Solar Cells Info

May 8, 2007
Source: Theage.com.au
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/8000-solar-power-subsidy-for-homes/2007/05/08/1178390288210.html

The federal government will set up a climate change adaptation centre and subsidise solar power in homes as part of $741 million in spending over five years to counter the threat of global warming. Heritage sites like the Great Barrier Reef will also benefit from a $2 billion flagship program managing the environment.  And $10 billion will be spent over 10 years on its landmark plan to secure Australia’s water resources.  At a cost of $126 million, the adaptation centre will lead national research into adapting to climate change, support practical action in vulnerable sectors and manage risks in partnership with other groups, the government said.
(more…)

The country hopes to become a leader in exporting technology for generating electricity.
Craig Whitlock / Washington Post,
ESPENHAIN, Germany, May 8, 2007
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/NATION/705090311/1020/NATION

When it opened here in 2004 on a reclaimed mining dump, the Geosol solar plant was the biggest of its kind in the world. It is so clean and green that it produces zero emissions and so easy to operate that it has only three regular workers: plant manager Hans-Joerg Koch and his two security guards, sheepdogs Pushkin and Adi.

The plant is part of a building boom that has made gloomy-skied Germany the unlikely global leader in solar-generated electricity. Last year, about half of the world’s solar electricity was produced in the country. Of the 20 biggest photovoltaic plants, 15 are in Germany, even though it has only half as many sunny days as countries such as Portugal.
(more…)

By Prague Daily Monitor, 9 May 2007
This story is from the Czech News Agency (ČTK).
http://launch.praguemonitor.com/en/80/czech_business/6126/

Prague, May 8 (CTK) – Solar power plants in the Czech Republic generated a record amount of electricity thanks to the sunny weather in the first two months of spring this year, CTK has learned from their operators.  The country’s largest solar power plant, in Busanovice, south-western Bohemia, generated double the planned amount of electricity in April.
(more…)

Calistoga, Calif. – April 3, 2007
Premier Power press release
http://www.premierpower.com/solar_energy_company/pr_story.php?mid=8

Premier Power completes a 220 kW solar electric system for Château Montelena. Comprised of two solar electric systems, the solar arrays provide up to 100% of the site’s annual energy needs.  As responsible stewards of Napa Valley, Château Montelena aspires to conserve and protect the environment in all aspects of their operations. One of the ways Château Montelena realized they could conserve energy and preserve the environment, was to generate electricity using the sun’s energy.
(more…)

Project will feature made-in-Washington solar panels
BELLEVUE, Wash. – May 8, 2007
Source: Puget Sound Energy /press release
http://www.pse.com/insidePSE/newsPSEpicksEISolutions.aspx

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) (utility subsidiary of Puget Energy) today announced that EI Solutions will design and construct for PSE the Pacific Northwest’s largest solar-power generating facility alongside the utility’s Wild Horse wind-farm in central Washington. PSE plans to begin construction of the solar project in June, and have most of its power-generating panels in operation before the end of 2007.

EI Solutions, based in San Rafael, Calif., topped a field of 12 finalists to build for PSE a $3.7 million, 500-kilowatt (kw) solar-power generating facility. It not only will be the Northwest’s largest solar-powered system, but also will be the first commercial installation to use made-in-Washington solar panels.
(more…)

By Choe Sang-Hun, International Herald Tribune,  May 10, 2007
source:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/05/10/work_to_begin_on_worlds_biggest_solar_power_plant/

SEOUL — South Korea plans to break ground for the world’s biggest solar power plant today as it tries to diversify its power sources and use cleaner energy.   The $170 million plant, along with the world’s largest tidal power plant already under construction off the country’s west coast, is part of an aggressive effort to seek new and renewable energy sources amid rising global concern about reducing the emission of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
(more…)

Source:  BBC News /April 29, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6600213.stm

More than 100,000 people in rural India have benefited from an innovative loan scheme that helps families buy home solar power systems, the UN has said. The $1.5m project, led by the UN Environment Programme (Unep), supports Indian bankers who offer finance to people who want to purchase a unit.
(more…)

Princeton, NJ – April 2, 2007
Source: Premier Power /press release
http://www.premierpower.com/solar_energy_company/pr_story.php?mid=7

Princeton University’s Engineering Quadrangle Building is now serving as the host site for two photovoltaic systems. The Engineering Building project will demonstrate new technologies developed to utilize the power of the sun as a clean and efficient source of renewable energy. By combining their engineering and manufacturing expertise Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. and Princeton Power Systems were able to deploy two unique solar power arrays at this prestigious educational facility.

(more…)

Karachi, 20 April 2007
Source: Associated Press of Pakistan
http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8001&Itemid=2

A leading UAE based, Dhabian Group of Companies will set up a manufacturing unit to produce high quality but cheaper small solar and wind power plants in Gwadar industrial area. This was stated by the Khalfan Saeed Al-Mazrui, Chairman, Dhabian Group and Director General, private department of Shaikh Nahyan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of UAE here Friday. He said that Norwegian technology will be used to produce small solar and wind power plants which cost around $ 1000 each.

Each plant will generate electricity, sufficient to cater to the requirements of one village at a low cost.  Local production of these plants will further reduce the cost due to cheaper local labour, he added. These plants will be installed in the villages of Balochistan and Sindh where electricity has yet not reached.  Al-Mazrui said that he had been told that 40,000 villages in Pakistan were without electricity.
(more…)

UK’s CIS Solar Tower garners 390-kilowatts from the sun

Apr 21st 2007, by Darren Murph
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/21/

We’re not entirely sure if Manchester’s CIS Solar Tower will be the world’s grandest solar tower, but in terms of buildings have moved beyond the drawing board, it definitely packs a punch. Reportedly, the flaky construction led to dilapidating walls, which were then replaced by a much greener solution — 7,244 Sharp 80W photovoltaic panels, to be precise. Curiously, only 4,898 of the modules are actually functional, but they still soak up enough sunlight to generate 390-kilowatts of energy, or in layman’s terms, enough juice to “power 1,000 PCs for a year.” Additionally, the roof is home to two dozen wind turbines that generate 10-percent of the total power used in the building. Of course, such an endeavor did ring up at a steep £5.675 million ($11.4 million), but we’re pretty certain this solar panel makeover was concerned with matters other than dollars and cents.
(more…)