Solar Cells Info

Source: Printed Electronics World / April 16, 2008
http://www.idtechex.com/printedelectronicsworld/articles/electricity_from_sun_and_heat_printing_the_new_photovoltaics_00000892.asp

Solar cells are needed on everything from clothing to packaging, toys, spaceships, consumer goods, medical testers, skin patches and tools. Mostly, they must be thin and flexible, lightweight, environmental and low in cost – even disposable in many cases. (more…)

Source: Mass High Tech / April 14, 2008
http://www.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2008/04/14/daily5.html

The MIT Energy Initiative and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative have launched a new joint project with the Fraunhofer Institute, a German R&D organization, that will be based in Massachusetts and will focus on developing and commercializing sustainable energy systems.  Electricity provider National Grid has also signed on to the project, acting as the principal utility member of the center’s Partnership with Industry segment, and committing $1 million over the next five years to the project. (more…)

An ambitious cross-subsidy scheme has given rise to a new industry
Source: The Economist  /Apr 3rd 2008 7ERFURT AND WOLFEN
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10961890

Q-CELLS, based in Wolfen, just north of Leipzig, is the world’s biggest maker of the photovoltaic cells used in solar panels. It overtook Sharp of Japan last year and announced big jumps in sales (up 59%) and profits (up 69%) on March 27th. Germany, which is not known for being sunny, seems an unusual place to find this industry leader. But the country leads the world in its installed capacity of renewable energy sources (see chart), and is the third-biggest producer of solar panels, after China and Japan. (more…)

part 2 of a 2-part series look at the leading photovoltaic players
by David Appleyard
Source: Renewable Energy World
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reworld/story?id=52027

In this, the second of our two-part look at the world’s most influential PV players, the good news continues with a largely positive outlook among the world’s leading PV companies. David Appleyard reports. Although some supply chain issues have arisen in the solar photovoltaic sector with regard to raw materials such as silicon, the market continues to boom. Indeed, these supply constraints have been caused entirely by the fact that the market, and consequently demand, has accelerated at such a phenomenal pace that it has left the supply chain infrastructure lagging behind. However, this situation is expected to be rectified over the coming year as new silicon supply sources come on stream. This situation is inevitably reflected by the major players, some of which have struggled to expand as rapidly as the market would allow.
(more…)

part 1 of 2-part series on leading Photovoltaic players
by David Appleyard /April 13, 2008
Source: Renewable Energy World
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reworld/story?id=51590

The weather may be gloomy in Europe right now, but the outlook for solar players on both sides of the Atlantic could hardly be better. With production capacity expansion a recurring theme and many players announcing record operating results, it is hard to imagine a cloud on the horizon for the PV industry. Here we present the first part of our look at the major players and events of 2007, and take a peek into what 2008 may hold. David Appleyard reports. (more…)

Source: ScienceDaily, Apr. 10, 2008
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080410140451.htm

A new approach is able to create a dramatic improvement in cheap solar cells now being developed in laboratories. By using a popcorn-ball design — tiny kernels clumped into much larger porous spheres — researchers at the University of Washington are able to manipulate light and more than double the efficiency of converting solar energy to electricity. The findings were presented in New Orleans at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society April 10. (more…)

Israeli energy startup Zenith Solar is pioneering a “concentrated solar power” method that is up to five times more efficient than standard technology
by Neal Sandler, Business Week Europe /March 26, 2008
Source: Businessweek.com
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2008/
gb20080326_485582.htm?chan=globalbiz_europe+index+page_companies

Rooftops all over Israel look strikingly similar: More than 1 million households in the nation of 7.1 million people have solar panels that produce hot water—a relatively simple technology that gained popularity after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, when oil prices shot up sharply. As of the early 1990s, all new residential buildings were required by the government to install solar water-heating systems. (more…)

Vancouver, B.C., April 1, 2008
Source: Xantrex Technology Inc press release
http://www.xantrex.com/web/did/1802/readnews.asp

Xantrex Technology Inc. (TSX:XTX) announced today it has received an order valued at over US$5.5 million from a new customer, Nuevas Energias del Sureste S.A., for Xantrex’s GT3.8 kilowatt (kW) grid-tie solar inverters.  The Xantrex solar inverters will be installed at three sites in Spain: a four and three megawatt (MW) site in the region of Alhama and a three MW site in the region of Murcia, for a total of 10MW.  The delivery of the Xantrex GT3.8 kW grid-tie solar inverters will take place over the next six months. (more…)

Vancouver, B.C., March 27, 2008
Source: Xantrex Technology Inc press release
http://www.xantrex.com/web/did/1800/readnews.asp

Xantrex Technology Inc. (TSX:XTX) announced today it has received a US$2 million order for grid-tie commercial solar inverters from Woojin Electric.  The order is for a combination of the Xantrex GT100 (100 kilowatt) and GT250 (250 kilowatt) three phase solar inverters which are targeted for eight solar projects in Korea.  Delivery of the Xantrex GT100 and GT250 grid-tie solar inverters will take place over the second quarter of 2008. (more…)

Vancouver, B.C., March 19, 2008
Source: Xantrex Technology Inc. /press release
http://www.xantrex.com/web/did/1798/readnews.asp

Xantrex Technology Inc. (TSX:XTX) announces the launch of its Xantrex™ Gateway monitoring system, an innovative wireless monitoring solution for small scale solar power installations.  The Xantrex Gateway is the central communication component of a residential or small commercial solar energy system. It keeps the system owner informed about the system’s operation and energy production from any location. The Gateway’s wireless capability bridges the gap between Xantrex single phase grid tie (GT) inverters and the system owner’s computer.
(more…)