Solar Cells Info

Source: South Africa Good News /Sept. 9. 2007
http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/search/sport/544040.htm

The Advanced Energy Foundation (AEF) has launched what is to be South Africa’s very first solar car race. The South African Solar Challenge is set to take place in September 2008. Contestants will have two weeks to drive through 4150 km’s of our country’s diverse terrain, powered by nothing but the sun. The AEF has launched this scientific sporting challenge as part of its objective to promote innovation, science and technology in South Africa. “We want to raise awareness around energy and transportation technologies”, says Winstone Jordaan, 2008 Chairman of the South African Solar Challenge.
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Mami Akasaka, Tech-On! Sep 12, 2007
Source: Tech-on
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070912/139059/

The solar cell market is growing favorably. The worldwide solar cell market is expected to grow 3.7 times that of fiscal 2006 to 2.7716 trillion yen in fiscal 2010, according to research company Fuji Keizai Co. Ltd.  Polycrystalline Si solar cells are the current mainstream in the market, but sales will significantly expand for solar cells using no or a small amount of Si materials amid the tightening supplies of Si wafer, Fuji Keizai forecast.   (more…)

Truebbach (Switzerland), September 3, 2007
Source: Oerlikon Solar / press release
http://www.oerlikon.com/ecomaXL/index.php?site=SOLAR_EN_press_releases_detail&udtx_id=4663

Oerlikon Solar, a leading global supplier of field-proven turnkey solutions for thin-film silicon solar modules, introduced today its micromorph tandem technology highlighting its continued global strength in the growing solar industry. The environmentally friendly, energy-conscience micromorph tandem modules offer customers many advantages including the potential to achieve efficiencies of 10 percent and higher in the near future.  Oerlikon Solar’s micromorph module technology, first invented by Dr. Johannes Meier, head of the company’s R&D activities, combines two different silicon materials – amorph and microcrystalline – in a top and a bottom cell. In this way, the amorphous top cell is converting the visible part of the suns spectrum while the microcrystalline bottom cell is absorbing the sun power in the near infrared spectrum. Consequently, the new micromorph tandem technology allows boosting the efficiency level by approximately 50 percent compared to traditional amorphous single cells. (more…)

by Jane Burgermeister, Contributing Writer
Vienna, Austria   September 7, 2007
Source: RenewableEnergyAccess.com

A new generation of ultra thin solar modules that can be integrated into the facades of buildings at low cost is to be produced in Germany next year. The German company Schueco has joined up with E.ON, the country’s biggest energy company, to invest 100 million euros [$US 136 million] in the research and production of this new ultra thin solar technology that cuts down on the need for silicon, the costly raw material for solar cells.  Production is due to start at a site in Saxony-Anhalt in the second half of 2008.
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High-Performance Encapsulant and Potting Agents Expand Dow Corning’s Industry-Leading Portfolio of Solar Products
Midland, Mich., Sept. 3, 2007
Source: PR Newswire / CNNMoney.com
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/CLM00703092007-1.htm

Following the launch of its first solar feedstock material (Dow Corning(R) PV 1101 SoG Silicon) last year, Dow Corning’s Solar Solutions Group has extended its product offerings for the global solar energy market with an encapsulant and two potting agents that have been tested and qualified for solar applications. “We’re taking the guess-work out of figuring out which of the hundreds of available coatings, encapsulants, potting agents, sealants, adhesives and other related products work best for demanding solar energy applications,” said Donald L. Buchalski, senior marketing specialist, PV module assembly and integration, for Dow Corning’s Solar Solutions Group. “These products demonstrate our commitment to providing total solutions throughout the PV value chain.”
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Bern, Switzerland, August 16, 2007
Source. Kyocera Solar /press release
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/news/news_detail.cfm?key=408

The world’s largest stadium-integrated photovoltaic system went into operation this week on the STADE DE SUISSE Wankdorf Bern. After the additional installation of 2,808 solar modules, the stadium now has 7,930 modules from the Japanese technology company Kyocera, providing an overall output of 1,346.774 kWp. The expanded system will produce 1,134,045 kWh per year and save on the emission of 630 tons of CO2 annually. (more…)

Iraqi crews install solar-panel lights on thoroughfares.
By Norris Jones, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Central District
Fallujah, Iraq, Sept. 10, 2007
Source: Defend America
http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/sep2007/a091007sj1.html

With a marked decline in insurgent activity in recent months, Fallujah is on the road to a much brighter future. And the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing a project helping shine light in that direction.  That work involves the installation of 740 new state-of-the-art solar street lights that are illuminating Fallujah’s main roadways. Currently, the city’s main east-west thoroughfare has the new lights up and functioning. Work in other parts of the city is continuing.  “Residents tell us how much that project means to their community,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project engineer Troy Swofford. “City leaders and the police are thrilled. It’s getting a lot of positive attention.”
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By Kerana Todorov, Register Staff Writer September 11, 2007
Source: Napa Valley Register
http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/09/11/news/local/iq_4115566.txt

Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular in Napa County, as they are installed on rooftops everywhere from the newest subdivisions of American Canyon to Calistoga wineries. Napa County is solar friendly, but on average Napa County residents pay higher permitting fees to install solar panels than other Northern California property owners.  The county produces more solar energy per capita than nine other Bay Area counties, according to the Northern California Solar Association, a group of solar advocates. Yet a survey of 131 jurisdictions in 13 Northern California counties by the Sierra Club found that Yountville, Calistoga and the city of Napa charge on average $141 to $324 more than other Bay Area jurisdictions to install an average-sized residential system. (more…)

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 4, 2007
Source: Environmental News Service
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-04-093.asp

A new solar energy power station is being built in southeastern Pennsylvania that will be the fourth-largest facility of its kind in the country and the largest east of Arizona when operations begin next April.  Plans call for more than 16,500 solar panels to be installed on 16.5 acres, adjacent to Waste Management’s GROWS Landfill, in Falls Township, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. (more…)

Taipei, China, August 20, 2007
Source: ChinaPost.com
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/08/20/119058/Taiwan-school.htm

Students from National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences (NKUAS) won second place in the Dream Cup solar car race in Japan earlier this month, the best ever performance of the NKUAS team in international solar car competitions, a school source said yesterday.  The 18 member NKUAS team competed in the top division of the 16th Japanese solar car race held at Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Mie prefecture Aug. 4-5 and lost to the Japanese team, by eight rounds in endurance trials.
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