Solar Cells Info

by Martin LaMonica, July 16, 2008
Source: CNet News
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9991975-54.html

Wakonda Technologies said Wednesday that it has raised $9.5 million to pursue development of the ideal solar cell, one that is highly efficient and low cost. In spite of the claim–or perhaps because of it–the company is releasing few technical details. Wakonda, which recently moved to Medford, Mass., had its series A round funded by Advanced Technology Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, Polaris Venture Partners, the Massachusetts Green Energy Fund, and Applied Ventures, which is the venture capital arm of Applied Materials. (more…)

David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer/ July 8, 2008
Source: SFGate.com
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/07/BUFO11L7FO.DTL

Solar power on a Prius? It sounds like a match made in eco-heaven. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to stick solar panels on some models of its popular Prius hybrid car, according to news reports Monday. The panels, made by Kyocera, would help power the air conditioner.  Details are sketchy. The Nikkei financial newspaper of Japan and the Reuters international news service reported the story, but both relied on unidentified sources. Toyota refused to confirm or deny the reports, saying the company doesn’t talk about future product plans. (more…)

by Steve Bush, 25 July 2008
Source: ElectronicsWeekly.com
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2008/07/25/44199/
thin-film-cdte-solar-cells-to-be-12-efficent-in-2012-first-solar.htm

Arizona-based CdTe solar cell firm First Solar expects to hit 12% efficiency in its thin film cells in the next four years.  “We are currently on track to achieve our 2012 goal of 12% conversion efficiencies. This represents an increase of approximately 0.5% per year,” spokesman David Erhart told Electronics Weekly. “In Q1 2008 our average efficiency was 10.6%.” (more…)

By Steve Connor, Science Editor, 11 July 2008
Source: The Independent UK
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/new-windows-double-as-solar-panels-865592.html

A new type of solar panel that allows light to pass through it like a pane of glass has been invented by scientists who said that it is 10 times more powerful than conventional methods of producing energy from sunlight. The discovery raises the prospect of using ordinary domestic windows to generate electricity with minimum structural alterations, although scientists have not yet worked out how much it would cost to convert a domestic home to a solar-powered generator. (more…)

By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY / 27 July 2008
Source: USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2008-07-27-solar-chips_N.htm

Semiconductor companies are rushing into the solar power business faster than a Pentium-driven computer, promising to turn a niche form of renewable energy into a mass-market product.  Since May, computer powerhouses Intel (INTC), IBM (IBM) and National Semiconductor (NSM) have barreled into solar energy, joining hundreds of fellow technology mainstays. Virtually every chipmaker is weighing a solar play, says Rhone Resch, head of the Solar Energy Industries Association.  “We have a classic Silicon Valley land rush,” says T.J. Rodgers, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor (CY), which owns 56% of SunPower.Drawing the stalwarts is solar’s 40% annual growth, says Gartner analyst Jim Hines. The 50-year-old chip business is expanding only about 5% annually after years of torrid growth. (more…)

EMCORE Strengthens Its Leadership Position with $29 Million New Purchase Orders for Concentrator Solar Cell Receivers
Albuquerque, NM, July 9, 2008
Source: Emcore Corp. press release
http://www.emcore.com/news_events/release?y=2008&news=201

EMCORE Corporation (NASDQ: EMKR) a leading provider of Semi-conductor-based components and subsystems for the broadband, fiber-optic, satellite and terrestrial solar power markets, announced today that it entered into two definitive supply agreements for solar cell receivers in June 2008 with a total value of approximately $29 million. These supply agreements incorporate advance deposits to ensure production priority for these customers. The end applications for the product to be delivered range from solar farm to commercial rooftop installations employing Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Production for these orders has commenced and shipments are scheduled to occur over the next 24 months. (more…)

Albquerque, N.M., July 25, 2008
Source: Emcore Corp. press release/
http://www.emcore.com/investor

EMCORE Corporation,  a leading provider of Semi-conductor-based components and subsystems for the broadband, fiber-optic, satellite and terrestrial solar power markets, announced today that its world record Inverted Metamorphic (IMM) solar cell technology has been chosen by R&D Magazine for an R&D 100 award. This prestigious award recognizes the IMM solar cell as one of the most innovative technologies of 2008. (more…)

Rochester Hills, MI, July 8, 2008
Source: Energy Conversion Devices press release
http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2008-07/artikel-11229954.asp

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD), announced today that its UNI-SOLAR(R) thin-film flexible solar laminates will power the world’s largest rooftop solar power system. The 12-megawatt system is being installed on GM’s assembly plant in Figueruelas, Zaragoza, Spain and will become operational in the fall of 2008. ECD will supply the solar laminates through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Solar Ovonic, LLC.  When fully operational, the photovoltaic system will have a peak capacity of 12 megawatts, producing as much as 15 million kilowatt hours of “green” energy annually, enough to power approximately 4,500 homes. The Zaragoza facility marks the third major use of UNI-SOLAR laminates by GM. (News/Aktienkurs) UNI-SOLAR thin-film flexible solar laminates also power GM parts warehouses in Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, California, two of the largest rooftop solar power installations in the United States. (more…)

Jiangsu and Jiangxi, China, July 15, 2008
Source: Canadion Solar Inc, press release
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=196781
&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1174922&highlight=

Canadian Solar Inc.today announced a 9MW sales agreement for its e-Modules with Conergy USA, a global leader in renewable energy solutions. The contract runs for 12 months until June 2009 and delivery will start this month.  Kim McLawhorn, President of Conergy Americas commented, “We are pleased to offer CSI’s e-Modules for our off-grid and grid-connected installations of photovoltaic systems. As a leading global PV supplier, we are confident in the long-term growth of the US solar market and look to continue our strategic partnership with CSI as we help consumers achieve clean and independent energy solutions.” (more…)

SiGen’s innovative “kerf-free” wafering equipment moves into pilot line
San Jose, CA, July 11, 2008
Source: Silicon Genesis press release/Businesswire
http://www.sigen.net/about/news.html

Silicon Genesis, a leader in process and technology for engineered substrates announced today that it has successfully produced solar substrates for the PV industry using a revolutionary “kerf-free” wafering process technology developed by SiGen called PolyMax™. This introduction represents a significant move for the company into the solar PV wafer production environment, capitalizing on in-house technology and expertise.  By eliminating sawing losses, the PolyMax™ equipment set can substantially reduce the amount of polysilicon used within the ingot to wafer manufacturing steps and also eliminate some of the costly consumables in today’s wafer manufacturing. First targeted to process monocrystalline silicon to produce high-efficiency silicon solar cells, the equipment is expected to help the PV industry reach grid parity while simultaneously relaxing the shortage of polysilicon feedstock. (more…)