Solar Cells Info

Public-Private Partnership Makes Solar Practical, Enhances Energy Independence, and Reduces CO2 Emissions by 24,000 Tons per Year
Las Vegas, Nevada, Dec. 17, 2007
Source: SunPower Corp. press release
http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=281873

Today the U.S. Air Force celebrates the completion of North America’s largest solar photovoltaic system at Nellis Air Force Base. A joint project of the U.S. Air Force, MMA Renewable Ventures, LLC, a subsidiary of Municipal Mortgage & Equity, LLC (NYSE: MMA), SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), and Nevada Power Company, the 14 megawatt Nellis solar energy system will generate more than 30 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity annually and supply approximately 25 percent of the total power used at the base, where 12,000 people live and work.
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by Daniel DeBolt, Mountain View Voice Staff
Source. MountainView Voice.com
http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=310

It’s been a blazing year for solar power in Mountain View, with residential solar installations tripling from 84 at the start of the year to 247 as of Dec. 12, according to the California Solar Initiative.  The number of residential solar installations for 2007 is larger than for any other city in the state, except San Jose and San Diego. The boom is in large part due to the efforts of a local solar buyers group, which earlier this year organized the bulk purchase of solar arrays for 118 homes. (more…)

14 December 2007
Source: qbr.com.au
http://www.qbr.com.au/index.cfm?storyid=33682&cp=displaystory&type=s

Central Australia will soon be home to a $3 million Solar Technology Demonstration Facility; the first site in Australia to publicly showcase such a broad range of large scale solar installations. Over 15 solar installations will be established at the Desert Knowledge Precinct in Alice Springs, providing a unique opportunity to compare their performance as well as provide an interactive display for the public. (more…)

New Delhi, Nov 30, 2007
Source: IANS /Yahoo India News
http://in.news.yahoo.com/071130/43/6nvsq.html

Roth and Rau, a Germany-based solar cell manufacturing solutions provider, sees India emerging as the fourth largest generator of solar energy and a key driver of its global business in the coming years. ‘Although still a small market, India is catching up fast with world majors in solar energy generation,’ Thomas Hengst, vice-president of Roth and Rau, said while speaking about his group’s plans for India in this clean energy source.
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Osaka, Dec 05, 2007
Source: Kyodo News International /TradingMarkets.com
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/886717/

Sanyo Electric Co. said Wednesday it will open a lab inside its Gifu Prefecture semiconductor plant in April to develop next-generation, thin-film solar cells requiring a very small amount of silicon. By utilizing the company’s semiconductor expertise, the lab, named Advanced Photovoltaics Development Center, will be used to create solar cells whose power generation costs are comparable to regular home utility rates, according to the Osaka-based manufacturer.
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New Delhi, Dec. 6, 2007
Source: United Press International
http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Energy/Briefing/
2007/12/06/ril_to_set_up_10_mw_solar_power_plant/3405/

India’s private Reliance Industries Ltd. said it plans to set up a 10 megawatt solar power plant in West Bengal state. The move would put the company at the heart of the renewable energy business. The company has sought the help of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency, an RIL official said.
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Source: Daily Trust (Abuja) /AllAfrica.com
Misbahu Bashir, Abuja /5 December 2007
http://allafrica.com/stories/200712050712.html

The Federal Government is to set up megawatt class solar farms for the generation of electricity in the country. Minister of State for Energy (Power) Mrs. Fatima Balaraba Ibrahim gave the indication at the National Solar Energy Forum tagged ‘Harnessing Solar Energy for Rural Development’ in Abuja. She said the government would soon embark on studies towards implementing large scale megawatt class farms for integration into the national grid. “Government has recognised the benefits in solar energy and other renewable energy resources for rural development” she said.
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Bitterfeld-Wolfen, 10 December 2007
Source: Q-Cells AG press release
http://www.qcells.de/cmadmin_2_542_0.html

Q-Cells AG (QCE; WKN 555866) has concluded a supply agreement for silicon wafers with the Chinese solar company LDK Solar Co., Ltd. The agreement is a ten year “take or pay” contract covering the period from 2009 to 2018. The total volume will enable Q-Cells to manufacture cells with an overall output of more than 6 gigawatt peak (GWp) additional to current expansion plans. The agreement is based upon the conversion of silicon (43,000 tonnes) into wafers. Deliveries will start with 1,000 tonnes in 2009 and will rise to 5,000 tonnes p.a. by 2013.
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By Chen Qide, China Daily, Dec 11, 2007
Source: China Daily
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2007-12/11/content_6312458.htm

Nantong in northern Jiangsu Province is set to become one of China’s key thin-film amorphous silicon solar cell manufacturing bases after Nantong Qiangsheng Photovoltaic Technology Co Ltd (QS Solar) announced it had launched a $400 million project.  A senior company manager said yesterday that the project, China’s largest of its kind, will be carried out in three phases within three years. The first phase, which consists of three sets of 25 MW production facilities, will see the first set put into operation by mid-January of 2008, Sha Xiaolin, chairman of QS Solar, said.
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Nuying Huang, Taipei; Rodney Chan,
Source: DigiTimes, 11 December 2007
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20071210PD218.html

Polysilicon prices in the spot market have broken the US$400-per-kilogram mark as photovoltaic cell makers from China are scrambling to stock material, according to industry sources. The sources claimed that only players from the PV industry in China have been willing to pay such high prices, while many of their Taiwan competitors think the high costs would definitely translate into inevitable losses.
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