Solar Cells Info

by Chris Morrison, November 26, 2008
Source: VentureBeat.com/CleanTech
http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/26/optony-shooting-for-a-leap-in-thin-film-solar-efficiency/

A common idea for making solar cells more effective is to concentrate sunlight on them with lenses and mirrors. But for thin-film solar, which is made up of cheaper materials than typical silicon-based photovoltaic cells, these focusing techniques are hardly mentioned. Optony hopes it can bridge this gap with a new technology. (more…)

By Martyn Williams, IDG News Service, 5 Nov 2008
Source: NetworkWorld.com
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/110508-sanyo-sales-up-on-strong.html

Japan’s Sanyo Electric recorded sales in the April to September period that were 4 percent ahead of its own target on the back of strong demand for its solar cells and rechargeable batteries, it said Wednesday.  The better-than-predicted results come as many of its competitors in the Japanese electronics sector are reporting lower sales because of weak demand for products and the strong Japanese yen. Sanyo said sales in the six months were ¥1 trillion (US$10 billion), which is also 3 percent ahead of last year.
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Largest CPV Deal in EU with Generation Capacity to Power City of 40,000 Residents
Mountain View, CA, November 3, 2008
Source: SolFocus.com press release
http://www.solfocus.com/news_file/20081103144613_solfocus-and-empe-solar-sign-deal.pdf

SolFocus, a provider of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar energy solutions, today announced the signing of a $103 million (€80M) agreement with EMPE Solar to install over 10 megawatts (MW) of CPV solar energy projects in several sites across southern Spain by the end of 2010. SolFocus’ CPV systems use a proven combination of high‐efficiency PV cells and advanced optics to provide high solar energy yields at competitive costs for commercial, industrial, and utility applications. This project will be the largest deployment of CPV technology in Europe, and will be capable of meeting the domestic energy requirements for a city of approximately 40,000 residents. (more…)

SolFocus 1100S slated for medium- to utility-scale installations
Mountain View, Calif., November 13, 2008
Source: SolFocus.com press release
http://www.solfocus.com/news_file/20081113075827_sf-pr-sf1100-fin-111108.pdf

SolFocus today announced its latest Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) solution – the SolFocus 1100S. This new CPV system achieves panel efficiencies of 25% resulting in systems which produce the highest energy density and highest energy yield of photovoltaic systems available today. SolFocus customer EMPE Solar will deploy the SolFocus 1100S in its recently announced 10 megawatt utility-scale project, expected to be the largest deployment of CPV technology in Europe. (more…)

by Yoichiro Hata, EE Times, Tokyo, 07 Nov 2008
Source: EETimes.com
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212001306

In a dramatic restructuring within the Japanese consumer electronics industry, Panasonic Corp. and Sanyo Electric Co. have entered into takeover discussions that would result in Sanyo becoming a Panasonic subsidiary, Panasonic president Fumio Ohtsubo confirmed Friday (Nov. 7).  The pending deal is not focused on either company’s traditional product lines but rather on solar cells and rechargeable batteries for hybrid and electric cars.
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By Matthew Knight, For CNN, London, Nov.12, 2008
Source: CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/11/12/solar.coating/

Researchers have developed a new anti-reflective coating that boosts the efficiency of solar panels and allows sunlight to be absorbed from almost any angle.  Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers say they’ve made advances in absorption of sunlight.  Scientists from the Future Chips Constellation (FCC) at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York have created the coating using nanotechnology — engineering devices on a molecular scale. (more…)

Source: EU Research Info. Center / 20 Nov 2008
http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?
id=/research/headlines/news/article_08_11_20_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=9033

Researchers at the Germany-based Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) announced that they have succeeded in improving the efficiency of solar cells, which are designed to convert available light into electricity. The quantum electronic phenomenon called the photovoltaic (PV) effect makes this possible. The team said the effectiveness of III-V semiconductor multi-junction solar cells, used in PV concentrator technology for solar power stations, has been increased by 2.1% to 39.7% — a new European record. The work, which is funded to the tune of EUR 8.34 million, is part of the EU project FULLSPECTRUM. (more…)

North East, MD, November 5, 2008
Source: Blue Square Energy.Com press release
http://www.bluesquareenergy.com/Default.aspx?DN=848bda84-29d7-4bd6-b19b-3ca06a9b08a0

Blue Square Energy, a developer and manufacturer of low-cost silicon solar cells, today announced that it has produced a 14.6 percent efficient solar cell with its patent-pending Bright Point technology.  BSE’s efficiency result is one of the highest in the world on upgraded metallurgical grade (UMG) silicon and has been verified independently by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). (more…)

Asia Pulse/LexisNexis, November 26, 2008
Source: Semiconductor.net
http://www.semiconductor.net/articleXml/LN890291678.html

Japan’s Sustainable Titania Technology Inc. (STi) has developed a way to boost the energy conversion efficiency of thin-film solar cells by about 20 per cent.  The process involves fabricating a highly reflective film on the backside of the electricity-generating layer of the solar cell so that less light is lost.
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Nikkei Electronics Asia, Oct 30, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20081030/160514/

Mitsui Chemicals Inc (MCI) has announced that its subsidiary, Mitsui Chemicals Fabro Inc (MFI), will expand its production capacity for a solar cell encapsulant, SOLAR EVA. MFI is a manufacturer and supplier of SOLA R EVA.
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