Your daily dose of Photovoltaic Technology Developments and Solar News

Strong demand for its lower cost e-Module products that use 100 percent Upgraded Metallurgical Grade (UMG) Si has seen Canadian Solar (CSI) raise production and revenue projections for 2008. The company said that it has firm orders for 35MW of e-Modules and another 20MW of potential new orders. The sales are to be realized in the second-half of the year, CSI said.  The company estimates that it will ship approximately 10 - 12 MW of e-Modules to USA and South Korea in 2008. Read more >>

Intel Corporation has spun off solar cell technology developed in-house under its New Business Initiatives group that is designed to stimulate new businesses from Intel employees. The start-up is called SpectraWatt, with the lead investor being Intel Capital. Other investors in the $50 million round include Goldman Sachs, PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund (“CETF”) and German module manufacturer Solon AG, presumably an expected customer of SpectraWatt. How much Intel or the other partners actually invested was not made clear. Read more >>

Spire Corporation has said that customer demand has prompted the company to develop and introduce a combined photovoltaic cell and module production line capable of producing 25MW per annum. The company said that it would introduce the new turnkey line at the Intersolar trade show in Munich, Germany this week. Read more >>

Tempress Systems, a division of Amtech Systems has received a follow-on order from an existing customer and initial orders from two new customers, all based in Asia, the company said. The orders amount to $8.5 million for Tempress’ diffusion processing systems. Read more >>

Hyundai Heavy Industries is to enter the solar cell manufacturing industry on the back of an order placed with centrotherm photovoltaics AG, for five 50MW turnkey crystalline solar cell manufacturing lines. All five lines (250MW) will be delivered in 2009 to Hyundai’s Eumesong location in South Korea. "It gives us great pleasure to enable a further company to make a successful, industrial entry into the photovoltaics market," commented Robert Hartung, CEO of centrotherm photovoltaics. "Crystalline solar cells remains our strongest area. We are constantly researching improvements in production processes and provide performance guarantees for our turnkey lines... Read more >>

Mentarix Pte., Ltd., a photovoltaic components start-up based in Singapore, has received funding from BAF Spectrum, a seed fund also based in Singapore. BAF Spectrum has bought a 30% stake in Mentarix, which company is developing technology to improve solar cell efficiency by at least 20%. Read more >>

Kyocera has said that it has now converted all of its multicrystalline photovoltaic cell production plants to 180 micrometer wafer thickness, compared to the current industry standard of between 200 to 260 micrometers. Read more >>

Solar cell producer Neo Solar Power has signed a five-year agreement to supply Canadian Solar with several hundred MW of solar cells. The deal, which will carry through until 2013, cost Canadian Solar over US$500 million and builds on Neo Solar and Canadian Solar’s existing supply relationship that has seen the companies collaborate since March 2007. Read more >>

ersol Solar Energy AG has signed a long-term agreement with aleo solar AG to supply the module producer with crystalline silicon solar cells for a 12-year period, beginning in 2008. The contract volume of the agreement is approximately 250MWp and is expected to cost in the region of $3 billion. Read more >>

ReneSola has signed a six-year 525MW wafer supply agreement with Gintech Energy Corporation of Taiwan. The supply agreement is expected to commence by mid-2008. "The recent wafer supply agreement with Gintech further demonstrates our commitment to expanding ReneSola's reach within key markets and strengthens our base of long-term customers," said Mr. Xianshou Li, ReneSola's Chief Executive Officer. Read more >>