Following the company’s recent receipt of IEC certification for its solar modules by VDE Laboratories, Solar Power, Inc. has completed a sale to a prominent German solar integrator. The first supply of 200W solar panels associated with this deal took place in early December 2008, and the panels are expected to be used in the unnamed integrator’s Germany-based installation projects.
Amtech Systems, Inc. has revealed that its subsidiary, Tempress Systems, Inc. has received two new orders for its diffusion processing system, worth a total of $5 million. The orders consist of one in Asia, for multiple systems, and another from a solar research and development institute in Europe.
Accompanying the news of its appointment of a new CFO, JA Solar has announced that it has agreed to supply 60MW of polycrystalline PV cells to Solar Power, Inc. (SPI) in 2009, with the supply taking effect immediately. The one-year supply agreement will comply with Solar Power’s monthly cell requirements and will see the cells used in the production of SPI’s solar modules for distribution in Europe, Asia, and for turnkey systems in the United States.
Several of the most popular stories in the Power Generation section of PV-Tech were related to research on new technologies for the improvement of cell efficiencies. A very recent report by Greentech Media on First Solar’s apparent achievement of grid parity created ripples throughout the industry. Mark Bachman, a senior research analyst with Pacific Crest, presented his aggregated numbers via the report that claimed that First Solar has indeed reached the grid parity mecca.
According to Greentech Media’s report, it seems that First Solar has managed to achieve grid parity with its 12.6MW system in the Nevada desert, installed for Sempra Generation. Mark Bachman, a senior research analyst with Pacific Crest and a specialist in cleantech energy, has aggregated the numbers in the Greentech Media report.
Nanjing-based China Sunergy Co., Ltd. has brought four high-efficiency SE solar cell manufacturing lines into commercial production at a ceremony held to celebrate the commencement of China Sunergy’s 3rd stage production. The door of the 3rd stage production lines was opened to visitors on the day, with attendees including China Sunergy executives Tingxiu Lu, Chairman, Dr. Allen Wang, CEO, and Dr. Jianhua Zhao, CTO.
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi is aiming to be the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste, car-free city powered entirely by renewable energy sources. This ambitious goal is being driven by the Masdar Initiative, a strategic endeavour by Abu Dhabi to spread the dogma of sustainability and clean energy throughout the city’s dwellers, industries and utilities.
SolFocus has announced that it has signed an agreement that will see the concentrated phovotoltaic technology company work with engineering company Samaras Group on the construction of a 1.6MW installation. SolFocus’s Madrid-based European operation base is expected to expand to incorporate a subsidiary in Greece following the announcement.
At the 2008 IEDM in San Francisco, Dr. Mark Pinto, CTO for Applied Materials was awarded The J.J. Ebers Award for outstanding contribution to the semiconductor industry. Presented by the IEEE Electron Devices Society, the J.J. Ebers award was established in 1971 and is given in commemoration of Jewell James Ebers, whose work on electron devices helped shape current technologies. The award is considered one of the technical community’s most prestigious awards.
Amtech Systems, Inc. has named Fokko Pentinga as the Managing Director of the company’s European division. Amtech Europe comprises Tempress Systems in Vaassen, the Netherlands, and R2D Automation in Montpellier, France, both of which are subsidiaries of Amtech Systems, Inc. Mr. Pentinga joins Amtech from his former role as General Manager of Tempress Systems, where he served for over 14 years.
