Patricia Johnson

Trina Solar announced its estimated financial results for both the fourth quarter and the full year 2008. For the fourth quarter, the company expects total net revenues to surpass its previous guidance range of US$190-210 million, with a positive net operating cash flow at about US$60 million. They also expect their short-term debt to be reduced by about US$41-249 million and a non-cash inventory provision between US$16 and 18 million.

SunPower Corp. has completed construction of its 350kW solar power installation on the Crowne Plaza Hotel rooftop in Alice Springs, Australia, the largest roof-mounted solar power system on the continent. Invest North Pty Ltd. is the owner of the project.

Corus Colors and Dyesol held their third milestone meeting for their collaborative project last Wednesday at the PV Accelerator. The companies are working together to develop product, processes and facilities that will produce Dye Solar Cells (DSC) integrated onto strip steel in a coil coating line.

Arava Power, a joint venture of Kibbutz Ketura and foreign backers led by Yosef Abramowitz, announced that is has won approval from the Israel Electric Company (IEC) to build an 80MW solar PV field on kibbutz land in the Arava. IEC issued its approval once it had determined that it could run a line from the Arava to the national grid.

Schneider Electric subsidiary Xantrex Technology, Inc. has announced the launch of the Xantrex GT500E and the Xantrex GT250E Three Phase Grid Tie Solar Inverters for the Italian market.

Adept Technologies, Inc. has signed Eagle Technologies Group as its newest Preferred Packaging Partner (PPP) in order to together improve robotic packaging solutions in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer goods markets. The PPP program is intended to provide customers with access to an experienced channel for Adept’s major high-speed robotics initiative in the North American packaging market.

Solar Energy Initiatives, Inc., which markets solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies, have appointed David W. Fann as CEO and Gregory N. Bakemann as President, who will also continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer.

Yingli Green Energy, a photovoltaic product manufacturer, has appointed Dr. Dengyuan Song as Chief Technology Officer, replacing Dr. Guoxiao Yao, who resigned to pursue other interests. Dr. Song will lead Yingli Green Energy’s research and development initiatives.

Adept Technology, Inc. has announced its financial results for the fiscal 2009 second quarter, ending December 27, 2008. Revenues were down to US$11 million, compared to US$14.4 million in the same period last year and US$14.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009.

Canadian Solar Inc. has opened its new 1500M2 PV Cell Research Center, which is located in the company’s solar cell Fab II in Suzhou. It consolidates the company’s R&D facilities to a single location and is meant to improve the efficiency and production yield of regular polysilicon cells and proprietary solar grade e-cells.