Solar wafer producer PV Crystalox said that it had shipped slightly more solar wafers than had previously guided for 2009, on the back of strong demand at the end of the year. The wafer producer shipped 239MW, up from guidance of 230-235MW provided in November. The company had experienced deferred shipments in the first half of 2009 due to poor demand.
According to new figures from the Cleantech Group and Deloitte, VC investments in companies in the solar sector, reached US$1.2 billion or 21% of the share in 2009, making it the largest ‘Cleantech’ sector for investment. Clean technology venture investments in North America, Europe, China and India totalled US$5.6 billion in 557 deals. However, as these figures are preliminary, the firms expect the final figures could be up by as much as 10%.
Ontario's Hybridyne Power Systems Canada is teaming with Day4 Energy on several new projects using Day4 Energy’s PV modules with its ‘Electrode’ technology, which replaces conventional cell soldering technology to boost conversion efficiencies. The supply contract is for a total of 5.1MW or 23,000 modules for Atlantic Wind and Solar. HPSC will use its own in-house developed PV inverter for the projects, claimed to give up to 30% more kilowatt hours of electricity conversion.
Product Briefing Outline: DuPont has introduced its new ‘Solamet’ PV412 photovoltaic (PV) metallization paste, the latest in a line of silver conductor materials specifically developed for thin film PV technologies. DuPont collaborated with Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (ASTI), a developer of flexible thin-film solar modules, as it developed the new metallization paste.
Matheson Tri-Gas has secured exclusive rights to the global sales and marketing of high purity germane (GeH4) from Gelest to be offered to the electronics and photovoltaic industries. Billed as a joint venture, the partners also plan to expand manufacturing of germane to meet future demand.
Technology used in GE’s wind turbines, is now being applied to large-scale PV systems. Building on a platform of power electronics, monitoring and controls that enhance wind energy grid integration, GE has developed a 600 kW solar inverter, which includes grid-friendly features to deliver performance in large-scale solar installations similar to conventional power plants.
Silicon ink start-up, Innovalight has raised US$18 million in new capital from a wide group of VC firms to expand production of its silicon ink technology as engagements with potential long-term customer’s increases. Innovalight has only publically announced a partnership with JA Solar to develop the ink-based technology and processes required to enter volume production for the China-based PV manufacturer later this year.
Product Briefing Outline: mbj-Solutions is focusing on the development of electroluminescence inspection systems for inline and offline use along the photovoltaic production process. The latest product of mbj-Solutions is an offline solar cell inspection system. The operator can place a solar cell inside a drawer. By closing the drawer the system applies automatically current and voltage to the solar cell and captures an EL image. The image is displayed on the windows user interface. The system allows the user to investigate the solar cell and to discover problems in the production process.
Two material suppliers to the photovoltaics module manufacturing market, Momentive Performance Materials and Targray Technology International have signed an agreement, whereby Targray will distribute Momentive’s silicone potting, sealing and adhesive products on a global basis. The deal also includes co-branding of Momentive’s products for Solar Applications.
Due to the lack of medium-voltage power grids in Italy, S.A.G. Solarstrom is also building a transformer substation as part of the installation of 10 photovoltaic systems with a total output of 9.7 MWp in the South Italian province of Brindisi. The project consists of nine ground-mounted systems each with 999 kWp and one system with 710.4 kWp, making a total output of 9.7 MWp. Construction will start this year, and grid connection is planned in April, 2010. Polycrystalline modules from Yingli Green Energy as well as inverters from SMA will be used.
