Solar Cells Info

Focusing Light on Silicon Beads : Placing tiny spheres of silicon in reflective trays could be the key to cheap, efficient solar cells.
By Duncan Graham-Rowe / November 13, 2007
Source: MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/19696/

A company in Japan has developed a novel way of making solar cells that cuts production costs by as much as 50 percent. The photovoltaic (PV) cells are made up of arrays of thousands of tiny silicon spheres surrounded by hexagonal reflectors. The key advantage of the system is that it reduces the total amount of silicon required, says Mikio Murozono, president of Clean Venture 21 (CV21), based in Kyoto, Japan. “We use one-fifth of the raw silicon material compared with traditional PV cells,” he says.
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Source: Gizmag /November 13, 2007
http://www.gizmag.com/new-technology-promises-solar-cell-efficiency-boost/8339/

Global Warming Solutions has announced the development of new solar energy conversion technology based on a special coating that can be applied to existing solar cells. The company expects that application of the technology will increase increase efficiency by 11-15% and boost the market value of a solar cell by more than 60 cents per watt, while at the same time raising manufacturing expenses by just 10 cents a watt.
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Nuying Huang, Taipei; Esther Lam
Source: DIGITIMES 13 November 2007
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20071113PD204.html

Besides posting quarterly sales grew by seven straight quarters, Neo Solar Power is attracting attention as its gross margin for in-house solar cell production has outgrown the industry average.  Having operations started in the first quarter of 2006, Neo Solar said its quarterly sales hit a record high for the past seven consecutive quarters. The solar cell maker recorded sales of NT$1.03 billion (US$31.8 million) in the third quarter of 2007, representing a sequential growth of 15.6%. Sales through October were NT$2.75 billion.
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Honda Soltec Commemorates Opening of Solar Cell Production Plant; Accelerating Honda’s Energy Creation Business
Tokyo, Japan, Nov 12, 2007
Source: JCN Network newswire
http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=16070

Honda Soltec Co., Ltd., Honda’s wholly-owned solar cell subsidiary, today commemorated the opening of its solar cell production plant with a ceremony attended by approximately 80 dignitaries, guests and Honda officials, including Yoshiko Shiotani, the governor of Kumamoto prefecture; Junichi Mitsuyama, the deputy general manager of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Department, Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI); and Isao Ieiri, the mayor of Ohzu-machi; as well as Takeo Fukui, the president and CEO of Honda.
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Nuying Huang, Taipei; Rodney Chan, 29 October 2007
Source: DIGITIMES
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20071029PD203.html

Some Taiwan-based players who are developing thin-film solar cells are considering quitting the segment because of the high technological barrier, difficulties in sourcing funding and marketing concerns, according to market sources.  So far, nine Taiwan-based companies have said they are developing thin-film solar cells. But the sources indicated that the huge investments required for the development towards taking the conversion efficiency beyond the current 5-8% has been a major factor causing some of the makers to consider quitting the segment or look into selling their thin-film units.
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ICP Solar Technologies announces new Coleman® Solar Charger Program at Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club division. New Launch expands “eco friendly” partnership
Montreal, Canada, May 29, 2007
Source: ICP SOlar Technologies, Inc. press release

ICP Solar Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: ICPR and FRANKFURT: K1U.F) today announced that it has launched its 2007 Coleman® Solar Charger programme at Wal-Mart’s (NYSE:WMT) Sam’s Club division for Samsclub.com. The new range of latest generation thin-film solar panels has recently begun to hit the warehouse club’s website at samsclub.com. This Coleman line of portable solar chargers is designed for outdoor enthusiasts to provide backup or primary power for vehicles such as automobiles, boats, RVs and also for remote living applications The Coleman panels are up to 50% more efficient than competitively branded thin-film amorphous solar chargers on similar “mass merchant” retail shelves in the USA. (more…)

Michael Hoffman, Nov. 4, 2007
Source: Dailytech.com
http://www.dailytech.com/article9345.htm

Sharp will try to snap a larger share of a growing market.   Sharp Corp. officials reported the company plans to increase production of thin-film silicon solar cells over the next year at a Sharp plant located in the Nara Prefecture, Japan.  The increased production is directly related to a global shortage of silicon, company officials said.  Sharp is currently the No. 1 maker of solar cells in the world. (more…)

Tokyo, Nov 5, 2007
Source: Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSTKG00285520071105

Japanese chemicals and silicon maker Tokuyama Corp. said on Monday the market for solar cells in in a bubble situation.  “The market is very feverish,” Managing Director Yukio Muranaga told Reuters in an interview. “I have no doubt that demand for solar batteries will grow, but I don’t think it will grow at 30 percent or 40 percent a year as people seem to think.”
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San Francisco, CA, Nov. 9 , 2007
Source: CNN Money. com
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/CNF03209112007-1.htm

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. , one of the world’s leading manufacturers of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules, today announced the completion of the first stage of a 3MW solar energy system for WEPCO (Korea Western Power Co., Ltd.). WEPCO is a subsidiary of KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation), South Korea’s largest power company.
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by Jamie Welham, Oct. 26, 2007
Source: Islington Tribune
http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2007/102607/inews102607_18.html

A SOLAR panel will be put on the roof of a primary school in the latest bid to cut carbon emissions. The council’s Climate Change Fund has secured just over £10,000 for the renewable energy project which will be part of a new classroom block at the Grafton Primary School in Holloway. It is one of four environmentally friendly installations at schools and community centres across the borough. (more…)