In the latest example of increasing CIGS conversion efficiencies, the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has confirmed that Global Solar Energy has achieved 13.2% aperture-area efficiency on a thin-film photovoltaic module integrated with flexible cell-strings from its copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide production line in Tucson, AZ. CEO Jeff Britt told PV Tech that median efficiencies have risen above 11% on the production line and that the company plans to launch its BIPV product line this year. The latest numbers exceed the company's efficiencies announced in September 2009, when NREL said it had measured 15.45% total area conversion efficiencies for the individual cells, and Global Solar had cited record peak efficiencies at the time of 11.7% on its flexible stainless-steel cell strings and median efficiencies between 10 and 11%.
Evergreen Solar has named Scott Gish as its VP of sales and marketing. He comes to the solar manufacturer from Photronics, a semiconductor photomask company where he was VP of global sales and business development.
Hitachi High-Technologies and XeroCoat have entered into a strategic partnership for the distribution of XeroCoat’s antireflective coating solutions for solar photovoltaic modules in Japan and China. The agreement gives HHT, through its energy and environmental solutions unit, the right to resell XeroCoat’s equipment systems and materials into the two key Asian markets. XeroCoat also told PV Tech that it has established a demonstration pilot line at an Asian glass manufacturer.
In what the company calls its largest single order to date, Satcon Technology has signed a global master supply deal with Czech private power utility Energy 21 to deliver 30.5MW of its PowerGate Plus photovoltaic inverters. The Satcon units will be used in 15 solar power systems in the Czech Republic.
The state of Pennsylvania has announced new grants totaling more than $5 million in 13 solar energy projects, which will add more than 4.25MW of photovoltaics installations in 11 counties. The projects have a total value of more than $23 million and will include rooftop, parking structure, and ground-mount systems, ranging in size from 20KW to 1MW, to be deployed at schools, condos, businesses, and other commercial and industrial sites.
Despite an expected higher level of solar module shipments, Canadian Solar has been forced to reduce its previously issued gross margin guidance for the fourth quarter because of what the company describes as “higher processing costs and lower yields caused by certain defective production equipment” at its new ingot and wafer production facilities in Luoyang, China. The vertically integrated solar manufacturer says that it “is in the process of correcting these issues with the equipment vendor.” Sources say the company in question is a locally based tool supplier.
eSolar and Ferrostaal have formed a partnership to deploy turnkey concentrating solar thermal power plants in Spain, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and other unnamed countries. Under the terms of the deal, eSolar will provide solar field and receiver technology, while Ferrostaal will provide the power block as well as manage the overall realization as general contractor, including financing activities.
Enphase Energy has hired Sanjeev Kumar as its new CFO. Kumar, who will be the PV microinverter company's first chief financial officer, brings more than 15 years of experience in global renewable and traditional energy markets.
Day4 Energy has signed a 10MW solar module supply frame agreement with southern German integrator Solera sunpower. The deal marks the latest expansion in the two companies' business relationship, which began in 2009.
Two months after ECN and REC claimed the highest conversion efficiency for multicrystalline-silicon solar modules, Kyocera has topped their mark and set a new world record. The Japanese company says it has achieved 16.6% total-area module efficiency, with an aperture-area efficiency of 17.3%, besting the Europeans' previous aperture-area record of 17%.
