Your daily dose of Photovoltaic Technology Developments and Solar News
Top Story
Solar start-ups garner more than half of quarterly greentech VC investments, report says
Solar start-up companies accounted for more than half of the $2.5 billion-plus in venture capital investments made in the final quarter of 2008, according to the latest Venture Power Report issued by Greentech Media. Twenty-nine VC rounds in the solar sector were completed during the quarter, for a total of almost $1.336 billion, outpacing the next busiest sector--ethanol/biofuels/gasification--by a wide margin. The report says that investment numbers should stay strong through 2009, with smart grid, energy storage, and energy efficiency applications as areas of likely focus.
News
Evergreen Solar consolidates facilities, stays on track with solar manufacturing plans
Evergreen Solar said it shipped 8.5 MW of its proprietary String Ribbon photovoltaic modules from its Devens, MA, factory and an additional 3.7 MW from its Marlboro, MA, pilot manufacturing facility during the fourth quarter of 2008, numbers that are in line with its announced expectations in October. The company also said it will consolidate production in its Devens plant.
Despatch gets $5 million order for PV equipment from European solar-cell manufacturer
Despatch Industries has booked a $5 million order for photovoltaic manufacturing equipment with an unnamed European solar-cell manufacturer. The deal is for multiple units of the process tool company's newest generation of multilane firing infrared furnaces.
Yingli Green Energy wins 15MW module supply deal with German industrial PV integrator
German industrial PV systems integrator, GOLDBECK Solar has signed a 15MW module supply contract with Yingli Green Energy for 2009. Yingli said that GOLDBECK Solar could purchase a further 58MW of modules in 2009.
Juwi completes 40MW Waldpolenz plant
The juwi group announced the completion of the Waldpolenz energy park in Brandis, in eastern Germany, ahead of schedule in December 2008. The 40MW plant has a surface area of more than 100 hectares and consists of over half a million thin-film modules supplied by First Solar. Juwi acted as general contractor, overseeing the site’s construction, planning and logistics management.
Solar Power, Inc. places 60MW solar cell order with JA Solar
Toshiba enters photovoltaic systems integration market
1GW solar power plant planned in China
Taiwan’s AU Optronics to enter thin film solar market
Blogs
Acciona’s Portuguese PV plant may be big, but one of the numbers just doesn’t add up
The newly activated photovoltaic power plant run by Acciona Energy in Portugal, with its 46 MWp capacity, sets the bar higher than ever for ground-based solar farms. With more than 262,000 crystalline-silicon-based modules deployed on some 2500 tracker arrays spread out over 250 hectares (that's alot of soccer pitches), the installation is physically very impressive--a heady holiday gift for the entire renewables community. But one of the numbers cited in the company's press release strains credulity, because it's flat-out wrong. Unfortunately, most of the media reports about the project just picked up the erroneous info without blinking--or thinking.
Solar deal stirs controversy in L.A., while EuPD and Applied Materials show their charitable sides
A news story in the Los Angeles Times reports that a consultant's study casts doubt on the economics of upcoming local ballot Measure B, a key component of the Solar L.A. initiative. On the brighter side, EuPD Research and Applied Materials both show their charitable sides during the holiday season.
Solar Santa: Ohio doles out millions in development dollars to local PV companies
Recession, what recession? Cavalcade of solar PV, renewable investments total billions in a day
Wal-Mart continues solar push with thin-film, building-integrated PV initiative
Going Places
JA Solar rings in New Year with new CFO
JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. has brought on board a new Chief Financial Officer to steer the company’s finances for 2009 and beyond. Anthea Chung will replace Daniel Lui as CFO, while Mr. Lui switches roles to become the company's new chief strategy officer, in which role he will pursue strategic business opportunities worldwide. Ms. Chung joins JA Solar from her former CFO role at Solar Enertech Corp.
Legal expert Hoil Kim joins GT Solar as General Counsel
GT Solar International, Inc. has added Hoil Kim’s 20 years’ expertise in the legal and business field to its team by enlisting him as Vice President and General Counsel. Reporting to company President and CEO, Tom Zarrella, Mr. Kim replaces Edwin (Ned) L. Lewis who has decided to depart the company to pursue other opportunities.
Solar Fabrik names Weinberger to replace Paradeis as CEO
Solar Fabrik has named semiconductor industy veteran Günter Weinberger to replace Christoph Paradeis as the company's CEO, effective Dec. 31. Weinberger comes to the solar module and systems manufacturer from Sandbridge Technologies, where he was president/CEO.
Product Briefings
Top 5 new product reviews of 2008
In our first full year online, we have steadily increased the number of new products we have reviewed and also seen the new products section gain increasingly greater traffic levels throughout the year. Looking through the traffic numbers, we have identified the Top 5 most popular reviews of new products for your enjoyment.
New Product: Newport’s PV ‘IsoStation’ designed to reduce reflected light impact
Product Briefing Outline: Newport Corporation has introduced the latest addition to its industry-leading portfolio of Photovoltaic development solutions – the PV ‘IsoStation’ Series Workstations. Newport’s PV IsoStation Workstation is a, 36”x 60” ergonomic workstation specifically designed for PV test and development applications. It features integrated storage and shelving for instruments, solar simulators and other devices and a specially treated worksurface that reduces light reflectivity by a factor of six compared to typical optical table surfaces. The PV IsoStation workstation is ideal for a wide range of photovoltaic applications.
New Product: Silicon Genesis produces 150um ‘Kerf-free’ PV wafers
Product Briefing Outline: Silicon Genesis has successfully produced solar substrates for the PV industry using its ‘kerf-free’ wafering process technology called ‘PolyMax’. The company has started production of the first ever kerf-free 150um solar-cell substrates at its new solar development and pilot production facility. In addition to saving poly, the wafers are claimed to be significantly more resistant to breakage than conventional wafers using its proprietary equipment.
Recruitment News
GT Solar starts breaking ground for expansion
ECN and partners set up Solar Academy
Oerlikon Solar to start skilled recruitment drive
