Solar Cells Info

16 January 2007
source: Prime Solar PRESS RELEASE
http://www.primesolar.com.au/

Prime Solar Pty Ltd will set up a polysilicon manufacturing facility at Bitterfeld in Germany to produce 7,000 Metric Tons of polysilicon per annum based on the conventional Siemens Technology.  Revealing the details of the project Dr Dilawar Singh, Managing Director and CEO said that “the polysilicon project will be completed in two Stages of 3,500 Metric Tons each and the first Stage will commence production in the second half of 2008. It will be a captive project producing polysilicon feedstock for Prime Solar’s wafers manufacturing facility of 765 MW per annum capacity to be set up at Thalheim, Germany.” The wafers
commonly known as silicon chips are the base components for the fabrication of solar cells and the wafers produced by Prime Solar will be used in the manufacture of silicon solar cells by a number of reputable solar cells manufacturers.
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Prenzlau/Oldenburg, Germany /15 Jan 2007
Source: AleoSolar press release
http://www.aleo-solar.de/index.php?page_id=18&language=de&mod_pressenews_id=84

Aleo Solar AG has reported firm solar module orders in Germany for 2007 of EUR 35 million. Corresponding agreements were signed with a number of companies at the end of December and take effect in 2007. Jakobus Smit, the second Management Board member of aleo solar AG, is cautiously optimistic, “At a strategic level, we are driving forward the internationalization of our business at full speed. We finished construction of our facility in Spain at the end of last year as planned, and it has now started production. Our bread-and-butter business in Germany is going well. Our total production capacity of 100 MW (Prenzlau 90 MW, Barcelona 10 MW) gives us precisely the capacity we need to service the continued market upturn.”  The current debate about the reliability of energy supplies underlines the need for renewable energies, and East Germany is turning into a “Solar Valley”.

Aleo solar AG, which is headquartered in Prenzlau, Brandenburg, has approximately 280 employees and holds a 19% stake in the thin-film facility in Brandenburg on the Havel that is currently being constructed by Johanna Solar Technology. This is scheduled to start production of its first silicon-free thin-film modules this year, with the number of employees set to rise from the current figure of 60 to 180 during the first stage of expansion alone.

Garbsen/Suhl, 15 January 2007
Source. LPKF Press release
http://www.lpkf.com/lpkf-group/press-center/press-releases-2007.htm

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG in Garbsen/Germany now sells laser systems for the structuring of thin film solar cells to enter the strongly growing photovoltaic market. First orders are already being processed. The systems are being developed in close co-operation with a subsidiary in Suhl/Germany LPKF Motion & Control. The system bears the trademark LPKFSolar.
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Esther Lam, DigiTimes.com, Taipei / 15 January 2007
source. DigiTimes Taiwan
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20070115VL208.html

Already billed as the as the top solar cell maker, Sharp plans to further expand both its silicon and solar cell capacity and aims to house a total capacity of 710 megawatts (MW) power annually, according to the company. Sharp announced on January 12 that it is opening a new site for its solar systems group in Toyama City, Toyama prefecture in Japan. The company plans to invest five billion yen with an approximate annual silicon capacity of a thousand tons of silicon. Production at the site is slated to start in January 2007.
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Foster City, CA – January 8, 2007
Source: SolarCity Announcement
http://www.solarcity.com/spacex.aspx

SolarCity, a provider of comprehensive solar solutions, has completed phase one of a commercial solar power system for Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). The move marks the company’s entry into the Southern California commercial solar market.  SolarCity installed an initial 29 kW roof-mounted solar array at SpaceX’s El Segundo facility in only four-and-a-half days, and expects it will quadruple the system’s size in subsequent stages. The SpaceX solar system uses unique patented hardware, which mounts quickly and requires no roof penetration.
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January 15, 2007
Source: Kyocera Solar press release
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/news/news_detail.cfm?key=305

Kyocera Solar, Inc. is proud to announce a key distribution agreement with TESSCO Technologies Incorporated. TESSCO, a supplier of wireless communications and networking products and solutions, is set to begin the new relationship with Kyocera Solar, Inc. this month. With the distribution agreement, Kyocera Solar, Inc. will provide solar powered wireless communication solutions to TESSCO for resale through their various supply channels. Under the terms of the agreement, TESSCO will offer Kyocera’s wireless solutions, as well as provide training and support for the products.
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Employee-Volunteers of San Jose-Based Company Will Help Finish Two Local Homes

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec 15, 2006
source: SunPower press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=222605

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world’s highest efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, today announced that a team of SunPower volunteers will spend the day finalizing two of Habitat for Humanity’s homes located on Murphy Avenue in San Jose. The volunteers will assist with painting and landscaping, readying the home for their new occupants. SunPower has experienced significant growth since its move to San Jose earlier this year and now it’s time to step into a leadership role and give back to the community,” said Tom Werner, CEO of SunPower Corporation. “With housing prices continuing to sky-rocket, it’s very rewarding to help these families realize their dream of owing their own home. We are proud to support Habitat for Humanity and to volunteer our time.”
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Lennar’s 650 New Homes Expected to Save 40 to 60 Percent on Electric Bills

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan 15, 2007
Source: SunPower Press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=225664

SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world’s highest efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, and its subsidiary PowerLight Corporation, today announced the opening of the nation’s largest solar-powered neighborhood. Built by Lennar Corp. (NYSE: LEN) in Roseville, Calif., the planned 650 homes will use SunPower’s roof-integrated SunTile(R) solar electric system, featuring the world’s most efficient solar cell. Lennar estimates that homeowners are expected to save an average of 40 to 60 percent on their monthly electric bills.
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The latest round of Scottish Executive SMART:SCOTLAND funding awards involves 19 research and development projects which will receive a share of £950,000. The awards are designed to help new and existing businesses with less than 50 employees improve their competitiveness by developing leading-edge products or processes that have real commercial value.

Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson said: “Innovation is critical to Scotland’s ability to compete in an increasingly global market and it is vital that our small companies have access to meaningful research and development resources to bring innovative products and services to the marketplace.

“We are glad to support the diverse projects included in this round with grants totalling £950,000.

One of the 19 awards goes to Mather Technology Solutions, Selkirk for developing a FLEXIBLE SOLAR CELL INTEGRATED ON A CONVENTIONAL TEXTILE FABRIC.

The SMART Award will be used to establish a company to develop a flexible
solar cell for generating electricity directly from sunlight that will be integrated on a conventional textile fabric. If successful, the technology promises to have  a number of applications including electrical supply in remote areas and disaster relief.
Website: www.mathertechnologysolutions.com

about  Robert mather
Robert Mather is a Cambridge graduate in Chemistry, with a Ph.D. from  Birmingham University in polymer chemistry. He is a Chartered Chemist and  a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is also a Member of the  Textile Institute and a Corporate Member of the Society of Dyers and Colourists. Current research interests include the incorporation of solar cells into textiles, the application of polypropylene nonwovens for oil spill recovery and gas plasma treatments for textiles, particularly for biomedical textiles. He has also worked on 3D woven engineering products.

source: publictechnology.net
http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=7361

Performance with Lower-grade and Poor Quality Silicon Wafers Exceed Expectations
Jan 10, 2007
Source: SunTech press release
http://www.suntech-power.com/News/tabid/99/Default.aspx?id=252&Module=653

WUXI, China, Jan. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ — Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, today announced that the commercial adoption of its latest 18% ”semiconductor finger” conversion efficiency technology is proceeding on schedule starting in the fourth quarter of 2006 and that the performance of this technology with respect to lower-grade and poor quality silicon wafers has exceeded the company’s expectations.
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