Solar Cells Info

New york, September 12, 2008
Source: Associated press/CNNMoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/d3bfc4e2089883a8a96af9b6c551e3b4.htm

LDK Solar Co. Ltd. said Friday it has signed an 11-year agreement with Q-Cells AG of Germany to process solar-grade silicon into wafers. LDK, based in Xinyu City, China, said it will process at least 20,000 metric tons of solar grade silicon provided by Q-Cells between 2008 and 2018 with an option to process an additional 21,000 metric tons in the same decade. (more…)

by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Steve Shen
Source: DIGITIMES, 15 September 2008
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080915PD210.html

Taiwan Glass Industrial (TGI) plans to invest an additional NT$2 billion (US$62.7 million) in the next three years in its plant in Changpin Industrial Park in central Taiwan to produce glass products for the solar cell industry, according to data provided by the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

The new investment will call for the production of super white PV (photovoltaic) glass, TCO (transparent conductive oxide)-based glass substrate for thin-film solar cells as well as glass fibers for windmill generators, the data showed. Currently, super white PV glass accounts for 3-4% of overall production costs of silicon type solar cells, whereas TCO glass substrate accounts for 15-20% of production costs of thin-film solar cells, the IDB noted.

by Gina Roos, Green SupplyLine. Irvine, CA, 15 Sept 2008
source: EETimes.com
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210601719

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. has announced that its German solar photovoltaic partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH will establish a joint venture (JV) manufacturing plant in South Korea with Q&Tech/Yongsan, a high-volume manufacturer of electronic and automotive components in Korea. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, Asola will build a 30 megawatt (MW) solar production facility to manufacture and distribute German-designed solar modules in South Korea. Initial capacity is set at 30 MW, consisting or mono- and poly-crystalline silicon solar modules, with projected revenues in excess of $100 million annually. (more…)

Tempe, AZ, Sept.15, 2008
source: Amtech Systems, Inc press release
http://www.mkr-group.com/ASYS/investors/pressreleases/9.15.08.html

Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASYS – News), a global supplier of production and automation systems and related supplies for the manufacture of solar cells, semiconductors, and silicon wafers, today announced that its solar subsidiary, Tempress Systems, Inc., has received $9.0 million in follow-on solar orders for its diffusion processing systems from two existing customers based in Asia. (more…)

San Francisco, CA and Wuxi, China, Sept 16, 2008
Source: Suntech Power Holdings, Co. Ltd, press release
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/
suntech-announces-groundbreaking-of-pv-cell-production-facility-in-yangzhou-china,542086.shtml

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, today announced the groundbreaking of a new PV cell production facility in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, China. Suntech intends to complete the facility with a PV cell production capacity of
300MW by the end of 2009. The new production site will facilitate Suntech’s capacity expansion plans to reach 1.4GW by year end 2009 and 2GW by year end 2010. (more…)

by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Adam Hwang
Source; DIGITIMES, 17 September 2008
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080916PD214.html

Gallant Precision Machining (GPM), a producer of semiconductor, TFT-LCD and electronic component manufacturing equipment, at a September 16 press conference, debuted a set of automatic manufacturing equipment for producing crystalline silicon solar cells, becoming the first Taiwan-based maker of such equipment, according to company CEO Nick Yeh. (more…)

Patented Low Cost Process Key to Efficiency Innovation
Atlanta, Ga. – September 16, 2008
Source: Suniva Inc, press release
http://www.suniva.com/

Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value crystalline silicon solar cells, today announced that its R&D team has developed several silicon solar cells in its lab with over 20% conversion efficiencies using a patented combination of simple cell designs and screen printing technologies. These high efficiency milestones have been verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The efficiency achievement closely follows Suniva’s two recent customer agreements with Germany’s Solon AG and India’s Titan Eergy Systems Ltd, together worth approximately USD $1 billion. (more…)

XINYU CITY, China and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept 03, 2008
Source: LDK Solar Co. Ltd press release
http://www.ldksolar.com/9-03-08.html

LDK Solar Co., Ltd (“LDK Solar”) (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of solar wafers, announced today that it has signed a five-year contract to supply multicrystalline solar wafers to Taiwan-based Solartech Energy Corp. (Solartech). Under terms of the agreement, LDK Solar will deliver approximately 550 MW of multicrystalline silicon wafers to Solartech over a five-year period, commencing in 2009 and extending through 2013. Solartech will make an advanced payment representing a portion of the contract value to LDK Solar. (more…)

Xinyu City, China and Sunnyvale, CA,  Sept 04, 2008
Source: LDK Solar Co. press release
http://www.ldksolar.com/9-04-08.html

LDK Solar Co., Ltd. (“LDK Solar”) (NYSE: LDK), a leading manufacturer of solar wafers, today announced it has signed a new agreement with GT Solar International, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOLR) (“GT Solar”) to purchase polysilicon CVD reactors for installation in LDK Solar’s manufacturing facilities in Xinyu City, Peoples Republic of China. This equipment is used to make polysilicon. The estimated value of the contract is $32 million. (more…)

Xinyu City, China and Sunnyvale, CA, Sept 05, 2008
Source: LDK Solar Co. Ltd press release
http://www.ldksolar.com/Press%20Release.html

LDK Solar Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of solar wafers, announced today that it has signed an eight-year contract with Japan- based Sumitomo Corporation (“SC”), one of the leading trading and investment houses in Japan to supply multicrystalline solar wafers to a leading manufacturer of solar cells and modules in Japan. Under terms of the agreement, LDK Solar will deliver approximately 750 MW of multicrystalline silicon wafers to Sumitomo over an eight-year period, commencing in 2009 and extending through 2016. Sumitomo will make an advanced payment representing a portion of the contract value to LDK Solar. (more…)