Solar Cells Info

Bozhi Tian, Charles M. Lieber et al.
Nature 449, 885-889 (18 October 2007) | doi:10.1038/nature06181;

Abstract
Solar cells are attractive candidates for clean and renewable power1, 2; with miniaturization, they might also serve as integrated power sources for nanoelectronic systems. The use of nanostructures or nanostructured materials represents a general approach to reduce both cost and size and to improve efficiency in photovoltaics. Nanoparticles, nanorods and nanowires have been used to improve charge collection efficiency in polymer-blend4 and dye-sensitized solar cells to demonstrate carrier multiplication7, and to enable low-temperature processing of photovoltaic devices. Moreover, recent theoretical studies have indicated that coaxial nanowire structures could improve carrier collection and overall efficiency with respect to single-crystal bulk semiconductors of the same materials. However, solar cells based on hybrid nanoarchitectures suffer from relatively low efficiencies and poor stabilities1. In addition, previous studies have not yet addressed their use as photovoltaic power elements in nanoelectronics. Here we report the realization of p-type/intrinsic/n-type (p-i-n) coaxial silicon nanowire solar cells. Under one solar equivalent (1-sun) illumination, the p-i-n silicon nanowire elements yield a maximum power output of up to 200 pW per nanowire device and an apparent energy conversion efficiency of up to 3.4 per cent, with stable and improved efficiencies achievable at high-flux illuminations. Furthermore, we show that individual and interconnected silicon nanowire photovoltaic elements can serve as robust power sources to drive functional nanoelectronic sensors and logic gates. These coaxial silicon nanowire photovoltaic elements provide a new nanoscale test bed for studies of photoinduced energy/charge transport and artificial photosynthesis, and might find general usage as elements for powering ultralow-power electronics11 and diverse nanosystems.

Source: Austin Business Journal / October 31, 2007
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2007/10/29/daily20.html

Travis County commissioners on Tuesday night declined an economic incentives package designed to attract HelioVolt Corp.’s proposed $80 million manufacturing plant. County Judge Sam Biscoe’s motion to grant county tax subsidies died for lack of a second motion. Biscoe proposed the county give annual grants equal to 40 percent in property tax abatements for 10 years, provided HelioVolt reaches investment and employment targets.  Travis County was expected to match the city offer of 60 percent for 10 years.
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25 Cutting Edge Projects Target Enhanced Solar Energy Efficiency
Washington D.C.–U.S. November 8, 2007

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced that the Department will invest $21.7 million in next generation photovoltaic (PV) technology to help accelerate the widespread use of advanced solar power. The 25 projects that DOE selected as part of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, Next Generation Photovoltaic Devices & Processes, are an integral part of the President’s Solar America Initiative, which aims to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity by 2015. (more…)

Motonobu Kawai, Nikkei Electronics /Nov 06, 2007
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20071106/141906/

Bridgestone Corp has decided to increase its production of EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) film, which is used as adhesive sealing film for solar cells.  Investing about ¥3 billion (US$26 million) in its Iwata Plant in Iwata, Shizuoka, the company will boost output to about 1.7 times larger 1,500t per month. The enhanced production is slated to begin in January 2010.
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Source: EarthTimes.org /Popular Science, press release
New York, 12 Nov 2007
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,221537.shtml

For the second consecutive year, Popular Science is honoring one top product out of its 100 Best of What’s New award winners as “Innovation of the Year.” This honor goes to the remarkably designed PowerSheet flexible solar cells. Imagine a solar panel without the panel. Nanosolar has created an ink that takes sunlight and converts it into electricity. The ink is coated onto metal sheets as thin as aluminum foil with a printing-press-like device. The sheets are lighter, inexpensive and as efficient as traditional solar panels. The editors of PopSci believe that eventually every commercial rooftop could be carpeted with PowerSheet solar cells.
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by Ashish Kumar Mishra, TNN, 10 Nov, 2007
Source: Economic Times
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/The_Big_Story/
Potential_for_solar_energy_large_in_India/articleshow/2531030.cms

In India, the prospect of solar energy is sunny but without being too hot. Today, the country generates almost 1,748 MW power through solar energy. That’s a pittance when compared to India’s total demand of almost 1.3 lakh MW every year. However, companies with investments in the technology believe that the potential for solar energy is much larger than the above share.  “In the next five years, I see solar technology supplying a major part of the world’s energy requirement,” says Ratul Puri, Executive Director, Moser Baer. Mr Puri wouldn’t believe otherwise. In the last couple of years, he has invested almost Rs 161 crore in the manufacturing of photovoltaic solar cells and panels.
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Posted by Martin LaMonica /November 9, 2007
Source: CNet.com news
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9814084-54.html

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory gave out awards on Thursday to two companies developing solar electric cells they hope will bring a breakthrough in solar panel efficiency.  Top prize went to Wakonda Technologies, based in upstate New York, which is commercializing “virtual single crystal” technology.
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Source: Semicondcutor-Today.com / 3 November 2007
http://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/NEWS_2007/NOV_07/GREENVOLTS_131107.htm

GreenVolts Inc of San Francisco, CA, USA, which has developed concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cell technology, announced that it has secured $10m in a Series A funding round led by Greenlight Energy Resources Inc, an operator of renewable energy projects and an investor in early-stage renewable energy companies, and involving Pacific Northwest energy production, transmission and distribution company Avista Corp as well as several other investors. The funding was announced at the end of October at the annual California Cleantech Open (CCTO awards) ceremony in San Francisco, where GreenVolts received the 2007 CCTO Alumni award for progress in customer acquisition and funding (after being the winner in the renewable energy category last year).
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Solon, Ohio, Nov. 8, 2007
Source: Energy Focus Inc. press release
http://www.mkr-group.com/EFOI/index.shtml

Energy Focus Inc. (Nasdaq: EFOI – News) announced today that it has been awarded a $1 million contract by the DuPont-University of Delaware Very High Efficiency Solar Cell (VHESC) Consortium to develop advanced solar cell technologies as part of DARPA’s ground breaking VHESC project with the Consortium. Energy Focus was honored earlier this year by DARPA with the 2007 DARPATech Small Business Innovation Research Award for Excellence for its work with DARPA.
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Changzho China, Nov. 13, 2007
Source: Trina Solar press release
http://www.trinasolar.com/front/en/news.php?newid=47

Trina Solar Limited (“Trina Solar” or the “Company”), a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, founded in 1997, announced today that the Company has signed a six-year polysilicon supply agreement with Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon Co., Ltd. (“Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon”).  Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon, a Leshan-based company in China’s Sichuan Province, is in the advanced stages of building a 10,000 metric ton polysilicon production facility with an initial phase of 1,000 metric tons launching next year. Under this six-year agreement, Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon will supply Trina Solar with virgin polysilicon sufficient to produce approximately 1,300MW of modules. Deliveries under this agreement will begin in mid-2008 and continue through 2013.
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