Solar Cells Info

Albuquerque, NM, April 10, 2008
Source: Emcore Corp. press release
http://www.emcore.com/news_events/release?y=2008&news=192

EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ: EMKR) a leading provider of semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the broadband, fiber-optic, satellite and terrestrial solar power markets, announced today that it has agreed to supply CPV systems to XinAo Group in China. XinAo Group is one of China’s largest energy companies and is well known for its clean-energy technologies. The program will start with the delivery of a 50 kilowatt (kW) concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system to be installed in Langfang, China. This system will be used for test and evaluation purposes. Once the expected reliability and performance metrics have been demonstrated, XinAo plans to install CPV systems to provide electric power for its innovative coal gasification project, which is estimated to have a requirement of 60 megawatts (MW) of power. XinAo believes that EMCORE’s CPV technology will provide a cost-effective solution for its energy needs. (more…)

Los Angeles, CA., April 22, 2008
Source: Kyocera Solar Inc, press release
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/news/news_detail.cfm?key=522

Kyocera Solar, Inc. and East Los Angeles College (ELAC) today celebrated the inauguration of a colossal, 1.2 megawatt (MW) solar electric generating system at ELAC’s Monterey Park campus. As part of the Renewable Energy Plan of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the project represents a major achievement toward the goal of making all nine LACCD colleges more energy independent.   Officials “flipped the switch” on the new solar installation during today’s Earth Day celebration. (more…)

San Diego, California — May 5, 2008
Source: Kyocera Solar Inc, press release
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/news/news_detail.cfm?key=527

The New Children’s Museum yesterday celebrated the opening of its new home at 200 West Island Avenue in downtown San Diego’s Marina District, in a facility equipped with a 96.4-kilowatt solar electric generating system.  The system, composed of 576 Kyocera 200-watt PV modules, was designed and installed by Independent Energy Solutions, Inc. (IES) of Vista, California, and is expected to generate approximately 136,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. (more…)

OptiSolar’s giant 550MW facility would be 40 times larger than current largest solar farm
Sarah Griffiths, BusinessGreen, 25 Apr 2008
Source: BusinessGreen.com
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2215297/california-plans-world-largest

Solar energy specialist OptiSolar yesterday revealed plans to build the world’s largest solar farm at a site in California stretching over nearly ten square miles.  If planning approval is granted the 550MW facility will be some 40 times larger than the biggest solar farm in operation today and is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 190,000 homes. (more…)

Siemens Advances Sustainability In Sacramento With Renewable Energy at Light Rail Manufacturing Facility – First privately owned company in the Greater Sacramento Area to install a 1 megawatt solar energy system
Sacromento, CA, April 21, 2008
Source: Siemens Transport Systems Inc, press release/PRNewswire
http://press.siemens.us/index.php?s=43&item=894

Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. (STS), part of the Siemens Mobility Division, approved the installation of a 1 megawatt (MW) solar energy system at its Sacramento light rail manufacturing facility to be completed by mid- to late-October 2008. STS is the first privately owned company in California’s capitol to install a photovoltaic system of this magnitude — twice the size of any privately installed system in the Sacramento Area. The system is expected to generate 29,664,213 kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity over the first 20 years and is equal to approximately 150 average-size residential solar panel systems. (more…)

by Staff Writers, Washington DC (SPX) Apr 24, 2008
Source: Energy Daily.com
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/
FedEx_Adds_More_Solar_Powered_Operations_To_Facilities_In_California_999.html

FedEx has announced that its operating company FedEx Freight has completed the installation of a solar-electric system in Whittier, Calif., and is nearing completion on a similar solar-powered facility in Fontana, Calif. Both systems will provide a substantial portion of the facilities’ peak energy needs.  The 282 kilowatt (kW) solar power system in Whittier has the capacity to produce over 414,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each year, providing almost 40 percent of the facility’s annual energy needs and significantly reducing the service center’s dependence on the electric grid. The Whittier terminal employs about 500 workers and serves the East Los Angeles area. (more…)

Mark LaPedus, EE Times
San Jose, CA, April 21, 2008
Source: EETimes
http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207400875

Solar startup eSolar Inc., a producer of ”scalable” solar thermal power plants, has closed $130 million in funding from several investors, including search-engine giant Google.  Investors in the startup include Idealab, Google.org, Oak Investment Partners and others. In total, Google and its investment arm, Google.org, have invested $10 million in eSolar.  The funding will be used for the construction and deployment of the company’s pre-fabricated power plants. Esolar’s distributed solar thermal plants achieve economies of scale at 33 megawatts (MW), according to the company. (more…)

Large Scale Solar Generation to Become Reality
Source: Stirling Energy Systems, Inc press release / 17 April 2008
http://www.stirlingenergy.com/downloads/
17-April-2008-Stirling-Energy-Systems-Announces-$100-Million-Investment-by-NTR-plc.pdf

Stirling Energy Systems, Inc. (SES), a Phoenix-based developer of utility-scale solar powered  electricity generation plants, today announces an agreement for NTR plc, a leading  international developer and operator in renewable energy and sustainable waste management,  to invest $100 million and take a controlling interest in the company.  SES is developing two of the world’s largest solar generating projects in the Imperial Valley
and Mojave Desert to bring clean, renewable power to Southern California. The partnership with NTR provides SES with the financial strength and commercial expertise to deliver these projects. (more…)

By Matt Nauman, Mercury News /April 22, 2008
Source: (Silicon Valley) Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/greenenergy/ci_9011289

A Pasadena company with plans to make small-scale solar power plants announced Monday it had raised $130 million, including money from Google’s charity wing.  ESolar said it would use the money from Google.org, Idealab and Oak Investment Partners to make and install prefabricated solar-thermal power plants near towns and cities. The company said its plants will generate up to 33 megawatts, typically enough power for up to 25,000 California homes, and that several of these plants could be connected to create a larger facility. (more…)

Govt of India sanctioned projects for installation of 1500 kWp capacity of grid connected solar photovoltaic power plants
Source: Govt of India press release /April 25, 2008
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=38004

During the Tenth Five Year Plan period, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had sanctioned projects for installation of 1500 kWp capacity of grid connected solar photovoltaic power plants in the country and projects for a total capacity of 900 kWp have been installed.
(more…)