Solar Cells Info

The Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center Funds Plextronics
PITTSBURGH, PA – April 10, 2007
Source: Plextronics /press release
http://www.plextronics.com/press.aspx?view=96

Plextronics, a world leader in developing and delivering active layer technology for electronic devices, announced it has been awarded a $340,500 grant from the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center(the Center). This initiative will focus on the continued development of Plexcore PV active layer technology for organic solar cells. Plexcore PV is a new generation of polymer-based semi-conductive inks that increase solar conversion efficiency, while extending the lifetime of the device.
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First-of-Its-Kind Program Leverages Resources of SunPower to Improve Customer Service Across Dealer Network
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 16, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=238067

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency, commercially available solar cells, panels and systems, today announced the first nationwide program to support a network of solar power system dealers that sell, install and service SunPower products. SunPower currently works with more than 70 dealers across the U.S.
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Independent Organizations Validate SunPower’s Technology Leadership
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 18, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=238439

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency, commercially available solar cells, panels and systems, announced today that Sandia National Laboratories measured SunPower’s SPR-315 solar panel at the highest recorded conversion efficiency ever tested by Sandia for a commercially available, mass produced solar panel. This announcement follows recent renewable energy industry accolades from PHOTON Magazine and Energy Focus Ltd., (ENF) in the first quarter of 2007, underscoring SunPower’s position as the global leader in solar electric technology efficiency, performance and satisfaction.
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The Business Journal of Phoenix, April 20, 2007
source:
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/04/16/daily44.html

Amtech Systems Inc. has signed a 10-year licensing deal with a Korean firm to market an existing product and to develop new technology related high-volume solar cell manufacturing, company officials said Friday.  Tempe-based Amtech Systems (NASDAQ: ASYS) signed the royalty-free deal with PST Co. Ltd. to market its existing plasma-enhanced chemical vapor disposition (PECVD) system, and to develop and manufacture a new model.
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Coors Field Celebrates First Utility-Scale Solar Power Electric System in a Major League Ballpark
DENVER, April 20, 2007
Source: sunpower corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=238809

This weekend, the Colorado Rockies will take on the San Diego Padres at home under a solar-powered scoreboard. The new 9.9 kilowatt solar electric system, which was installed by Independent Power Systems as a result of a partnership between the Rockies and Xcel Energy, is being celebrated on Earth Day, April 22. Comprised of 46 solar panels from SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), it is the first commercial- scale solar electric power system to be installed in a Major League Baseball ballpark.
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Kyocera to invest 30 billion yen (about $250 million) globally, raise annual production capacity to 500 megawatts by 2011

source: Kyocera Solar /press release /April 18, 2007
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/news/news_detail.cfm?key=361
San Diego, CA – April 18, 2007 – Kyocera Corporation today announced plans to expand its annual solar module manufacturing capacity to 500 megawatts (MW) by the end of March 2011 — more than double its current annual capacity of 240MW — in response to global demand.  The company has secured supply contracts with silicon producers to ensure the steady increase in production capacity.  “For the last two years, as we endured a shortage of solar-grade silicon, Kyocera has focused on improving solar-cell quality and energy conversion efficiency,” stated Tatsumi Maeda, senior managing executive officer of Kyocera Corp. and general manager of the company’s Corporate Solar Energy Group.  “Among the world’s fully integrated suppliers that manage every stage of the process, from casting silicon ingot to engineering and supplying complete solar electric generating systems, our goal is to lead the industry in both quality and quantity.”
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Beijing, China, 11 April 2007
source. Macauhub
http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/news.php?ID=3144

Chinese company, Yingli Solar plans to increase its presence in the European market by making use of the profile of the solar plant at Moura in Portugal, the director of the company’s International Market Department, Pang Chou said in Beijing Tuesday.  Speaking to Portuguese news agency, Pang said that the Chinese solar cell and panel producer also planned to increase its presence on the Portuguese market.
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Geneva, April 2, 2007
Source: Powerlight Crop/ Press Release
http://www.powerlight.com/about/press2006_page.php?id=60

PowerLight, a leading global provider of large scale solar power systems and a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), announced today that its Swiss subsidiary, PowerLight Systems S.A., has entered into an agreement with Agrupacion Solar Llerena-Badajoz 1, A.I.E. and Solarpack Corporacion Tecnologica, S.L., to design and build a solar electric power plant in Llerena, Spain. The plant is expected to generate approximately 4.8 megawatts of peak power.
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source: Azobuildnews /April 2, 2007
http://www.azobuild.com/news.asp?newsID=3344

Spread across a hillside pasture amid olive trees, 52,000 shimmering photovoltaic modules in one of the world’s largest solar power plants have begun generating enough electricity for 8,000 homes, GE, PowerLight Corp. and Catavento SA announced today.  After eight months of construction and testing, GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of General Electric, PowerLight, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation and Catavento dedicated the 11-megawatt Serpa solar power plant today, on schedule. The facility — a model of clean power generation integrated with agriculture — is in one of Europe’s sunniest areas, in Portugal’s Alentejo agricultural region in the town of Serpa, 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Lisbon.
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Staff Reporter
Source: The Hindu /March 23, 2007
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/23/stories/2007032304480400.htm

# Cell-manufacturing capacity has increased to 52 MW a year
# 128-MW capacity unit to be set up in this financial year

Bangalore: With the inauguration of a 36-MW solar photovoltaic production line, the cell manufacturing capacity of Tata BP Solar has increased to 52 MW a year.  Speaking to presspersons after the inauguration here on Wednesday, K. Subramanya, chief executive officer, Tata BP Solar, said the inauguration of the production line was a step towards realising the designed potential of setting up a 300-MW plant. “We plan to add a cell-manufacturing unit of 128-MW capacity in this financial year,” he said.
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