News

SunEdison’s solar energy operations development has seen theappointment of two new Senior Vice Presidents, the company announced.Jubran Whalan (pictured) is to oversee Business Development, while BobGrier has been appointed Senior VP of Engineering, Procurement andConstruction.

Dr. Immo Kötschau has joined centrotherm photovoltaics AG as Directorof Research and Development for the company’s new R&D center inBlaubeuren, Germany. He joins the company from the Hahn-MeitnerInstitute (HMI) in Berlin, where he worked on thin-film processdevelopment.

Sean Shao has tendered his resignation from the post of CFO of TrinaSolar to pursue other interests, it was announced by CEO Jifan Gao(pictured) today. His resignation comes into effect on March 31st,2008, and he will be replaced in the post of CFO on that date by TerryWang, who has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Finance.

Evergreen Solar has signed a second supply agreement with polysilicon supplier DC Chemical, which will bring the agreement’s lifespan through to 2015.

EMCORE has signed a memorandum of understanding with SunPeak Solar forthe provision and installation of between 200MW and 700MW of turnkeysolar power systems for SunPeak’s project in Albuquerque, New Mexico.SunPeak expects construction of the utility scale project to begin inearly 2009.

Amtech Systems has received a further $4.3 million in orders to ship inits fiscal 2008. Since October 1st 2007, Amtech has received solarorders totaling approximately $33 million, the company said. The neworders were placed with its subsidiary Tempress Systems for diffusionprocessing systems, and are from two new German customers and afollow-on order from an existing customer based in the Asia-Pacificmarket.

Trina Solar has provided manufacturing guidance for 2008 and beyondwith the target of achieving cell efficiency rates of approximately 19percent for monocrystalline solar cells by 2010. Importantly, TrinaSolar expects to reduce wafer thickness to 140 microns by 2010 as partof its cost reduction strategies. Multicrystalline cell efficienciesare also expected to reach 18 percent in the same timeframe. Currently,the company plans to initiate production tests of 180-micron wafers andcells in the first half of 2008.

SunEdison has started construction with local partner Sunergy of itsfirst solar power plant in Spain, which is expected to be completed bythe third quarter of 2008. Sunergy currently has over 20MW of PVground-mounted and rooftop projects under development in Spain.SunEdison has over 31MW currently under management and over 52MW ofhands-on installation experience, the company said.

First Solar, Inc. has named Kathy Weiss as Vice President of GovernmentRelations to oversee the company’s public policies and manage thecompany’s state and federal affairs...

Stefan Thiel (pictured) has been appointed to the role of Sales Managerfor the solar cell manufacturer, taking over from Franz Ziering. ersol’s sales and strategic purchasing sectors...