Your daily dose of photovoltaic technology developments and solar news
Top Story
Exclusive: PV in the USA—The current incarnation of tech incubation at NREL
Don’t let anyone tell you that the level of technological innovation and the amount of manufacturing capacity across the photovoltaics sector are on the wane in the United States. My own eyes and ears tell me otherwise. Since March, I have toured some 25 research, development, pilot, and volume production facilities in various parts of the country. During my recent daylong visit to one of those sites, the National Renewable Energy Lab in Colorado, I spoke with Martha Symko-Davies and Brian Keyes, cocaptains of the Department of Energy’s PV Technology Incubator program. The pair discussed how the current solicitation differs from past rounds and how the program works to help accelerate technology commercialization.
News
ECN receives IEC 61215 certification for MWT module
ECN has achieved the IEC 61215 industry standard certification for its metal wrap through (MWT) module technology. The certification was awarded in collaboration with an undisclosed solar photovoltaics company as part of a joint research framework agreement.
Fraunhofer ISE starts operation at megawatt laboratory for photovoltaics inverters
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg has now begun operations at its 250m2 megawatt laboratory for photovoltaics inverters. The facility is currently the only laboratory in Europe where manufacturers can commission certification, in accordance with the medium-voltage grid codes that have applied since July 1st 2010, of inverters with a power rating of up to 1MW.
Sanyo is first to sign binding participation agreement with PV CYCLE
Sanyo Component Europe has become the first manufacturer to sign a binding participation agreement with PV CYCLE; the company which recycles end of life photovoltaic modules. This contract is a legally binding form which requires Sanyo to contribute a share to the financing of the scheme, thereby ensuring reliable funding of the collection and recycling operation.
Project Focus: Conergy signs 32MW framework agreement in Greece
Hamburg-based Conergy has signed a contract for the construction of a further 20 solar power plants in Greece. The 32MW framework agreement, which is the largest to date in the country, will be completed in partnership with a local investor. Dieter Schmitt, the head of Conergy Greece said, "In terms of maintaining and expanding our market leadership in Greece, this is the most important milestone to date."
LDK Solar completes first production line of solar cells at Xinyu City facility
LDK Solar has successfully completed the installation and trial runs of the first production line of solar cells in its newly installed manufacturing facility in Xinyu City. The solar cell manufacturing line has a present annualized capacity of 60MW; however this figure is expected to reach 120MW by the end of the third quarter of 2010.
PNM gets NM Public Regulations Commission approval for 22MW of utility-scale solar installation
Noveda Technologies’ SunFlow chosen for PSE&G’s New Jersey solar installations
Project Focus: NexGen and Bella Energy score RFP for Salt Lake County solar installation
LDK Solar sues Canadian Solar for breach of contract
Blogs
Cuts conundrum: investigating likely feed-in tariff changes worldwide
As we move further into 2010 the news of feed-in tariff cuts is becoming less and less surprising. Following the announcement this week that France plans to cut its subsidy rates for projects over 30m2, Bloomberg New Energy Finance has reported that this move may be followed by similar incisions in countries such as the Czech Republic, Ontario and the UK.
Countries all over the world are being faced with the issue of falling photovoltaics prices, coupled with looming CO2 emissions targets. When the cost of installing solar power falls, the amount of interest in this technology increases, and consequently the cost of subsidy payments is passed on to the consumer through their electricity bill.
Read more >>Solar slashing: France’s solar feed-in tariff to be cut by up to 12% - updated
Local press reports in France have pointed towards feed-in tariff cuts for solar power installations. The French government is expected to follow the trend in solar slashing to keep its policy in line with the massive price drops apparent across the industry.
PV equipment makers rejoice as cell expansions exhibit strong growth, technology diversification
This guest blog was written by Solarbuzz senior analyst, Finlay Colville
In contrast to the cloud of uncertainty prevailing over much of the thin-film equipment supply chain today, recent quarterly results within the c-Si segment from the likes of Centrotherm, Roth and Rau, Manz Automation, Applied Materials, and Amtech suggest sunny times lie ahead for these leading c-Si tool suppliers.
Read more >>Chinese solar in the Land of Lincoln: Wanxiang opens PV module line, partners on 62MW power plant
The Wanxiang Group may be a familiar name to those in the automotive parts supply business, but the multibillion-dollar Chinese conglomerate has stayed off—or at least on the screen-edge of—most solar PV observers’ radar. Yet the company is one of the largest solar silicon ingot and wafer producers in China. It also started a cell and module business in 2005, with plans to get to 300MW of capacity in the next year or so. Wanxiang has been operating in the U.S. for awhile, with more than 4000 employees, but had not dipped its toe in the Stateside solar pond until recently.
Rasta gone solar: Reggae band Steel Pulse donates song download for Haitian PV projects
Solar short takes: AQT skeptic speaks out, SMA America ramps production, mainstream media missteps
First Solar, please go to the back of the queue
Homegrown produce: DOE waives vague ‘Buy American’ provisions, facilitates more U.S.-made solar
PV module costs and prices–what is really happening?
Going Places
Ascent Solar founder, director retires after 16 years of service
Ascent Solar has revealed that its chairman, Dr. Mohan Misra, will be retiring from his position on the board of directors, effective December 31, 2010. Misra's decision to step down comes due to family commitments and other, undisclosed personal reasons. The company's current director, Dr. Amit Kumar will fill the position.
Sputnik strengthens management team with two additions to the board
Swiss solar inverter manufacturer, Sputnik Engineering is expanding it management team with the appointment of Christoph Biedermann and Dr. Martin Zwyssig to the company's management board.
Veeco Instruments welcomes Johannes Segner as CTO; announces solar technical seminar at EU-PVSEC
Not only has Veeco Instruments welcomed Dr. Johannes Segner as its new chief technology officer for their solar equipment segment, but the company also announced that at its solar technical seminar on September 6, 2010, at EU-PVSEC in Valencia, Spain, Segner will be presenting “Designing a Best-of-Breed CIGS Thermal Deposition Factory, Lessons Learned & Futures Considerations.” Veeco will be highlighting its solar manufacturing equipment at the September 6-9 tradeshow.
Product Briefings
New Product: Watlow improves solar cell thermal processing with precise control of tungsten lamps
Product Briefing Outline: Watlow has expanded the EZ-ZONE ST integrated controller family to include phase angle power switching and increased load current capabilities. The upgraded EZ-ZONE ST features single-phase solid-state relay output up from 40 to 75A and phase angle power switching with soft start to prevent high in-rush currents, load failure or blown fuses during solar cell thermal processing.
New Product: Craic Technologies’ 20/20 PV microspectrometer measures thickness of thin-film optical
Product Briefing Outline: Craic Technologies has launched the 20/20 PV Microspectrometer, which is designed to measure UV-visible NIR-range transmission, absorbance, reflectance, and emission and fluorescence spectra of sample areas smaller than a micron in width. The thickness of thin films and colour spaces can also be determined. The 20/20 PV system is claimed to be the most powerful instrument from Craic Technologies.
New Product: GXS dry pump from Edwards improves process throughput for crystal puller and laminator
Product Briefing Outline: Edwards has developed a new GXS dry pump designed to support pumping requirements for silicon ingot manufacturing and laminator applications in the solar industry. The GXS dry pump can operate on as little as 3.9kW of input power (depending on the pump version) and is said to use 57% less energy than competing piston pumps.
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