Solar Cells Info

Source: GiroSolar press release
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/070108/0200640.html

DEVENTER, THE NETHERLANDS — (MARKET WIRE) — January 08, 2007 — GiraSolar, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GRSR) (FRANKFURT: L2I) is pleased to announce its subsidiary GiraSolar Turkey Ltd. received invitations to participate in electrification project on two Turkish islands. Erol Barendrecht, resident MD of GST, stated: “It is a great honour to have been selected to participate in these projects and a reward for our continuing efforts to bring solar into the spotlight in Turkey. It is also recognition for our team and their skill that we are now allowed to design these complex energy systems, involving solar, wind and grid or generator power, to assure reliable energy supply. These systems will be important demonstrations of how alternative energy in general and solar specifically fit into a more secure and diversified energy supply system for the entire region. Furthermore, the use of a lease construction in one of the projects is a first in Turkey and a major breakthrough in financing projects.”
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Special Correspondent The Hindu
Source: The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/06/stories/2007010606380500.htm

BANGALORE: In a bid to increase the efficiency of solar energy devices, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched a scheme to provide 100 per cent funding to institutes that are working on the research and development aspects of solar photovoltaic cells. Addressing presspersons here on Friday, New and Renewable Energy Secretary V. Subramanian said the focus was to increase the energy convertibility rate of solar energy devices from the present 13 per cent. “It will be a great achievement even if we can increase the convertibility by 2 per cent,” he said. Efforts are on to increase the convertibility rate to 25 per cent by using different material to manufacture solar photovoltaic cells instead of silicon.

In Karnataka, the Indian Institute of Science was working on increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, he said. Mr. Subramanian announced that the country was set to increase its renewable energy capacity from 9,000 MW to 10,000 MW by the end of March. This had become possible due to the increase in the wind energy generation. As against the target of adding wind energy of 3,075 MW by the end of the 10th five-year plan; the country had added 5,000 MW.

XsunX Expands Technology Portfolio – Patent-Pending Plasma Technology May Reduce Industry Wide Manufacturing Bottlenecks

Wednesday January 3, 2:32 pm ET
Source: Press Release XsunX, Inc.
http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/070103/111169.html

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Jan. 3, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) — XsunX, Inc. (OTC BB:XSNX.OB – News), developer of advanced manufacturing systems and cell structures for solar energy, announced today it has entered into a technology development and licensing agreement with Charlotte, NC based Sencera, a developer of next generation plasma sources. Using funds provided by XsunX, Sencera will develop a thin film solar cell manufacturing process using its patent-pending plasma technology. The purpose of the cooperative agreement, and XsunX’s interest in licensing of Sencera’s next generation plasma technology, is the expectation that the new process will significantly increase production rates for the manufacture of deposited thin film solar cells. The technology offers an opportunity to reduce manufacturing bottlenecks, which are projected to reduce the manufactured cost per peak watt to less than US$1, an industry-wide goal.
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WorldWater & Power Crop. Project will Serve as Solar Study for U.S. Poultry Industry – Partners Include University of Delaware and GE Energy

PENNINGTON, N.J., December 19, 2006 (PRIME NEWSWIRE)
Source: Worldwater Corp. Press Release
http://www.worldwater.com/pages/worldwaternews.html

WorldWater & Power Corp. (OTC BB:WWAT.OB-News), developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, announced today that it has won a $500,000 contract from Allen Family Foods, Inc. to build a photovoltaic (PV) system to power an Allen poultry growout house in Laurel, Delaware. Growout houses are highly energy dependent in taking day-old chicks and raising them to maturity. In Delaware, the cost of grid electricity has increased significantly over the past 12 months and the industry is looking to solar as a cost effective, sustainable energy source for the future of growout contractors throughout the U.S. The Delaware Green Energy Program has granted $250,000 to help fund the system, the University of Delaware will monitor the Allen project and GE Energy, the PV panel supplier, will contribute to the project evaluation study. Ray Angelini, Inc. (RAI) of Sewell, New Jersey is WorldWater’s installation partner.
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By Christine Buurma  /Jan 9, 2007
Source: Market Watch
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/solars-outlook-shines-hurdles-remain/story.aspx?

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — As utilities embrace renewable energy in an effort to cut pollution and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, some companies are turning to a source long on the sidelines of the U.S. electricity market: solar power.
Solar power has historically lagged behind other generation sources in price and competitiveness. Only 508,000 megawatt-hours of power were generated by solar facilities in 2006, according to the U.S. Energy Administration, a mere 0.5% of all renewable power produced in the U.S. that year. Industry estimates price solar power at 15 to 25 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is well above the costs of other sources. Power produced by natural gas costs about 6.1 cents/kWh in 2005 on average, while coal-fired generation cost 1.84 cents/kWH and nuclear averaged 1.7 cents/kWh, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Solar industry buzz grew louder in late 2005, however, when solar project developer Stirling Energy Systems Inc. signed agreements to sell the power generated by two large-scale solar projects to two major California utilities, Edison International (EIX) subsidiary Southern California Edison and Sempra Energy (SE) subsidiary San Diego Gas & Electric. Obstacles remain to bringing solar energy costs in line with those of other sources of power generation. A lack of necessary transmission infrastructure and high up-front development costs are significant hurdles to developing solar projects on a large scale. Solar developers hope, however, that technological advances, state incentives and requirements, and growing interest from financial backers will help expand solar energy’s presence in the U.S.
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Neha Kohli & Joji Thomas Philip
Times News Network /January 10., 2007
Source: Econonic Times
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Telcos_seek_incentives_to_go_green/articleshow/1115610.cms

NEW DELHI: The energy-intensive telecom industry has sought subsidies for use of green energy on telecom sites. Telecom giants, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, VSNL, Tata Teleservices and BSNL, have sought reduction in levies on solar equipment. They have also demanded land at concessional rates for operators who use renewable sources of energy for powering their base stations, telephone exchanges and repeaters. The demand for incentivising green energy stems from the need to have back-up facilities for continuous power supply at telecom sites.
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Source: ICP Solar Press release
http://www.icpsolar.com/4105/news_details.asp?news_id=16

CFO, Leon Assayag, brings experience and focus to international growth strategy
MONTREAL-ICP Solar Technologies Inc. (OTCBB: ICPR), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of solar cells and products, announced today the appointment of Leon Assayag as Chief Financial Officer. The company also announced that its common stock has been accepted for listing and trading on the Frankfurt and Berlin Stock Exchanges. Shares began trading on January 8, 2007, on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol K1U.F and on the Berlin Stock Exchange under the symbol K1U.BE.
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09 Jan 2007
Source: European Union Research News
http://ec.europa.eu/research/headlines/news/article_07_01_09_en.html

The EU-funded project CrystalClear has greatly improved the processes required for large-scale solar electricity production. CrystalClear has addressed some of the principle factors holding solar research back and has identified promising solutions. The consortium of European companies and research groups has pooled its talents to improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells, demonstrated the sustainability of solar electricity and defined ways to reduce production costs; all integral to meeting EU sustainable energy goals.
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List of Solar Cells manufacturing companies in Europe

Company  / Country Cell Technology /Annual sales in 2005 in MWp
Solar Cells
Ersol Solar Energy AG  / Germany / Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline Si / 20
Q-cells      / Germany /Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline Si / 160
Schott Solar GmbH  / Germany /Polycrystalline Si / 36
SolarWorld AG / Germany /Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline Si / 0.5
Sunways AG / Germany /Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline Si / 16

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Dec 29, 2006,
Source ::: Agencies
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Pakistan+%26+Sub-Continent&month=December2006&file=World_News200612294517.xml

ISLAMABAD • The Pakistan government is implementing a project to provide electricity to mosques and schools in remote rural areas using solar energy. The Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) is executing this Rs28.58m project, expected to be complete by July 2007.

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