Timminco and Q-Cells have reached a new multiyear supply deal for solar-grade silicon, replacing the five-year agreement signed between the two companies in 2008. The new contract calls for deliveries by Timminco to Q-Cells of 100 metric tons of solar silicon for the rest of 2009.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has dedicated a 1-MW photovoltaic power station at the Robert A. Skinner Water Treatment Plant in Riverside County. The 10-acre solar field, which was built by SunPower, will generate about 2.4 million KW-hours of electricity, which will be equivalent to about 25% of the annual power needs of the facility.
The homegrown Russian solar photovoltaic industry appears on the verge of adding significant manufacturing capacity after news that that the Supervisory Council of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies, Rusnano, has approved the corporation's participation in a project to build a million-module-per year, 120-MW panel factory using micromorph-silicon thin-film PV technology provided by Oerlikon Solar.
BTU International has hired industry veteran Jan-Paul van Maaren as its new VP of marketing. He will report directly to company chairman/CEO Paul van der Wansem. Van Maaren is charged with all of BTU's strategic marketing and marketing communications activities, with an initial focus on the firm's solar markets.
Spire has signed up three new companies to represent the solar equipment and turnkey line manufacturer's interests in various parts of the globe: Servo Dynamics in China, Energy Control Systems for Pakistan, and PV Middle East for the Gulf Arab States, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates."
Solar-cell maker Suniva has bought a crack detection system from Ultrasonic Technologies. The Norcross, GA-based manufacturer will use the tool, equipped with fully automatic functions, for incoming quality control of silicon wafers as well as final inspection of its monocrystalline silicon solar cells.
Canadian mining company Semafo said that a partnership with the government of Burkina Faso has been established, with the purpose of conducting a prefeasibility study to explore the possible construction of a 20-MW solar power station in the West African country.
Photovoltaics microinverter innovator Enphase Energy has landed $22.5 million in new financing. The funding round, which was led by Madrone Capital Partners, also includes new investor Bay Partners as well as existing investors Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, and Applied Ventures. Jamie McJunkin, general partner of Madrone, will join the Enphase board.
Gov. David Paterson has announced a plan to add 100 MW of solar photovoltaic projects-- the largest PV initiative in the state of New York. This news comes after the governor's recently announced 50 MW PV project, led by the Long Island Power Authority-- and is the fourth major clean energy initiative that Paterson has unveiled in the last two weeks. Together, these two solar projects-- totaling 150 MW--would position New York as the state with the second-highest installed PV capacity.
Certified Steel, Nexus Properties, and SunPower have agreed to build a 1.2-MW solar power system at Certified's facility in Hamilton, NJ. The system, which should be completed in July, will be the largest installation financed by Public Service Enterprise's (PSE&G) solar loan program so far.
