In direct response to its high order volumes, centrotherm photovoltaics is investing in an expansion of its Blaubeuren, Germany headquarters. The current 247,569-square-foot facility’s area will be increased to 333,681 square feet with a double-digit million euro price tag. Production at Blaubeuren includes the manufacturing of tube furnaces for phosphorous diffusion and batch-type systems for anti-reflective coating of solar cells.
SunPower and Xcel Energy have completed and commissioned the 19MW Greater Sandhill solar power plant in Colorado’s Alamosa County. Utilizing SunPower’s Tracker system, the PV power plant began to produce electricity at the end of December 2010.
Monocrystalline solar wafer manufacturer Comtec Solar System Group has finalized and released their financial results for the 2010, posting record revenue and wafer shipment totals for the year. The company cites high demand and a better pricing environment led to their improved financial results. Revenue for 2010 was US$155.15 million (RMB1.02 billion), compared to 2009’s US$77.08 million (RMB506.8 million). Comtec’s total shipments, including sales and processing services, were 175.3MW in 2010, representing a year-long sales volume of 165.5MW – the company’s highest shipments in its history.
Photon Consulting’s soon-to-be released report, “Solar Power Markets: Eastern Sunrise” has compiled analysis prompting the company to predict that the Asia-Pacific region holds the biggest sustainable, global growth opportunity for solar energy through 2015. The market study details how the region’s PV economics, cumulative economic growth curve and electricity needs have primed the area for impressive PV expansion over the next four years.
Natcore Technology has set up shop at MicroTech Systems Fremont, California facility in order to begin work on its first production model of its intelligent liquid phase deposition (LPD) processing station that intends to grow antireflective (AR) coating on silicon wafers. The LPD process grows the AR coating in a warm chemical bath, which is said to eliminate the need for silane, diminish energy needs and lower silicon use.
As Danen works on its second phase of construction for its wafer plant II in Guanyin Shiang, Taoyuan County Taiwan, Bloomberg has reported that the company signed a US$161 million contract with OCI, where Danen will buy polysilicon from the company for seven years.
SolarBridge Technologies has revealed that its Pantheon microinverter has passed all necessary tests and has been granted the safety standard for PV inverters: UL 1741 certification by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). The company claims that this is the first integrated microinverter that comes with a 25-year warranty to receive such certification.
DelSolar has released its approved audited 2010 financial results, showing considerable growth in its revenue from 2009. The company’s total revenue for 2010 was US$397 million, a 168.3% growth over 2009’s revenue. Also seeing an increase from 2009 figures was DelSolar’s net income, which was finalized at US$15 million.
BTU International’s Shanghai, China manufacturing plant has shipped its 3000th thermal processing unit since its opening in February of 2004. During the seven years the plant has been in operation, it has gone through several modifications and expansions, including a 2008 addition of a solar application lab. The plant earned ISO 9001:2008 certification for its observance of high quality standards in 2009.
Dr. Thomas Surek is known as a pioneer of terrestrial PV research who started his 37-year career with his growth of shaped silicon crystals at Harvard University in 1973. Recently, Surek has been appointed to Magnolia Solar’s technical advisory board (TAB) where he will be able to help the company further its promotion of PV systems as an alternative energy source. His experience in the field includes research at Mobil Tyco Solar Energy and a contributor to the large-scale commercialization of the edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) process through his shaped crystal growth of silicon.
