Syanne Olson

Blue Square Energy (BSE) announced its production of a 14.6 percent efficiency solar cell using its Bright Point technology. The result is the highest on upgraded metallurgical grade (UMG) silicon and was verified independently by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Working together since 2005, S.A.G. Solarstrom AG and Yingli Green Energy, have confirmed the signing of a contract between the two companies in regards to solar modules. Yingli will supply solar modules with a total output of 36.8MW to Solarstrom starting in 2009. Solarstrom in turn will procure further modules from Yingli at short notice on a purchase option basis.

Sunways AG has announced that Roland Burkhardt (pictured), CEO and founder of the company, will pass his position of CEO and Sunways strategic and operational management to CFO Michael Wilhelm, effective 1 January 2009. Wilhelm will oversee the finance and strategy areas in his new position, while Burkhardt will take over the technology and R&D division.

Dyesol recently opened its newest facility in Shotton, North Wales only a few weeks after its Australian materials manufacturing and equipment design and assembly facility was unveiled. The new photovoltaic accelerator facility is a continuation of the partnership between Dyesol and Corus to step up the commercialisation of Dye Solar Cell (DSC) technology onto steel sheeting building products.

Shuichi Fujii has been designated by Dow Corning as Global Major Market Leader for Feedstock and Active Device Products in its Solar Market Business Unit. He will also be the Solar Market Business Unit leader for Dow Corning Toray Co., Ltd., which is a joint venture between Dow Corning and Toray Industries.

Oerlikon Solar recently chose Robert Gattereder for the newly created position of Senior VP New Business where he will be expanding the business opportunities for the company. He brings over 15 years of operational experience with global industrial companies and has held senior management positions in finance, procurement, marketing and business development in the solar industry and industrial infrastructure.

Sixtron has recently announced the selection of Bates M. Marshall as Vice President for Sales and Marketing, beginning immediately. Marshall carries with him near 15 years of sales and marketing experience in the semiconductor, solar, flat panel display and related markets.

AXT, Inc., a company that manufacturers compound semiconductor substrates, publicized its charter membership in the CPV Consortium, a global industry organization that aids the growth and long-term success of the concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) industry with the aim to provide a low-cost, dependable source of energy. APX joins 3M, Concentrix, Emcore, ISFOC, Isofoton, Solfocus and Veeco as members.

Three North Carolina companies have come together to purchase, build, own and operate a former landfill for a large-scale solar energy project in the western part of the state. Progress Energy Carolinas signed an agreement with FLS Energy to purchase the output from a 1 MW solar power plant on the former landfill site that is owned by Evergreen Packaging, Incorporated. FLS will build, own and operate the solar PV project and sell the energy produced back to the utility so that it can be distributed to its customers.

Binghamton University officials, with U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, publicized the $4 million fund for the Binghamton’s Center for Autonomous Solar Power (CASP) making it the newest addition to the University’s existing New York State Center of Excellence in Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging (S3IP). CASP will concentrate on making renewable energy readily accessible as a flexible, large-area and low-cost power source.