Solar Cells Info

by AER Staff on Monday 25 February 2008
Source: Alternative Energy Resource AER
http://www.aer-online.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.1317

In what is believed to be a European first, Ireland’s Ulster Bank announced plans to test a “solar mortgage” for customers seeking to buy and install solar panels.  QSWeek.com reports the Northern Irish wing of the Dublin-based bank will offer 50% discounts over three years on the bank’s variable rate for customers interested in obtaining photovoltaic technology for their homes. While other banks have created programs designed to provide funding for renewable energy installations, this is the first to specifically target solar projects.
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Alzenau / Alaquas (Valencia), February 26, 2008
Source. Schott Solar press release
http://www.schott.com/english/news/press.html?NID=2262
Cooperation with sales partner Saclima Solar Fotovoltaica expanded to more than 100 million euros on basis of long-term agreement

SCHOTT Solar has broadened its cooperation with sales partner Saclima Solar Fotovoltaica to expand the company’s presence on the Spanish market. Saclima has already been marketing SCHOTT Solar modules since 2005. Now the two partners have closed an agreement for the next five years with a volume of more than 100 million euros. Within the framework of this agreement, Saclima will add the SCHOTT Solar SCHOTT POLY 165 and SCHOTT POLY 220 modules to its sales program.
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Albequerque, NM, USA, 4 March 2008
Source. Schott Solar AG press release
http://www.schott.com/english/news/press.html?NID=2269

PV Modules and receivers for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plants / Opening in 2009 with 350 jobs / Plans call for investment to grow to $500 million and workforce to expand to 1,500.

Executives from SCHOTT AG of Mainz, Germany, Governor Bill Richardson (D – NM) and local dignitaries ceremonially broke ground today for the company’s new manufacturing facility for SCHOTT Solar, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SCHOTT. The site, located in the Mesa del Sol region of Albuquerque, NM, will produce both photovoltaic (PV) modules and receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP). Production is expected to begin as early as spring 2009.
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By Sheba Ali /New Univ.org /Feb 11, 2008
http://www.newuniversity.org/checkDB.php?id=6536

The University of California, as reiterated in the Policy on Sustainable Practices dated March 2007, is committed to “minimizing the university’s impact on the environment and reducing … dependence on non-renewable energy.”  UC Irvine has undertaken many “green” initiatives in adhering to the UC system goals, as well as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Executive Order (#3-4-05), which sets 2020 as the next deadline by which time greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to 1990 levels. (more…)

Source: Datamonitor /RedOrbit.com /3 March 2008
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1278195/
ascent_solar_to_cooperate_with_itochu_in_solar_sector/

Photovoltaic solutions provider Ascent Solar Technologies and Japanese trading firm Itochu have announced that they will work towards the development of strategic co-operation relationships in various areas.  The areas of interest include procurement of select machinery for Ascent Solar’s planned 100MW manufacturing facility, sourcing of raw materials used for the manufacture of solar modules, distribution of Ascent Solar future products in Japan and other parts of the world where Itochu is currently pursuing a number of solar installations.
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by Nuying Huang, Taipei; Esther Lam,
Source: DIGITIMES, 7 March 2008
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20080307PD215.html

Amid the planned volume production of thin-film solar cells in mid-2008, NexPower Technology announced that it has signed an gas supply contract with BOC Lien Hwa (BOCLH). Under a long-term agreement, BOCLH will provide NexPower with turnkey installations for special gas supply systems and ongoing delivery of the gases essential to making of thin-film solar cells. The gases include large volumes of silane and hydrogen gas, used to deposit silicon light absorber layers on large sheets of glass, and cleaning gases used to remove silicon deposits from the process chambers.
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Source: Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal /March 6, 2008
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/03/03/daily62.html

DayStar Technologies Inc., a developer of photovoltaic products based on CIGS thin film semiconductor technology, said Thursday it signed a letter of intent with a German company that will commercialize its glass modules.  Santa Clara-based DayStar (NASDAQ:DSTI) said Germany-based juwi solar GmbH will work closely with DayStar in the early stages of production to test and evaluate modules in field installations and assist with third party qualifications required for financing large utility power plants. (more…)

Boulder, CO, Feb 27, 2008
Source: Photonics Online.com
http://www.photonicsonline.com/content/news/article.asp?
DocID=%7B34D876AA-EC7A-43ED-A686-4339F06C3B3D%7D

Namaste Solar Electric announced recently the launch of a cutting-edge grant program that augments its comprehensive plan for corporate responsibility. The company aims to make solar energy affordable for nonprofit organizations by donating 1% of revenue annually in solar PV installations. Namaste Solar Electric is arguably the first solar PV installation company in the U.S. to offer a formal solar grant program to nonprofits.
Applications Now Accepted for June 27th Deadline
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By Emily Masamitsu /March 6, 2008
Source: Popular Mechanics.com
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4253464.html
Konarka has developed its affordable Power Plastic film with several manufacturing techniques, from an early proprietary printing process to a new breakthrough with inkjet printers that should dramatically reduce costs, with applications including sensors and RFID. (more…)

Thin Film Solar Technology Company Receives Funding to Advance Nanostructured Materials Surfacing
West Sacromento, CA, Feb 28, 2008
Source: Bloo Solar press release /BusinessWire

Bloo Solar announced today that is has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.  “The NSF grant will enable Bloo to demonstrate a new technique that enables the creation of ultra smooth and ultra rough surfaces on tiny wires, one tenth the diameter of a red blood cell,” said Dr. Ruxandra Vidu, Bloo’s director of R&D. “Controlling how rough or smooth we want the surface of our materials with atomic-scale precision enables Bloo to apply materials to its advanced solar cell architecture reliably and precisely, while producing greater strength, straightness and stability.” (more…)