Solar Cells Info

Solar Owners and Operators Can Manage Hundreds of Remote Solar Sites From Single Webview with New Technology from Fat Spaniel Technologies and Morningstar

source: PRNewswire
http://sev.prnewswire.com/oil-energy/20061128/SFTU07628112006-1.html

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/

Fat Spaniel Technologies, Inc. (FST), the leading provider of critical data communications and monitoring infrastructure for the distributed generation industry, today announced the availability of the TriStar Multi-Site Manager, a product designed to allow owner/operators of multiple remote solar power systems the ability to instantly and simultaneously evaluate the health of all off-grid sites using FST web-based technology. On the heels of the Morningstar TriStar Web View product release, the intuitive Multi-Site Manager shows the real-time status of each site via a dashboard webview, allowing the user an accurate snapshot of the health of remote systems. Sites needing attention are highlighted, and users can drill down into the webview to evaluate the fault or error conditions at each site.

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By Jack Uldrich /December 1, 2006
Source: The Motley Fool
http://www.fool.com/News/mft/2006/mft06120129.htm

In August, SunTech Power (NYSE: STP) established SunTech America, a wholly owned subsidiary aimed at expanding the company’s U.S. market share. It now appears that the subsidiary has just landed its first big victory. Earlier today, the company announced a multi-year contract to supply solar modules to a division of SunEdison, North America’s largest solar-energy service provider.  The contract is reportedly valued between $50 million and $90 million over its life span. The size of the contract, however, is less important than the speed with which SunTech has landed such a major deal.

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Sharp Solar Modules to Be Installed on Habitat for Humanity Homes on Long Island, NY: Solar-Generated Electricity Will Provide Long-Lasting Cost Savings for New Homeowners

November 29, 2006 /press release Sharp USA
http://sharpusa.com

MAHWAH, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sharp, the world leader in solar cell production, will supply solar modules for several Habitat for Humanity homes in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Already, five such homes in the Brookhaven, LI area have been outfitted with Sharp modules, and based on the success of the program, Habitat for Humanity will continue fitting the homes with the energy-producing equipment. Up to 10 additional homes on Long Island will have solar modules installed over the next year on existing newly constructed homes. Habitat for Humanity homes are provided for low-income, first-time homebuyers who are required to provide “sweat-equity” by helping to build the houses that they will buy and occupy.

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XsunX Achieves Milestone in Development of Power Glass Thin Films :  Development Efforts Produce Laser Scribed Modules on Plastic Films

Press Release /Date: 11/9/2006
http://www.xsunx.com/news.aspx?news=6

XsunX, Inc. (OTCBB: XSNX), provider of technologies for solar energy infrastructure and developer of Power Glass™, an innovative thin-film solar technology that is intended to allow glass windows to produce electricity from the power of the sun, today announced that the Company produced its first series connected solar modules on Polyethylenenapthalate, or PEN, based thin film plastics using proprietary laser scribing techniques.

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Toulouse, France, December 1, 2006
source: solarbuzz.com

Total and French electric utility EDF will tomorrow inaugurate a photovoltaic solar panel production plant owned by their joint subsidiary Tenesol. Located in Saint-Martin-du-Touch in the Greater Toulouse region, the plant has a current capacity of 17 MW per year and is expected to eventually create around 100 direct and indirect jobs. For more than 20 years, Tenesol has specialized in designing, manufacturing, installing and operating photovoltaic solar systems.

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May 2006

Electricité de France (EDF) and Total today increased their respective stakes in Total Energie, a company specialising in photovoltaic solar energy, to 50% each with the acquisition of the 20% interest held by the founders and management of the company. Total Energie will now be known as TENESOL. This transaction demonstrates EDF and Total’s commitment to jointly developing TENESOL, a world leader in photovoltaics. The current management team has been tasked with the continued development of the company.

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source: Wabusinessnews.com
http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story.php?/1/46712/Euromicrocaps-acquires-100-of-Solar-Sales

Perth-based Euromicrocaps Ltd today announced its pooled development fund had increased its 50 per cent stake to 100 per cent in one of Australia’s longest established solar energy system suppliers, Solar Sales Pty Ltd. EMC Managing Director John Davidson said the financial and management support offered by EMC would greatly assist Solar Sales to capitalise on opportunities emerging in the renewable energy industry. “Solar Sales’ expansion opportunities complement EMC’s mandate to invest in successful companies operating environmentally sustainable businesses,” Mr Davidson said.

“The renewable energy sector is gaining significance in mainstream investment markets as socially conscious corporations join the effort to reduce Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions. “Renewable energy is often an overlooked investment class. The renewable energy development companies that EMC has backed have all proven to be highly successful businesses, providing an opportunity for solid growth and returns.” Mr Davidson added, “Since the initial $2.3 million capital raising in March 2005, EMC has grown its pooled development fund to over $4 million and we are seeking to increase our investment in the renewable energy sector five fold to over $20 million.”

Solar Sales is a major distributor of Sun Power, the world’s most efficient solar panels, and is also involved in the design of hybrid renewable energy systems that convert solar and wind energy into electricity. Solar Sales CEO Bob Blakiston said that there is vast scope for expanding the photovoltaic energy sector in Australia given it is one of the fastest growing energy sectors worldwide. “Solar photovoltaics have grown by 40 per cent globally over the past five years and in 2005, solar cell usage increased by 57 per cent in just one year,” Mr Blakiston said.

“Solar Sales is well positioned with first-to-market advantages as Australia’s uptake of this product is forecast to surge.” The increasing momentum driving the global warming debate has encouraged Australian state and Federal Governments, energy suppliers and consumers to adopt proactive initiatives that decrease carbon dioxide emissions. Federal and state government funding and commitment have further boosted the solar energy sector. “Both Solar Sales and EMC are participating in the Perth and Kalgoorlie Solar Cities consortium as part of the Federal Government’s $175.3 million renewable energy initiative,” Mr Davidson said. Each of the 11 short listed applicants have developed initiatives combining solar power, smart power meters, energy efficiency and more flexible electricity pricing to provide a future for the use of sustainable energy sources in urban locations.

30 November 2006
source: Compoundsemiconductor.net
http://compoundsemiconductor.net/articles/news/10/11/26/1

With a multi-million dollar investment in water management company WorldWater, the compound semiconductor chip manufacturer Emcore shows its intent to move up the terrestrial solar power systems industry chain. In a strategic move that will guarantee a lucrative, exclusive customer supply deal for its solar cell division, III-V device maker Emcore is to invest $18 million in WorldWater and Power Corp.

Based in Pennington, NJ, WorldWater specializes in solar-powered water pump technology. Emcore has already invested $13.5 million, and expects to supply the $4.5 million balance before the end of this year. That will give Emcore a 31 percent equity share in WorldWater, while a separate supply agreement means that Emcore will be its exclusive supplier of high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells, assemblies and concentrator subsystems.

Emcore has valued that contract to be worth “up to” $100 million over the next three years, a figure that ought to deliver a massive boost to Emcore’s photovoltaics business unit. Investors appeared to be keen on the development, with shares in Emcore spiking up more than 15 per cent to nearly $6.50 following the announcement.

As Emcore CEO Reuben Richards noted, the investment marks an important shift in the company’s strategy within the terrestrial solar energy market. “[Emcore] is becoming, with WorldWater, a solution provider rather than just a component supplier.” This movement up the industry food chain has been a feature of Emcore’s wider strategy over the past few years, ever since it sold its MOCVD equipment division to Veeco Instruments in 2003.

Since then, Emcore has sold its RF electronic materials division to epiwafer foundry IQE, and its half-share in LED joint venture Gelcore to General Electric. Via the WorldWater supply deal, Emcore solar cells based on GaAs alloys and germanium substrates will be hooked up to specialized electrical drives that are used to pump water for utility companies and to irrigate farmland.

Richards pointed out that a significant percentage of the world’s electrical consumption is used to run pumps and motors, and sees this as part of a rapidly expanding opportunity for solar energy systems to replace or augment grid electricity. WorldWater has already begun to make an impact in this area, and its annual sales are expected to grow almost ten-fold from $2 million in 2005 to nearly $17 million this year.

WorldWater founder Quentin Kelly, who started up the company as long ago as 1984 to supply water and power to developing nations, said of the deal, “Concentrated photovoltaic systems are the keys to reducing the cost per watt of power generated.” “This major financing will enable [us] to increase our core business of blending and/or replacing the electric grid with solar power…whether in the agricultural, water utility or other industrial fields.”

Friday December 1, 10:30 am ET
Press Release    Source: PrimeStar Solar, Inc. /Yahoo business News
LONGMONT, Colo., Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/

PrimeStar Solar, Inc. announced today that Ken Zweibel, a respected thin film PV R&D program manager from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Solar Program joined the company December 1, 2006 as President and Chairman. “Mr. Zweibel has been instrumental in advancing thin film PV during his 27 years at NREL. He has worked tirelessly to foster collaboration between government labs and industry to develop PV as a cost-competitive solution to the world’s growing energy needs,” said Dr. Brian Murphy, CEO of PrimeStar. “We are very excited to have attracted a solar industry leader of his caliber and experience.”

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Friday, December 1, 2006
source: Honda Press Release
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c061201HondaSoltec/

TOKYO, Japan, December 1, 2006–Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced plans to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary, Honda Soltec Co., Ltd., which will produce and sell the next-generation thin film solar cell independently developed by Honda. The new company will lead Honda to make a full-scale entry into the solar cell business.

The next-generation solar cell to be produced and sold by Honda Soltec was developed by Honda Engineering Co., Ltd., the production engineering subsidiary of Honda. By using thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS), Honda’s next-generation solar cell achieves a major reduction in the amount of energy consumed during the manufacturing process by approximately 50% compared to what is required to produce conventional crystal silicon solar cells. This makes the new solar cell more environmentally-friendly by reducing the amount of CO2 generated even from the production stage.

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