Manz Automation has signed a licensing and strategic alliance agreement with Würth Solar for the exclusive rights of use to Würth's CIGS production technology, for an initial period of 10 years. The company aims to use the alliance to become the market leader as a provider of fully integrated, cost-effective CIGS production lines (CIGSfab). The existing contractual relationship with Würth Solar and the ZSW centre for solar energy and hydrogen research also means that Manz has exclusive access to research results regarding CIGS modules on glass substrates.
Premier Power Renewable Energy has opened the doors of its newest office in Southern California to serve the new and existing customers of the region. “California is one of the largest markets in America for solar electric power generation solutions, and to work more closely with potential and existing customers in this high growth market we've opened an office in the heart of Orange County,” said Dean Marks, CEO of Premier Power.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a power purchase agreement between Solar Millennium, Berkeley and Southern California Edison (SCE) for two 242MW solar power plants planned in California. The agreement regulates SCE’s purchase of electricity produced by the facilities for 20 years from the start of operations. Construction is expected to conclude, for one power plant, at the end of this year with initial operation starting for the plants in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Calisolar recently received IEC 61730 and IEC 61215 certification from TÜV Rheinland for modules built with Calisolar cells. The 60-cell modules passed all tests for their certification for proven demonstration to withstand in performance, durability, efficiency, stability and safety over extended periods of time. The certified modules produce up to 250W using Calisolar’s multicrystalline solar cells with over 16% efficiency.
SunLink will now provide combiner boxes, as well as roof and ground mount systems, through its acquisition of Blue Oak PV Products. "SunLink now offers the HomeRun combiner box family so commercial solar integrators can count on one trusted source for mounting solutions and combiner boxes that lower total installed costs and improve system design flexibility," said Christopher Tilley, CEO of SunLink.
Suntech Power Holding’s CFO and director, Amy Yi Zhang, will soon start her newest role with the company as VP in charge of Suntech’s strategic project finance initiatives. She has served as CFO and director since 2005 and 2007 respectively.
Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC) has created a $5 million industry-university partnership for the development of renewable energy systems and technologies for development into the marketplace. Founding industry members include ABB, Applied Materials, Bosch, First Solar, IBM, Nexans and Tokyo Electron.
Solon has locked a contract with Rivermoor Energy and Fischbach & Moore, on behalf of the National Grid, to supply its solar modules for the 1MW solar PV project in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Construction has been started by Rivermoor Energy and Fischbach & Moore for a scheduled completion date sometime this fall. The project will generate 1,016kW of direct current power per year. Around 3,696 Solon ground-mounted panels were installed over five acres.
IMEC has achieved large-area (70cm2) epitaxial solar cells with efficiencies reaching 16.3% on high-quality substrates. Efficiencies of up to 14.7% were attained on large-area low quality substrates. IMEC accomplished 20μm-thick high-quality epitaxial silicon stacks on top of a highly-doped high-quality substrate and low-cost upgraded metallurgic grade (UMG) type, multicrystalline Si substrate.
Lumeta has received CSA International (CSA) certification for its PowerPly roof-integrated photovoltaic solar module in accordance with UL 1703. The 400W product combines a DuPont Tefzel frontsheet and lightweight composite substrate with high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells to increase power density, eliminating the glass and aluminum frame structure of conventional modules.
