Your daily dose of Photovoltaic Technology Developments and Solar News
Top Story
Global Solar’s CIGS solar PV field may be big, but is it the biggest?
Global Solar Energy is rightly proud of the rows of gleaming panels that make up the new 750-KW solar photovoltaic electric power system sitting on a little more than seven acres of desert across the parking lot and alongside its headquarters production facility in south Tucson, AZ. The copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide thin-film PV purveyor's own strings of flexible CIGS cells reside in each of the 6600 ground-mounted modules, which were assembled nearby at Solon's 60-MW North American manufacturing site. The company says it's the biggest TFPV array of its kind, but is it?
News
Sembawang Engineers to build thin-film solar module plant
It has been reported that Sembawang Engineers & Constructors is going to venture into its first renewable energy project. According to Reuters, the company, a subsidiary of India-listed Punj Lloyd Group, will build an S$250 million plant in Brunei for thin-film solar modules.
Conergy completes capital increase with €400 million
Conergy AG has completed its capital increase and is to receive gross issue proceeds of €399.3 million. After one year since the company began its restructuring, it has gained capital structure, which in turn provide a stable foundation for future development.
Suntech, a+f complete two multi-megawatt solar PV power plants in Spain
Photovoltaic module producer Suntech Power Holdings recently completed two solar power plants in Spain in collaboration with a+f GmbH, manufacturer of the SunCarrier single-axis tracker. Suntech supplied approximately half of the panels used in the two installations: an 8.5-MWp plant in Alange and a 7.4-MWp site in Alconera.
Yingli Green expects 60% rise in solar module shipments
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., Ltd. expects its shipments of solar modules to increase by 60% next year stating that the demand for solar panels will more than likely surpass supply even with global economies in upheaval.
Inventux Technologies to mass-produce thin-film modules using Oerlikon’s micromorph technology
aleo solar AG surpasses sales target
Sencera develops 7% efficient thin-film solar cell; receives an added $5.2 million equity investment
Fraunhofer ISE produces solar cells with over 20% efficiency
Blogs
Sharp’s teeth
The news that Sharp and Enel are to build the world's first 1GW thin-film manufacturing plant in Europe (Italy) at a cost of over $1 billion, is a significant move by Sharp to remain a major force within the PV industry. From any angle the move is impressive and bold and reinforces the direction the industry is going, even if that trend is only in its infancy.
Asia Solar, Jianqiao Solar news report raises the question, what’s Mandarin for hype?
A story from JLM Pacific Epoch has put the Chip Shots hyperbole detector into overdrive. The report says that Taiwan-based Asia Solar Ltd. and Hong Kong's Jianqiao Solar have signed government contracts to invest $45 million and $90 million, respectively, thin-film photovoltaic projects in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, China. Even in today's challenging financial environment, a $135 million TFPV play merits attention but does not stretch credulity. But then the numbers, at least those reported, get a bit dicey.
Suntech America’s Roger Efird talks about manufacturing in the U.S., solar supply chain, and more
MiaSolé gets in touch with its inner cap, AMAT makes solar money, and First Solar’s IPO anniversary
Photonic convergence: Earnings season, China PV heebee geebies, CIGS gets Time nod, and more
Going Places
Former California State Senator elected to Premier Power’s Board of Directors
Premier Power Renewable Energy announced its appointment of Kevin Murray, former California State Senator who was a strong advocate for green energy initiatives and played key roles in the authoring and passing of solar legislation. One of Murray’s more noteworthy bills was SB1, “Million Solar Roofs”, which provided over $3 billion to expand the use of solar energy in California.
Founder of the Fraunhofer ISE turns 80 years old
On 29 November 2008, Professor Dr. Adolf Goetzberger, the founder of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, ISE turned 80 years old. In 1976, Goetzberger was well-known semiconductor expert and head of a research institute with 180 employees, but in 1981, he decided to head out on his own and start the Fraunhofer ISE with only 18 employees. Today the ISE has grown to employee more than 800 people for the advancement of solar energy.
SEMI names Jonathan Davis new North America president
SEMI has named a long-time employee as its new president of SEMI North America, appointing Jonathan Davis to succeed Victoria Hadfield, effective Jan. 1, 2009. Davis will assume responsibility for the group's North American programs, products, and services and will be responsible for relationships with SEMI members as well as industry, government, and academia in the region. Hadfield moves on to pursue personal interests but will remain with the trade association in an advisory role.
Product Briefings
New Product: New solar inks from Five Star Technologies offer 80-100 micron grid lines
Product Briefing Outline: Five Star Technologies has introduced the ‘ElectroSperse’ S-series solar inks for use in crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. Five Star’s S-500 series, silver-based conductive inks, will allow solar cell makers to lay out front side grid lines as narrow as 80-100 microns---much thinner than the 120-175-micron width of conventional contacts. The company’s S-600 products--low-bow, lead-free, aluminum-based pastes, intended for back surface field layers--have been designed to co-fire at temperatures compatible with the S-500 silver inks and thus simplify the latter’s adoption.
New Product: TITAN TRACKER designed for high accuracy zenithal tracking
Product Briefing Outline: The TITAN TRACKER 122-219 ATR PRECISION is a new concept in solar trackers and has been developed for flat-plate and high concentrating photovoltaics CPV). It breaks with the usual trend, based on mounted-pole systems, and is claimed to offer improved benefits during the whole life-cycle of the installation.
New Product: 3S XL Laminating Line handles high volume production with 40% cycle-time reduction
Product Briefing Outline: The new 3S Swiss Solar Systems AG XL Laminating Line is designed to provide a fully-automated high volume lamination process of solar modules at highest speed: cycle times can be reduced up to 40%, according to the company. The system has a total capacity of up to 34 modules per hour which equals an annual capacity of up to 60MWp. It combines two vacuum chambers with the patented hybrid heating plate of the 3S Laminator S3622 with a cooling press. The two vacuum chambers are separately controlled in terms of evacuation, ventilation and heating. The system can handle both c-Si and thin film sizes.
