Your daily dose of photovoltaic technology developments and solar news

According to Gartner, the Indian Government’s Special Incentive Package Scheme (SIPS), aimed at attracting semiconductor manufacturing investments in India by providing subsidies and tax breaks, is also having a significant impact on the photovoltaic industry. Read more >>

Global Solar Energy has officially opened what it claims to be the largest CIGS solar production plant in the world, located in Tuscon, Arizona. The first phase full-production capacity is set at 40MW. With an expansion set for its plants in Tuscon, Arizona and its new plant in Berlin, Global Solar Energy expects to have a total capacity of 75MW in 2008 and a plan for an addition 100MW capacity by the end of 2009.  “The solar energy market is rapidly growing as a premier choice of alternate energy. CIGS photovoltaic technology provides the market with a new renewable energy option offering the greatest potential for driving... Read more >>

juwi solar GmbH, a renewable energy project company, has signed a letter of intent with CIGS thin film PV manufacturer DayStar Technologies to support the test, evaluation and field installations of its PV modules for large-scale utility power plants. Upon a successful collaboration, juwi solar will commit to purchasing up to 25 percent of DayStar's production through 2011. Read more >>

With silane (monosilane, SiH₄) demand growing by more than 25 percent per annum due to its ubiquitous use across electronics and photovoltaic industries, Air Liquide is to further expand production from 500 tons per year to 2,000 tons per year via a new production plant being built and expected to be operational in 2010. Read more >>

The United States Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has purchased Spire Corporation’s ‘SPI-SUN SIMULATOR’ 4600SLP, the company’s latest model of its Single Long Pulse Solar Simulator technology. The need for the technology is due to the increasing trend in photovolatic module sizes. Read more >>

According to a paper published in Advanced Materials entitled “High Photovoltaic Performance of Inkjet Printed Polymer:Fullerene Blends” by Dr. Stelios A. Choulis, Claudia N. Hoth, Dr. Pavel Schilinsky and Dr. Christoph J. Brabec, all from Konarka Technologies, the company is claiming to be the first to produce inkjet printed organic bulk heterojunction solar cells. Read more >>

SCHOTT Solar has broken ground on its first phase 200,000 square foot facility in the Mesa del Sol region of Albuquerque, New Mexico that will produce photovoltaic modules and receivers for concentrated solar thermal power plants (CSP). Read more >>

With long lead-time thin film equipment such as plasma deposition, sputtering and lasers systems already ordered, XsunX has said that it is in the final stages of site selection for its thin film solar module manufacturing plant to be based in Oregon, USA. Read more >>

Silfab SpA, a start-up solar grade polysilicon producer, currently planning its first plant in Borgofranco d’Ivrea, Italy has awarded the bulk gas supply and services contract for the plant to Rivoira SpA, the Italian subsidiary of Praxair. 
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