Solar Cells Info

by Ucilia Wang, June 26, 2009
Source: GreenTechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/green-light/post/primestar-solar-preps-for-cdte-panel-launch/

The success of First Solar has given startup companies developing cadmium-telluride solar panels hope. Why, if First Solar could claim to be the lowest-cost producer in the industry while raking in good profits, then we could do it, too.  PrimeStar Solar is no exception. Brian Murphy, CEO of PrimeStar in Golden, Colo., said at a recent conference that “cadmium-telluride is the only technology proven to move below $1 per watt in manufacturing cost.”  The company is moving toward the launch of its commercial product, set to take place by the end of this year, Murphy said. Murphy was rather mum about his company’s product specs and production plans, however. He said the commercial factory would have a production capacity in the “tens of megawatts.” PrimeStar produced its first thin-film panel in April 2007 and began pilot production last October, he added. (more…)

by Aaron Hand, Executive Editor, Electronic Media
Source: Semiconductor International, 22 May 2009

Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (Tokyo) announced today that it has broken its own record for the highest energy conversion efficiency for a crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell in a practical size (≥100 cm2). Sanyo’s proprietary HIT (heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer) photovoltaic cell conversion efficiency has been boosted from 22.3% to 23.0% at the research level, as validated by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). (more…)

by Motonobu Kawai, Nikkei Microdevices, Sept 3, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080903/157415/

Q-Cells AG of Germany exhibited a cell made of solar-grade silicon, a silicon material used only for solar cells, for the first time at the EU PVSEC (23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition). The company aims to put the new solar cell, Q6LEP3, into practical use in 2009 or 2010 with a conversion efficiency of 16%, equivalent to that of the existing cells. (more…)

Delivering Utility Scale PV Solutions for General Motors Opel Factory in Zaragoza Spain Boston, USA & Zaragoza, Spain, Sept. 04, 2008 Source: Satcon press release http://investor.satcon.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=332163

Satcon, a leading provider of utility scale distributed power solutions for the renewable energy market, announced today its participation in the world’s largest rooftop solar photovoltaic power installation. The 12 megawatt (MW) system atop the General Motors car manufacturing facility in Figueruelas, Zaragoza Spain will cover approximately 2,000,000 square feet and has a surface area of 183,000 square meters. (more…)

Changzhou, China, April 14, 2008
Source: Trina Solar Ltd. press release
http://www.trinasolar.com/front/en/news.php?newid=59

Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL – News; “Trina Solar” or the “Company”), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, founded in 1997, today announced its decision to discontinue the development of its previously announced 10,000MT polysilicon production facility having a total estimated cost of $1 billion. The Company also announced that its related equipment supply contract with GT Solar Incorporated (“GT Solar”), which was subject to final approval by the Boards of both companies, will lapse as a result, with the concurrence of both parties. (more…)

By Mikako Nakajima and Pavel Alpeyev, Tokyo, April 8, 2008
Source: Bloomberg -Japan
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aScvYXNPyjFk&refer=japan

Sumco Corp., the world’s second- largest maker of silicon wafers, expects sales of the material used to make solar power cells to gain 11-fold in the next seven years as customers including Sharp Corp. boost production. Sales of solar-cell wafers will rise to 200 billion yen ($1.9 billion) in the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2015, from 17.8 billion yen last fiscal year, President Kenjiro Shigematsu said in an interview with Bloomberg Television broadcast today. The company’s annual output of the wafers will rise to 1,010 megawatts in the period, from 105 megawatts at present, he said.
(more…)

by Steve Bush, 1 November 2007
Source: electronicsweekly.com
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2007/11/01/42520/
high+efficiency+silicon+solar+cell+developed+at+imec.htm

Belgium research organisation IMEC has reported 17.4 per cent efficiency in thin multi-crystalline silicon solar cells. The cells were made using the lab’s i-PERC (industrial-passivated emitter and rear cells) process which to save cost shuns high-purity semiconductor-type processing in favour of more industrial techniques. The record-breaker is a 100cm sq. 180µm thick device with a short circuit current of 35.22mA/cm sq. and an open circuit voltage of 629.8mV.
(more…)

By Michael Kanellos, CNET News.com
Published on ZDNet News: November 20, 2006, 10:15 AM PT
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6137205.html

The venture arm of equipment maker Applied Materials has invested $3 million into Solaicx, a small company trying to put a dent into the shortage of silicon for solar cells. Solaicx specializes in equipment for making silicon ingots, logs of pure silicon that get heated to high temperatures and then sliced like lunch meats to make silicon wafers. The silicon in the ingots must meet an extraordinarily high level of purity. As a result, producing silicon wafers for the solar industry, which subsequently can be chopped up and processed for solar cells, is a difficult and expensive process.

(more…)

Prices of solar cell panels, modules in Europe (in Euros) Oct 2006
www.nautimarket.net
Nautimarket s.r.l. – Via San Giorgio – 33050 Carlino (UD) – Italy

ZZ-A-50100 – FVG Energy Monocrystalline photovoltaic module – 10 59.90EUR

ZZ50108 I-Max Photovoltaic Module 20W 133.90EUR

ZZ-A-50105 – FVG Energy Monocrystalline photovoltaic module – 25 139.00EUR
ZZ-A-50105X2 – Kit 2 Modules 25W FVG Energy(total 50W) 264.00EUR
ZZ-A-50105X4 – Kit 4 Modules 25W FVG Energy(total 100W) 500.40EUR

ZZ50110 Photovoltaic Module H272 – 30W 179.90EUR

ZZ50140 Photovoltaic Module Poly Cristalline 40W 199.00EUR
ZZ50140x4 Set 4 pcs Photovoltaic Module Poly Cristall. 40Wx4 (160) 716.40EUR

(more…)

http://www.fvgenergy.com/photovoltaic_eng/solar_index_eng.html

( FVG Energy is the energy division of the Nautimarket srl)

Nautimarket srl
FVG Energy division, Via San Giorgio, 33050 Carlino – (Udine) – ITALY

Tel. +39 0431 687182 – Fax +39 0431 687013

FVG 10 M – FVG 25 M – Photovoltaic modules
Electrical specifications (at 100 mW/cm2, 25°C, AM 1,5).

Power tollerance 10%

FVG 80 M – FVG 90 M – Photovoltaic module

FVG 170-185 M – Photovoltaic modules