Solar Cells Info

by Ashley Seager, The Guardian, February 15 2008
Source: The Guardian UK
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/feb/15/renewableenergy.solarpower

The scale of the renewable energy challenge facing Britain was revealed yesterday by figures showing Britain installed about 270 solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on houses in 2007, compared with 130,000 in Germany. Britain is the worst performer behind Malta and Luxembourg in the EU in its use of renewables and produces only 2% of its energy from them. Last month the EU said Britain must raise that share to 15% by 2020. Malcolm Wicks, the energy minister, acknowledged last week that Britain needs a “revolution” in green technologies and insisted the country was showing “leadership” in the area.

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Chennai, Tamilnadu, India, Jan. 30, 2008
Source: The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200801301653.htm

Officials from the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) would visit countries like Japan and Germany to study the low-cost solar energy generation model and replicate the same in the state.  Electricity Minister Arcot N Veeraswamy informed the State Assembly on wednesday that Japan and Germany were successful in generating low-cost solar power, which is at present, a ‘costly affair’ in Tamil Nadu. (more…)

San Francisco, CA USA; Febuary 14, 2008
Source: Press Release from Kaco Solar /RenewableEnergyResources.com
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=51513

Carlos Babij and his wife Duffy were flown to beautiful Neckarsulm Germany. They were able to learn first hand how KACO Solar, Inc. is committed to the production of top of the line inverters. “KACO is an exemplary company. They really talk the talk AND walk the walk when it comes to energy efficiency and ensuring zero emissions manufacturing. It was great to see it in person.” Carlos Babij, SPG Solar

For many folks their Solar Power 2007 Expo in Long Beach agenda was packed with beautifully orchestrated parties. Most companies hosted an event that had been planned for months prior. KACO Solar was no different. In addition to hosting over 100 of their closest partners and potential clients on a pleasure cruise ship for a few relaxing hours taking in the beautiful views of the Long Beach coastline, KACO offered their guests the opportunity to participate in a raffle on board. The grand prize was a free trip for two to Neckarsulm, Germany; home to KACO headquarters and manufacturing facilities. After giving away a handful of great prizes including KACO products and gift certificates Carlos Babij of SPG Solar was chosen by Sue Kateley of CAL SEIA from a KACO cap as the lucky winner of the trip. Carlos was ecstatic and swore on board “I’ve never won anything like this before in my life!” (more…)

By Gerard Wynn and Eva Kuehnen Reuters,
London, February 12, 2008
Source: International Herald Tribune
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/11/business/invest12.php

Prospects for the solar power sector are puzzling investors, who on one hand are juggling a possible dot-com-style bust and on the other, fresh support in Europe, home to a third of the world’s market. The solar power industry uses the same silicon raw material as the semiconductor industry and may share a similar boom-bust path, according to some analysts.  The semiconductor industry collapsed in 2000 amid a dot-com bust that pulled demand for electronic chips down. Solar companies saw their share prices skyrocket last year, but many endured a steep fall in January, halving in the case of one market leader, Renewable Energy, of Norway. (more…)

Aachen/Germany, February 19, 2008
Source: CompoundSemiconductor.net
http://compoundsemiconductor.net/blog/2008/02/first_gaas_mocvd_system_for_so.html

AIXTRON AG today announced an order from the Korea Advanced Nano Fab Center (KANC) for an AIXTRON Planetary Reactor system for solar cells.  The system on order is an AIX 2600G3 in the 12×4-inch configuration with the ‘Integrated Concept’ (IC) design and will be delivered in the first half of 2008. KANC will use the system for the development of III-V solar cells for terrestrial applications, i.e. concentrator cells. It will be installed at KANC’s state of the art 3,500 sq m ‘FAB Building’ facility located in the Gwanggyo Techno Valley near Seoul.
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First Solar Inc. and SunPower Corp. Ride High on Solar Energy Innovation
Opinion By Michael S. Malone, Feb. 15, 2008
Source: ABCNews Special
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/GadgetGuide/Story?id=4293368&page=1

Here’s a toast to the superiority of pragmatists over idealists. Of entrepreneurs over bureaucrats. And most of all to those buzz-cut, buttoned-down engineers and scientists of a half-century ago who thought they were just making cheaper transistors – and now may help save the world.  Amidst all of the gloomy – or, at best, hesitant – corporate financial news of the last few weeks, one industry sector literally seems aglow: solar. And therein lies an interesting morality – or more accurately, amorality – tale. (more…)

Source: Power Engineering, 19 February 2008
http://pepei.pennnet.com/display_article/320414/6/ARTCL/Display/none/
1/Algiers-aims-to-export-solar-power-by-2013/

Algeria could start exporting solar power to Germany by 2013 according to Tewfik Hasni, president and general manager of the country’s renewable energy agency, New Energy Algeria, MEED reports.  The agency is lobbying the state for approval for the project, so it can build a 3000 km interconnection with Germany. It is also in talks with German and Italian utilities to secure customers for the power.  The interconnection will initially be able to transport 800-1000 MW of electricity produced in solar hybrid power plants in Algeria. However, this could be scaled up to 6000 MW by 2018.
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Tokyo, February 18, 2008
Source: Reuters
(Reporting by Mayumi Negishi and Nathan Layne; Editing by Eric Burroughs)

Japan’s Sharp Corp., fighting to remain the top maker of solar cells, will develop tools to make solar cells with Tokyo Electron Ltd <8035.T> amid growing demand for clean energy.  Sharp, which is building a 100 billion yen ($925 million) factory for thin-film solar cells, and rivals such as Germany’s Q-Cells are vying to boost the production capacity of solar cells as silicon supplies tighten.
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Source: Ecoworld.com / Feb 21, 2008
http://www.ecoworld.com/blog/editor/muhawi/2008/02/06/nanosolar-affordable-solar-panels/

Everyone has come across photovoltaics on the news, on the road or through personal use. Roofs, cars, garden-lights, satellites, and calculators have all used photovoltaic systems to generate power from the sun. This technology still needs some improving before other fuels become obsolete. Cars still can’t run on solar power alone, for example, but with lower costs of production and increased efficiency the technology is becoming popular for individuals who want alternatives to electricity and fuel. (more…)

By Gerry Shih, February 19, 2008
Source: The Statesman.com
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/washington/washington/
entries/2008/02/19/officials_highl.html

By all accounts, the 2007 Solar Decathlon resembled a modern auto show – the hype around energy efficiency, the glimpses of future technology, the deja vu as German engineering upstages the American effort.   But while their automobile counterparts fret, American green tech engineers believe there are fortunes to be made in everything ranging from low-energy heating and cooling appliances to heat-efficient materials to whole modular homes that are starting to hit the market. On Tuesday, the director of the decathlon recapped some highlights of the competition, where twenty universities one-upped each other with fascinating feats of innovation.
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