Your daily dose of Photovoltaic Technology Developments and Solar News

Suntech Power Holdings has celebrated realising its stated goal in 2008 of reaching its production target of 1GW in both solar cell and module capacity, claiming to be the first to achieve both milestones. Suntech also announced the opening of a new Headquarters in Wuxi, China, its centre for manufacturing, which employs what it claims is the largest building integrated solar façade, producing a grid-connected 1MW.

SpectraWatt, the solar cell spinoff from Intel, has stopped construction on its Hillsboro, OR, manufacturing facility and may seek another plant location because of financing difficulties, according to a news report in the Oregonian. The story says that Andrew Wilson, SpectraWatt's CEO, "confirmed Wednesday that the company had suspended construction plans and was searching inside and outside the state for an existing building to retrofit for less money."

Sharp Corporation is to bring forward the planned production of its next-generation solar thin-film plant, based in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, according to Reuters, which cited a company spokesman. Sharp had planned production to start at the 1GW capacity facility in March 2010, but cited an increase in demand for the revised start, expected by the end of 2009.

Day4 Energy, Inc. has announced the planned cut of approximately 95 people from its workforce in an attempt to improve the company’s cost structure. The Canadian solar module manufacturer said that the cuts would affect the company’s Burnaby, BC production facility, and would incur restructuring costs of approximately $0.7 million. The affected employees would be offered severance and human resource support, according to the company.

Vacuum and abatement company Edwards has become the recipient of the South Korean Government’s “Export Tower Award” for the fourth year in a row. The award celebrates the company’s reaching of $70 million in exports for the year, having met incremental targets of $10M in 2004, $20M in 2006 and $50M in 2007. Presentation of the award took place during South Korea’s “45th Annual Day of the Export,” which event celebrates companies that have contributed to the Korean economy.

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.