Kyocera’s new “Solar Power Expo” website has been created with the goal to educate all ages about the use of solar power and promote how solar energy can help tackle the environmental problems that the world faces daily. The user friendly and interactive site gives visitors the faux experience of attending an outdoor solar power exposition. Five different “pavilions” allow the solar tourist to engage in activities that introduce solar power, Kyocera’s history in solar power and environmental activities.
Petra Solar has been concentrating on taking its business to a more international level and as part of its initiative the company has planned to open a research and development center in Amman, Jordan. Petra Solar has been working with companies based in the Middle East and expects for its new R&D center to more easily facilitate a partnership with companies in the region.
SolarPrint has formally introduced its dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technology, which is combined with wireless sensors to yield better efficiencies on commercial applications. Per the company, its new DSSC technology imitates photosynthesis and has the ability to collect ambient or diffused light, despite the incident angle, which allows for a higher power output.
Elkem Silicon Materials (polysilicon) and Elkem Solar (solar wafers) are part of a business divesture plan of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla to primarily state-owned Chinese chemical firm, China National Bluestar. The US$2 billion all-cash transaction also includes Elkem’s aluminium and carbon’s businesses. Completion of the deal is expected during the first half of 2011.
Amtech Systems has announced its preliminary results for Q1 of the new fiscal year, including record-breaking revenue and pre-sale figures. Q1, which ended on December 31, delivered revenue of US$52 million, bookings of approximately US$134 million, and an order backlog of US$172 million.
5N Plus, a producer of high-purity metals, compounds and wafers for electronic applications, has converted its US$3 million debenture with Sylarus Technologies into a 66.67% majority interest. 5N has also agreed to provide additional funding of US$766,000 in the form of secured debt, to enable the repayment of short-term debt contracted by Sylarus.
The Finnish cleantech company, Beneq, has newly received a combined €9 million investment from Finnish Industry Investment, Via Venture Partners and other private investors. Beneq is known as a supplier of production and research equipment for nano-scale thin-film coatings and developed the nAERO aerosol-assisted process. nAero is a deposition method that allows for production of low-haze and high-haze transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings for in-line and off-line coated products. The company is presently shifting from its piloting to industrial production phase.
In the fast-track to become integrated PV manufacturer’s, major U.S.-based firms such as First Solar, Sunpower, and SunEdison are rapidly closing on major PV project developers from Germany, according to a recent survey from market research firm IMS Research.
SunPower has signed a power purchase agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE) to build and operate three plants with a total capacity of 711MW in California. The 325MW and 276MW facilities in Rosamond and 110MW Los Banos plant will all use SunPower’s 425-watt panels, T0 Tracker and Oasis power block.
CNPV marked the end of 2010 by unveiling its largest Chinese project to date. The 7MW plant in Dongying, Shandong Province, which cost an estimated US$25 million, was officially opened on December 29, 2010 at a ceremony attended by dignitaries including Dongying’s mayor, Li Jinkun.
