Solar Cells Info

Source: Deutsche Welle-World.de / 22 June 2008
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3430319,00.html

A solar power plant described by its operators as the biggest in the world began generating electricity at the site of a former East German air base on Sunday, June 22, 2008. The Waldpolenz Solar Park is built on a surface area equivalent to 200 soccer fields, the solar park will be capable of feeding 40 megawatts into the power grid when fully operational in 2009.  In the start-up phase, the 130-million-euro ($201 million) plant it will have a capacity of 24 megawatts, according to the Juwi group, which operates the installation. (more…)

Los Angeles, CA, June 23, 2008
Source: Reuters UK
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Andre Grenon)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUKN2329087720080623

Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday its SunFab thin film solar technology does not infringe on a European patent held by Switzerland’s University of Neuchatel. The announcement by the maker of equipment for both the semiconductor and solar power industries came after Swiss technology group Oerlikon (OERL.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) said earlier this month its intellectual property was being infringed by Germany’s Sunfilm AG, an Applied Materials customer. (more…)

Source: Government News -Australia / 23 June 2008
http://www.governmentnews.com.au/2008/06/23/article/HHUVBSVXUK.html

Australian soldiers will be able to wear and carry new solar technology embedded uniforms and gears, now that researchers at Australian National University (ANU) have won a major defence contract. The Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSES) at ANU has received $2.1 million in defence funding to develop micro-thin and flexible solar energy panels for security applications.
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Hiroshi Imahori and Tomokazu Umeyama explain why carbon nanotubes are promising candidates for organic solar cells.
18 June 2008
Source: Chemical Technology, Royal Society of Chemistry
http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/ChemTech/Volume/2008/07/Imahori_insight.asp

Cheap and efficient conversion of solar energy into electricity could help combat global warming and the shortage of fossil fuels. However, the high production cost of electricity from silicon-based solar cells has limited the use of the technology. Low cost solar cells with high cell performance are highly desirable and organic solar cells could be the answer. They are easy to make from inexpensive organic materials and, unlike inorganic solar cells, are lightweight, flexible and colourful. (more…)

By Richard Weiss and Nicholas Comfort, June 19, 2008
Source: Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aIgyBySzJ3CE&refer=latin_america

Q-Cells AG, Germany’s largest solar company, is relying on new plants in Mexico and Malaysia to cut costs and boost output amid soaring demand for renewable energy, Chief Financial Officer Hartmut Schuening said.  The company, based in Thalheim, Germany, expects the facilities to speed up delivery times for products such as thin- film modules to Asian and North American clients, Schuening told Bloomberg Television at an award ceremony in Frankfurt last night. The resulting cost cuts should improve profitability in established and new markets alike, he said. (more…)

By Matt Neznanski, (Corvallis) Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR, June 21, 2008
Source: TheWorldLink
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/06/21/news/doc485ca762cbb99337057697.txt

When Oregon State University researchers first announced they had created a transparent transistor, John Wager, professor of electrical and computer engineering, said it was too early to tell what practical applications might arise from it.  Five years later, the technology has found its first industrial use: making solar panels lighter, more efficient and with the ability to blend in or accent a building’s architecture. (more…)

Source: Printed Electronics World, 23 June 2008
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/
highlights_of_photovoltaics_beyond_conventional_silicon_event_00000971.asp

The second day of the conference began with keynote presentations from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Idaho National Laboratory.  Prof. Arthur Frank of the NREL gave some insight into the type of research they conduct on sensitized solar cells, both dye and quantum dot.  The NREL’s research efforts on DSSC’s focus on better matching dye absorption coefficients to the solar spectrum. The resulting improvements could lead to an increase of photocurrent by 40% and efficiencies going from 11% to 20%. (more…)

Zuerich, June 16, 2008
Source: Reuters /Reporting by Eva Kuehnen, editing by Elizabeth Fullerton
http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKL1632770620080616

German solar module maker Solon (SOOG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) bought a roughly 16 percent stake in newly formed U.S. solar cell maker SpectraWatt, broadening its supplier base and its presence in the U.S. market, the company said on Monday.  Solon shares jumped as much as 7 percent and were up 5 percent at 55.30 euros by 1507 GMT. The stock has fallen about 27 percent since the beginning of the year.  Solon said it paid a sum in the lower double-digit million euros for the stake. (more…)

by Martin LaMonica, June 16, 2008
Source: CNet News Green Tech Blog
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9969631-54.html

Intel made a big leap into the burgeoning clean-tech sector on Monday by creating SpectraWatt, a spinoff company that will manufacture solar cells.  Its investment arm, Intel Capital, is leading a $50 million round in SpectraWatt. Other investors include Goldman Sachs subsidiary Cogentrix Energy, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund, and German solar company Solon. (more…)

by Stevie Smith – Jun 17 200
Source: The Tech Herald
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200825/1262/
IBM-announces-partnership-to-evolve-solar-cell-efficiency

Multinational computing corporation International Business Machines (IBM) has this week announced a partnership with photolithography specialist Tokyo Ohka Kogya (TOK), which will see the two parties pooling their resources in an effort to produce a new generation of solar energy products. Specifically aimed at establishing new, low-cost methods of manufacturing that will lead to cheaper products that are also easier to install than those available today, TOK and IBM will be looking to develop processes, materials and equipment suitable for the creation of the somewhat unfortunately named CIGS solar cell modules.
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