Solar Cells Info

July 07, 2008
Source: WWW.gmn Gambia News Community
http://wow.gm/africa/gambia/bwiam/article/2008/7/7/boost-for-sulayman-junkung-general-hospital

Power Up Gambia, an organisation founded by Kathryn Cunningham, a 22-year old undergraduate student, recently donated a solar system to the Sulayman Junkung General Hospital in Bwiam. The organisation which was created after its founder participated in a Cross Road Program in that hospital during the summer of 2006 has been fundraising since October 2006 for a solar system for the hospital. The organization has over this short period grown rapidly and was able to raise $260,000 towards their $300,000 goal of bringing solar power to Sulayman Junkung General Hospital. (more…)

Tokyo, Japan, 7 July 2008
Source: PR-inside.com
http://www.pr-inside.com/report-toyota-plans-solar-powered-air-r688943.htm

Toyota’s ecological Prius gas-electric hybrid will become even greener next year with solar-powered air conditioning on some high-end models, The Nikkei reported Monday.  The solar panels on the roof of the new Prius model will provide 2 to 5 kilowatts of electricity, the major Japanese business daily said in a report without citing sources. Toyota Motor Corp. plans to purchase the panels from Japanese electronics maker Kyocera Corp., the newspaper said. (more…)

by: Ucilia Wang. June 23, 2008
source: GreentechMedia.com

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/japan-wants-to-resurrect-solar-incentives-1037.html
Japan may bring back solar subsidies to boost its solar panel makers’ competitive edge in the world market, two ministry officials told Reuters on Monday. Japan, the first country to introduce federal solar subsidies, eliminated them in 2005. Since then, it has witnessed some of its solar-cell makers getting beat in the global market. Q-Cells in Germany overtook Sharp as the world’s largest supplier in 2007, and Suntech Power in China kicked Kyocera out of the third place. (more…)

by: Jennifer Kho. June 23, 2008
Source: GreetechMedia.com
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/solar-installers-race-for-sf-subsidies-1038.html

Just a week after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom officially signed a new incentive program into law, the race is on to take advantage of it.  The program, the largest municipal solar-incentive program in the United States, will provide rebates of $3,000 to $6,000 for residential solar installations and up to $10,000 for commercial installations when it takes effect July 1. With the incentives capped at $3 million total for both residential and commercial installations, plus an additional $1.5 million in incentives specifically for solar projects at low-income and affordable housing approved last week, San Francisco could subsidize between 383 and 1,500 installations, depending on the size of each of the rebates. (more…)

Honolulu, HI, June 9, 2008
Source: Hoku Scientific, press release/MarketWire
http://www.shareholder.hokuscientific.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=314890

Hoku Solar, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOKU) established to design, engineer and install photovoltaic (PV) power systems, and Young Brothers today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Young Brothers to purchase solar electricity generated by a 224-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system to be installed, owned and operated by Hoku Solar. Young Brothers is the leading provider of inter-island ocean cargo service in Hawaii. (more…)

Jiangsu, China, June 11, 2008
Source: Canadian Solar Inc, press release/Xinhua-PRNewswire
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=196781&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1164712

Canadian Solar Inc. (“the Company”, “CSI” or “we”) (Nasdaq: CSIQ) today announced it has completed the delivery of 66 KW of BIPV modules for the lamp posts along the Olympic Boulevard from the “Bird’s Nest”, the main stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games, to the Olympic Square. This BIPV project sits right on the axis of Beijing, symbolizing the nation’s increasing commitment to sustainable development. Over its 25-year operating lifespan, this solar power system, with modules horizontally placed for aesthetic purpose, will still generate more than 1,925,000 Kilowatt hours and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 2750 tons.
(more…)

by Satoshi Ookubo, Nikkei Electronics, Jun 6, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080606/152962/

Mitsubishi Chemical Corp will release a lighting system consisting of LEDs and solar cells for factories by the end of 2009 at the earliest.  The lighting system reducess electrical costs by using sunlight and LEDs, which have a longer life than fluorescent lamps. With this system, lighting costs can be reduced by approximately 30%, according to Mitsubishi Chemical. (more…)

Tel Aviv, Israel, June 5, 2008
Source: UPI.com
http://www.upi.com/Energy_Resources/2008/06/05/
Israel_OKs_solar_energy_tariffs/UPI-99921212722228/

Israel has expanded its support for solar energy.  The Public Utilities Authority recently announced that, starting in July, any person who installs a photovoltaic solar system on his or her property can sell the electricity produced to the national power grid, Globes reported. (more…)

By Joi Preciphs, May 29, 2008
Source: Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=azMxlriXcviY&refer=japan

Itochu Corp. plans to spend at least 110 billion yen ($1.05 billion) to develop solar farms in the Czech Republic and other Eastern European countries, building on those governments’ efforts to broaden access to clean energy projects, Nikkei English News reported, without citing anyone. The Osaka-based company will build two or three solar parks in the Czech Republic this year at an estimated total cost of 10 billion yen, the news service said. The facilities will be able to generate a combined 10 megawatts of power, Nikkei said.  The rest of Itochu’s investment will be used to build a solar farm in Bulgaria by 2010, Nikkei said. Officials expect the facility to generate 100 megawatts, which would be enough to supply 25,000 households in Japan.

By Jeremy van Loon, June 2, 2008
Source: Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aNkjxKkZ0aUM&refer=europe

Germany is slashing the subsidies that built its solar industry up to $8.8 billion in sales and made the country the world’s biggest market for panels that capture the sun’s energy.  Homes and businesses earn a government-guaranteed price of as much as 47 euro cents ($0.74) for each kilowatt-hour of solar power they generate, enough to run a vacuum cleaner for 60 minutes and double the market rate. Spain and France are copying Germany’s model as a way to nurture clean-energy industries that can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut gas emissions blamed for global warming. (more…)