Solar Cells Info

Irvine, CA – March 5, 2008
Source: Qunatum Technologies / press release
http://www.qtww.com/

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: QTWW) today announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has been awarded a contract by AS Solar GmbH for the supply of high-efficiency silicon photovoltaic solar modules. The value of this contract is estimated at $135 million over a three year period, beginning in 2008, and subject to final negotiations on quantity and price in 2009 and 2010. (more…)

Source: NREL Press release / March 24, 2008
http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2008/574.html

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory have moved closer to creating a thin-film solar cell that can compete with the efficiency of the more common silicon-based solar cell.  The copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cell recently reached 19.9 percent efficiency, setting a new world record for this type of cell. Multicrystalline silicon-based solar cells have shown efficiencies as high as 20.3 percent. The energy conversion efficiency of a solar cell is the percentage of sunlight converted by the cell into electricity.
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Arlington, VA, March 25, 2008 / press release
Source: Dominican Today
ttp://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/economy/2008/3/25/27433/
AES-and-Riverstone-launch-solar-joint-venture-Target-US1-billion
The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) and Riverstone Holdings LLC today announced that they have committed up to $1 billion as part of a new joint venture to develop a global platform of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.  Under terms of the agreement, AES, one of the world’s largest global power companies, and Riverstone, a New York-based energy and power-focused private equity firm, will each provide up to $500 million of capital over five years to invest in PV solar projects around the world.
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Yousuke Ogasawara, Nikkei Electronics, Mar 7, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080307/148677/

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) developed a tandem type dye-sensitized solar cell with an energy conversion efficiency of 11.0%. The new solar cell outperforms any existing solar cells, according to AIST.  A tandem type solar cell has a structure in which two types of dye-sensitized solar cells are attached to each other. To enhance the conversion efficiency, AIST formed a highly transparent TiO2 electrode and used it in the upper cell. (more…)

Los Angeles, CA, March 6, 2008
Source: Reuters.com
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSN0565006420080306

Power plant builder and operator MMA Renewable Ventures, on Wednesday said it will build a solar electric system in Arizona to power a thin-film solar plant for manufacturer Global Solar.  MMA will finance a 750-kilowatt facility, which will power Global Solar’s Tucson, Arizona manufacturing plant. Global Solar agreed to buy electricity from MMA for 25 years.
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By Sheba Ali /New Univ.org /Feb 11, 2008
http://www.newuniversity.org/checkDB.php?id=6536

The University of California, as reiterated in the Policy on Sustainable Practices dated March 2007, is committed to “minimizing the university’s impact on the environment and reducing … dependence on non-renewable energy.”  UC Irvine has undertaken many “green” initiatives in adhering to the UC system goals, as well as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Executive Order (#3-4-05), which sets 2020 as the next deadline by which time greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to 1990 levels. (more…)

Source: Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal /March 6, 2008
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/03/03/daily62.html

DayStar Technologies Inc., a developer of photovoltaic products based on CIGS thin film semiconductor technology, said Thursday it signed a letter of intent with a German company that will commercialize its glass modules.  Santa Clara-based DayStar (NASDAQ:DSTI) said Germany-based juwi solar GmbH will work closely with DayStar in the early stages of production to test and evaluate modules in field installations and assist with third party qualifications required for financing large utility power plants. (more…)

Thin Film Solar Technology Company Receives Funding to Advance Nanostructured Materials Surfacing
West Sacromento, CA, Feb 28, 2008
Source: Bloo Solar press release /BusinessWire

Bloo Solar announced today that is has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.  “The NSF grant will enable Bloo to demonstrate a new technique that enables the creation of ultra smooth and ultra rough surfaces on tiny wires, one tenth the diameter of a red blood cell,” said Dr. Ruxandra Vidu, Bloo’s director of R&D. “Controlling how rough or smooth we want the surface of our materials with atomic-scale precision enables Bloo to apply materials to its advanced solar cell architecture reliably and precisely, while producing greater strength, straightness and stability.” (more…)

By Duke Helfand, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, February 20, 2008
Source: LATimes
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/
la-me-green20feb20,1,1943355.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other municipal leaders unveiled a green energy initiative Tuesday by the city’s utility that they predict will create as many as 400 union jobs over the next three years to install and maintain solar panels on city buildings and other structures around Los Angeles.
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Source: Centrosolar.de /press release
Munich, February 13, 2008
http://www.centrosolar.de/index_e.php

Centrosolar Italia S.r.l., a subsidiary of CENTROSOLAR Group AG, and Milan-based Sunsystem S.r.l. have concluded a long-term cooperation agreement. The partnership envisages that Centrosolar Italia S.r.l. will supply Sunsystem S.r.l. with solar modules and accessories for 8 MWp in the form of integrated systems in 2008. (more…)