Solar Cells Info

Source: AZONano.com, Feb 5, 2009
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=9749
Despite a sluggish forecast for the overall high-tech industry in 2009, nanomaterials for solar cells grew 47% in 2008 and is projected to grow another 44% in 2009, according to a report Market Outlook for Nanomaterials for Electronics Applications: Semiconductors, Solar, Displays. Sensors, RFID, Lighting recently published by The Information Network, a New Tripoli, PA-based market research company. (more…)

Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) solar cells pushed the market as manufacturers increased production
New Tripoli, USA, February 06, 2009
Source: CIOL.com
http://www.ciol.com/Semicon/Solar/PV/News-Reports/
Nanomaterials-for-solar-cells-grew-47-pc-in-2008/6209115650/0/

Despite a sluggish forecast for the overall high-tech industry in 2009, nanomaterials for solar cells grew 47 percent in 2008 and is projected to grow another 44 percent in 2009, according to a report: Market Outlook for Nanomaterials for Electronics Applications: Semiconductors, Solar, Displays. Sensors, RFID, Lighting, recently published by The Information Network. (more…)

Fremont, CA, Oct 23, 2008
Source: Solyndra Inc, press release/BusinessWire
http://www.solyndra.com/News/Press-Release-102308

Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops, announced it has signed a new long-term sales contract with solar integrator GeckoLogic GmbH, based in Wetzlar, Germany. The Euro-based contract value equates to approximately $250 million and extends through 2012. The GeckoLogic contract is part of Solyndra’s previously-announced total contractual backlog of approximately $1.2 billion. The solar panels for these contracts will be manufactured at Solyndra’s facilities in Fremont and Milpitas, California. (more…)

German Company Creates 1,000 New Jobs in Oregon

HILLSBORO, Oregon., Oct 17, 2008
Source: SolarWorld AG press release /DGAP
http://www.solarworld.de/Press.30.0.html?&L=1

SolarWorld AG is opening the largest solar cell production facility in the USA today. In Hillsboro, Oregon, the German company is investing 500 million US dollars in highly advanced technology. In an integrated manufacturing process wafer-thin silicon discs, the so-called solar wafers, as well as solar cells will be produced with an initial capacity of 100 Megawatt (MW) annually. At their final destination – on the roof or in a larger power plant – this equates to the electricity requirements of 100,000 people. The company announced that the capacity will be expanded to 500 Megawatt in the next three years. (more…)

By WALTER O’BRIEN, STAFF WRITER
Readington, September 2, 2008
Source: Central Jersey.com
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/

The largest ground-mounted solar-power tracking system east of the Mississippi River is coming to the Whitehouse Station section of the township.  Merck & Co. is installing a 1.6-megawatt solar power tracking system utilizing about 7,000 solar panels covering seven acres of its 1,000-acre world headquarters site before the end of 2008. The project is expected to generate 2.5 million kilowatt-hours annually, reducing carbon-dioxide emissions by more than 1,300 tons each year. (more…)

New Solar Electric System Using Kyocera Photovoltaic Modules Tests Above 100 Percent of Expected Projections
Scottsdaloe, AZ, July 15, 2008
Source: Kyocera Solar press release/BusinessWire

Kyocera Solar, Inc. and American Solar Electric, Inc. today announced that a recently unveiled 19.2 kilowatt solar electric power system has tested at 106 percent of expected projections. The new system — independently tested by Phoenix’s utility company, Salt River Project (SRP) — is installed at the Integrity Building Corp (IBC) headquarters in Mesa, Ariz., and has allowed the small business to save thousands of dollars on electricity. (more…)

Milan, Italy, August 31, 2007
Source: PRNewswire press release/ EarthTimes.com
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,169405.shtml

Worldwide leaders in the PV industry will be gathering in Milan, Italy from September 3rd-7th, 2007 for the 22nd annual European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference. In recent years, Germany has become a popular destination for PV investments and the country’s investment promotion agency, Invest in Germany, will be on hand in Milan to outline advantages of a PV investment in Germany. Germany is the world leader in PV. This claim is backed up in both capacity and sales: 55% of the world’s total PV capacity is in Germany and in 2006 the German PV industry earned EUR3.8 billion in sales.
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Source:  Green Energy News
April 17, 2007 – Vol.12 No.4
http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2007/20070051.html

Honda is developing them, so is Shell in its venture it calls Avancis. Less familiar names are also working on what could be the next generation of solar cells and thus solar products: DayStar Technologies, HelioVolt, Nanosolar, W¸rth Solar and Odersun.   Those next-gen cells, CIS (Copper Indium Selenide), and their close cousins CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide), offer solar-to-electric conversion efficiencies about the same as silicon solar (efficiencies in the mid to high teens) but conceivably could be offered at a much lower cost.

The reason? CIS and CIGS are very thin, thin-film solar technologies, a 100th or thinner than traditional silicon. Very thin equates to very little material is needed to make them: The less material, the less cost. Yet the commercialization of CIS and CIGS technologies has been slowed by adequate high speed production methods. CIS and CIGS cells are difficult to make. Difficult to produce means high costs despite the lower cost of materials.
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