Solar Cells Info

08 Feb 2008
Source: Pink Tentacle.com
http://www.pinktentacle.com/2008/02/jaxa-testing-space-solar-power-system/
Hokkaido Shimbun /http://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/news/environment/74756.html

For decades, scientists have explored the possibility of using space-based solar cells to power the Earth. Some see orbiting power stations as a clean and stable energy source that promises to slow global warming, while others dismiss the idea as an expensive and impractical solution to the world’s energy problems. While the discussion goes on, researchers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have begun to develop the hardware.
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Staff report, February 9, 2008
Source: Charleston.net
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/feb/09/blackbaud_stadium_going_solar30090/

On many nights, Blackbaud Stadium is powered by the Battery. Now the Daniel Island soccer facility will be solar-powered as well.   The Charleston Battery has joined the pro-environmental movement with its a “Go Green” initiative which it hopes will help reduce its carbon footprint.   To achieve this goal, the Battery is implementing a wide range of energy-saving and environmental initiatives at Blackbaud Stadium, highlighted by the installation of 60 solar panels. (more…)

By Maggie Ayre, BBC Radio 4 /Costing the Earth/7 February 2008
Source: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7232328.stm

Even in grey, overcast Britain, some householders are managing to use solar power to meet their energy needs.  But there are far more ambitious plans for Europe to import solar power from huge installations in North Africa.
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Costco Goes Green with Mitsubishi Electric Solar Array
San Luis Obispo, CA, Jan 30, 2008lif.
Source; REC Solar /press release /Businesswire
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view
&newsId=20080130005329&newsLang=en

REC Solar, a rapidly growing provider of residential and commercial solar electric systems, and Mitsubishi Electric have announced the completion of Hawaii’s two largest solar installations for the Costco Wholesale locations in Kauai and Kona. The two systems, which are 680 kilowatts (DC) each, hold the distinction of being the biggest solar arrays in the state of Hawaii to date. Collectively, these systems will generate enough electricity to power 250 homes.
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Mark LaPedus, EE Times,
San Jose, CA, Jan 28, 2008
Source: EETimes.com
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205920095

Amid a major expansion program, Global Solar Energy Inc. (GSE) claims to have achieved a breakthrough for solar cells based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film technology.  GSE (Tucson, Ariz.) said that its CIGS-based, thin-film cells have achieved an average of 10 percent efficiency “on a flexible, lightweight substrate over several production runs.” Starting in 2007, the company’s solar cells achieved an average efficiency of about 9 percent.
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Source: ScienceDaily/Jan. 31, 2008
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130194130.htm

Newly designed solar cells can be screen-printed in a wide array of colors and patterns to allow them to be attractively incorporated into building design. The solar cells also can be used on windows, providing shading from glare while generating electricity.

The key component of the new modules is an organic dye which in combination with nanoparticles converts sunlight into electricity. Due to the small size of the nanoparticles, the modules are semi-transparent. This aspect makes them well suited for façade integration. The new solar cells are being developed by members of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, who will be presenting their new technology in Tokyo at Nanotech 2008, the world’s largest trade fair for nanotechnology.
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Santa Clara, CA, Jan 31, 2008
Source: Applied Materials Inc. press release /BusinessWire
http://www.appliedmaterials.com/news/pr2008.html?menuID=6

Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that it has acquired Baccini S.p.A., a leading supplier of automated metallization and test systems for manufacturing crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic (PV) cells. Under the terms of the agreement, Applied paid €225 million (or approximately US$334 million) in cash for all of the outstanding shares of Baccini.
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by Lisa Zyga, February 08, 2008
Source: Inventorspot.com
http://inventorspot.com/articles/10_gigantic_solarpowered_project_10559

Solar cell efficiencies are improving, and a number of solar-powered projects are popping up around the world. Here are a few highlights, including single buildings and large solar plants. Hopefully, their successors will be even bigger and better…
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By Tyler Hamilton, February 06, 2008
Source:MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/Nanotech/20163/

Researchers at McMaster University, in Ontario, say that they have grown light-absorbing nanowires made of high-performance photovoltaic materials on thin but highly durable carbon-nanotube fabric. They’ve also harvested similar nanowires from reusable substrates and embedded the tiny particles in flexible polyester film. Both approaches, they argue, could lead to solar cells that are both flexible and cheaper than today’s photovoltaics.
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Frankfurt, Feb 5, 2008
Source: Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews
/idUSL0555383620080205

German solar cell maker Q-Cells (QCEG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) is satisfied with last year’s performance and is upbeat about its development in 2008, Q-Cells’ chief executive told German magazine Focus Money in an interview. “I’m very pleased with the way 2007 went, not only in terms of sales and earnings, but also on a technological basis,” Anton Milner was quoted as saying by Focus Money. (more…)