Jon Haines

Sunovia Energy Technologies, Inc. and EPIR Technologies, Inc., the only two solar companies able to grow single-crystal, high-quality cadmium telluride on silicon (CdTe/Si) wafers, have announced the receipt of the US$9 million Defense Department SBIR Phase III contract, permitting the expansion of production capacities of CdTe/Si manufacturing programs.

Solar Limited, a manufacturer of ingots, wafers, cells and PV modules, has completed a 4.7MW facility developed by ErgyCapital.  The modules were supplied to ErgyCapital by Trina Solar and will be installed on the rooftop of the facility.

Hoku Materials, Inc., a subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, Inc., has announced an amendment to the polysilicon supply agreement with Wealthy Rise International, Ltd., a subsidiary of Solargiga Energy Holdings, Ltd., which would reduce the total volume of polysilicon sold to Wealthy Rise by up to US$136 million over 10 years.

Solar Power Partners, Inc. announced that G. Robert Powell will become the company’s Vice President and CFO, David Kunhardt will be named as Vice President of Partnership Finance and Art Athas will be named Vice President of Market Development.

Fraunhofer ISE has announced that Gerhard Stryi-Hipp will take over as Head of Energy Policy and Group Leader of Thermal Collectors and Applications, beginning in July, addressing the company’s need for help in these areas.

Applied Solar, Inc. announced the start-up of the Solar Communities program in San Diego.  This program plans to increase the number of homes using clean solar energy by getting rid of cost by eliminating the most expensive Tier 3 and Tier 4 energy purchases, which usually is at least 60% of the typical San Diego Gas & Electric customer’s yearly bill.

Abound Solar, a private solar company that had previously been known as AVA Solar, has begun the production of cadmium telluride solar panels at its first factory in Longmont, Colorado, hoping to be competitive with companies such as First Solar Inc.  The plant expects to produce 200MW by the middle of next year and annually thereafter.

Solar Thin Films, Inc. and its subsidiary, KRAFT Elektronikai Zrt., announced they have acquired BudaSolar Technologies Co. Ltd. of Budapest, Hungary in the hope of increasing the customer base.

According to its 2008 Annual Report, SOLON continues to be among the fastest growing solar companies in Germany, but due to an unstable market, is expecting moderate growth in 2009.

Manz Automation AG has announced it will be cutting employee hours up to 20% due to less demand at plants in Reutlingen and Tuebingen, Germany.  The company has already cut workers this year in plants in Taiwan, China and Slovakia.