Kumar, the former CFO of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) has joined the company as chief financial officer; founder Dr. BJ Stanbery will serve as chief strategy officer and chairman of the board. The board will conduct an international search for a permanent CEO to lead the company in its next phase of growth as a manufacturer of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules. (more…)

R. Colin Johnson, EE Times,
Portland, Oregon, 3 Feb 2009
Source: EETimes.com
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=213000692

Thin-film solar cells can use inexpensive, low-temperature processing to stack amorphous silicon and germanium photovoltaic layers atop a reflective foil backing. By using multiple layers with semiconductor junctions tuned to different wavelengths of light, thin-film module makers claim that their solar cells are not only cheaper, but could outperform expensive crystalline solar cells in many climates. (more…)

Tempe, Az., Feb. 4, 2009
Source: Surfect Technologies, Inc, press release
http://surfect.ir.stockpr.com/news/detail/101/
surfect-technologies-announces-first-concentrator-module-shipment-and-higher-solar-efficiency-results-using-plated-metal-technology-achieves-major-milestones-towards-mass-commercialization-and-lower-solar-costs

Surfect Technologies, Inc, a provider of advanced interconnect and packaging solutions for solar cells, LED and power management applications, today announced a number of key milestones for the company including:
– successful demonstrations for leading solar manufacturers of copper plating over silver paste on solar cells using Surfect’s proprietary tool and process technology, which resulted in 0.5-0.6% higher efficiency or 4-5% increased energy capture from solar cells;
– demonstration of new metallization process for solar manufacturers that allows copper metal deposition directly on bare silicon using DEP technology, which is expected to result in 1.2% to 2.0% higher efficiency or 5% to 10% increased energy capture(1) versus silver paste, at lower cost than competing metal plating systems;
– design and shipment of the first concentrator package for a European customer that uses rugged packaging technology and Surfect’s advanced wafer-level interconnect solutions producing 3x concentration, providing a more building integrated module and lowering the solar cost per watt.
(more…)

Lexington, Mass.February 5, 2009
Source: 1366 Technologies press release
http://www.1366tech.com/v1/

1366 Technologies, an MIT spin-off focused on engineering and manufacturing advanced silicon solar cells, today announced the company has been awarded a cost-shared, 18-month subcontract with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the “Self-Aligned Cell: Scaling up manufacture of a cost effective cell architecture for multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaics” Project. The total potential funding from the DOE under the Solar America Initiative (SAI) is up to $3.0 million for the project. (more…)

One-acre, 1,500 solar panel array at Pioneer Hi-Bred Waimea Research Center in Kauai, Hawaii is DuPont’s largest solar installation to date
Marlboro, Ma, February 04, 2009
Source: Evergreen Solar Inc, press release
http://www.evergreensolar.com/app/en/company/press/pressreleases/item/705

Evergreen Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESLR), a manufacturer of STRING RIBBON™ solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost silicon wafer manufacturing technology, announced today that a new 250 kilowatt solar energy power plant using its solar panels is now operational at DuPont’s Pioneer Hi-Bred Waimea Research Center in Kauai, Hawaii. The solar installation is DuPont’s largest and will supply 85 percent of the overall energy for the Research Center. (more…)

Tokyo, Jan 23, 2009, AFP/Google
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/
ALeqM5jt9WDoiC4m5dFViatAcn7z5zntkA

Japan’s Sanyo Electric Co. and Nippon Oil Corp. said Friday they would collaborate to produce thin-film solar cells for large-scale power generation.  The 50-50 joint venture will spend roughly 20 billion yen (226 million dollars) to build a factory in Japan that can annually produce enough solar cells to produce electricity worth 80 megawatts. The venture should have capacity of one gigawatt by March 2016 and two gigawatts by March 2021, when the companies estimate the solar cell market will be worth 10 trillion yen. (more…)

By Chris Morrison, January 22nd, 2009
Source:BNET.com
http://industry.bnet.com/energy/1000470/what-the-masdar-deal-means-for-suntech/

Chinese solar panel maker Suntech received a reputation boost this week with the announcement that it would join thin-film solar firm First Solar in providing half of the first 10 megawatts of power for Masdar City, a zero-carbon community under development in Abu Dhabi.  Although some reports have suggested that Masdar has just “broken ground” on the 10MW plant, having seen it several days ago I can attest that the work is nearly complete. Workers for installer Enviromena Power Systems are currently putting up First Solar’s panels; the Suntech portion looks complete. The builders say it’s at 70 percent. (more…)

California manufacturer of photovoltaic systems for commercial rooftops strengthens European presence
Fremont, CA, and Munich, Germany, January 19, 2009
Source: Solyndra Inc, press release
http://www.solyndra.com/News/Press-Release-011909

Solyndra, Inc. announced the opening of the company’s European headquarters near Munich in Holzkirchen, Germany in response to the high demand in Europe for their innovative photovoltaic (PV) systems which provide breakthrough solar electricity performance for commercial rooftops. As Managing Director and Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa Sales of Solyndra GmbH, Clemens Jargon will be responsible for overseeing the company’s sales and service operations throughout European countries with active PV markets such as Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, and France. (more…)