During its exhibition at the SNEC PV Power Expo 2011, Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates has unveiled its new Solion PV ion implant platform for the Chinese market. Partnering with seven Chinese PV manufacturers, Varian looks to implement its Solion technology into volume manufacturing by mid-year.
In January 2010, the Morris County Improvement Authority (MCIA) of New Jersey distributed US$22.3 million in low-interest government bonds to finance the development of solar installations throughout the county. Partnering with Tioga Energy and SunDurance Energy on the Morris Model pilot program, MCIA has completed the installation of 19 solar projects on 16 school and government facilities in its county. These are the first to be financed through the public-private collaboration and collectively generate 3.1MW of energy for the New Jersey County.
Energiebau Solarstromsysteme has installed one of Africa’s largest solar rooftop systems on the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Trina Solar squeezed a little more module shipments out of the factory gate in 2010 than previously guided. Shipments were approximately 351MW for the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to previous guidance of approximately 300MW, resulting in total 2010 module shipments reaching approximately 1.06GW in 2010.
Last year saw the gases division of The Linde Group capitalise on the solar industry’s growth by securing supply contracts with over 25 new and pre-existing customers in the thin-film and crystalline silicon manufacturing sectors.
Knouse Foods has prides itself on striving to produce quality foods while maintaining an environmentally conscious manufacturing facility. Recently at its Peach Glen, Pennsylvania manufacturing facility Knouse Foods activated a 19-acre project that uses over 14,000 solar panels. The project is owned and operated by the company and is anticipated to supplant more than four million kilowatt hours of purchases electricity yearly.
Baraclit, an Italian prefabricated roofing developer for industrial and commercial industries, is sporting a new 2.5MW solar installation at its SolarLAB2 open-air solar laboratory in Bibbiena, Italy. Canadian Solar and Energy Resources partnered for the project, which aims to be a laboratory used to study the incorporation of photovoltaic technology on prefabricated roofing.
Vertically-integrated Chinese manufacturer JinkoSolar has signed a contract to supply 35MW of its modules to Payom Solar in 2011. The modules are to be used on a range of Payom’s roof-top and ground-mounted projects across the U.S.
Manz Automation will break ground later this week on a new production, technology, and training facility in Suzhou, China. The factory will manufacture equipment for the photovoltaics, FPD, and PCB industries, with 50% devoted to solar tools, said company executives during a press conference held in conjunction with the SNEC trade show in Shanghai. The building will be finished by the end of this year, with production machinery installed early next year and the initial production ramp planned for February 2012.
Motech Industries is the latest company to become a member of PV Cycle, showing the company’s commitment to the environmental aspects of photovoltaic manufacturing by ensuring that its modules are properly recycled in Europe when they reach their “end-of-life.”
