Solar Cells Info

Source: ABC News, Mon Oct 13, 2008
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/13/2388882.htm

A company is planning to build a $70 million solar cell factory in Canberra which could generate more than 100 jobs.  Spark Solar Australia hopes to build the factory next year with sites in Hume and Mitchell being considered. The company has also listed possible sites in Queanbeyan and Wollongong. The factory will produce solar cells used in the manufacture of solar panels. (more…)

Mochau, August 18, 2008
Source: Signet Solar, press release
http://www.signetsolar.com/in%20the%20news/index.htm

The first thin-film modules made by Signet Solar are awaiting installation in Hohenlauft in the Rural District of Doebeln as from October 2008. The Rural District of Doebeln is currently setting up a free-space solar plant in Hohenlauft near Doebeln at the total cost of Euro 1.6 million. Upon its completion in November 2008, it is expected to have a capacity of 250 kW. Both crystalline and thin-film modules are going to be installed. Signet Solar, a manufacturer of thin-film solar modules, is supplying this project with 1,580 modules of a total capacity of 130 kWp to be installed in Hohenlauft from October 2008. (more…)

First Final Acceptance Test Certification of Applied Materials SunFab™ Thin Film Line Achieved in Only Seven
Months After Start of Installation
Menlo Park, CA, October 13, 2008
Source: Signet Solar, press release/Businesswire
http://www.signetsolar.com/in%20the%20news/index.htm

Signet Solar, a global manufacturer of thin film silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, today announced that it has begun volume production at its manufacturing facility in Mochau, Germany, after receiving Final Acceptance Test (FAT) certification from SGS Germany GmbH, one of Europe’s leading providers of certifications, accreditations and approvals. Applied Materials, Inc., a leading provider of nanomanufacturing technology solutions and supplier of the SunFab™ production line to Signet, hailed the FAT approval as a significant step in the industrialization of solar photovoltaics. (more…)

By Christopher Martin, October 14, 2008
Source: Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a_4DuuzPC0gA

SunPower Corp. and Suntech Power Holdings Co., solar manufacturers that lost half their value in the past month, are counting on tax credits in the U.S. bank bailout bill to boost sales as European incentives wane.  Utilities, warehouses and retailers from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to Whole Foods Market Inc. can deduct 30 percent of a solar system’s cost from federal income taxes. The savings are part of the $700 billion legislation to bolster the banking industry, which also contained tax breaks for wind power and fuel cells.
(more…)

Albuquerque, NM, Oct 13, 2008
Source: Ådvent Solar press release/PRNewswire
http://adventsolar.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=35

Advent Solar, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative solar cells and modules, today announced an agreement with Deutsche Solar AG, a subsidiary of SolarWorld AG and one of the largest global producers of mono- and multi-crystalline silicon wafers for the photovoltaic (PV) industry. Under the agreement, Deutsche Solar will provide Advent Solar with its SOLSIX(R) wafers through 2018 with a total value of more than $350M. This steady silicon wafer supply will enable Advent Solar’s rapid business expansion through the introduction and delivery of next-generation solar modules based on its Ventura Technology, the solar industry’s first comprehensive cell-to-module solar architecture. (more…)

Elementary school education program teaches students about environmental issues and eco-conscious behavior
San Diego, CA, October 13, 2008
Source: Solar SharpUSA press release
http://solar.sharpusa.com/solar/ads_and_pr/0,2482,,00.html

Sharp today announces the U.S. launch of Sharp Solar Academy, a unique environmental education program designed to empower today’s youth with the knowledge to change and improve their environmental future. The Solar Academy is one way in which Sharp is continuing to fulfill its corporate commitment to be an environmentally advanced company and minimize its environmental impact.   “As a world leader in solar energy, an important part of Sharp’s commitment to the environment is undertaking the responsibility to educate future generations on the environmental issues they will face and the choices they can make to mitigate their impact on the earth,” said Stewart Mitchell, Chief Strategy Officer, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “Our Solar Academy teaches children about topics such as climate change, energy conservation, recycling and renewable energy, so that they are armed with the knowledge to make smart, eco-conscious decisions. “ (more…)

Expanded product portfolio strengthens Sharp’s solar business, offers customers optimal solar technologies for specific applications
San Diego, CA, Oct 13, 2008
Source: Sharp Solar USA press release /Businesswire
http://solar.sharpusa.com/solar/ads_and_pr/0,2482,,00.html

Sharp, a world leader in solar cell production, announced today at Solar Power International 2008 that it will introduce next generation thin film solar cells in the U.S. market in the near future. With its thin film solar product, Sharp will be capable of handling multi-megawatt, large-scale utility projects that are best served by a thin film solar solution, and the company is already working with prospective U.S. customers in preparation for these large-scale deployments. Sharp is one of the few companies who can supply customers with a complete solar product portfolio — including mono-crystalline, poly-crystalline and multi-junction thin film solar cells — to meet the specific needs of virtually any commercial or residential solar installation. (more…)