Working together, Dainippon Screen Manufacturing and Gifu University have produced a new technology that analyzes the characteristics of amorphous silicon films for thin-film silicon solar cell panels. The result from the research of the new technology is being used in spectroscopic ellipsometric film thickness measurement systems by Screen. Product creation is expected to be completed by this fall.
French retailer, Casino Group has again selected SunPower to supply modules for rooftop and parking area at its retail properties in France. The two companies had previously collaborated in 2009, which amounted to 15MW of installs. In total 18 properties will have been fitted with modules. However, Casino Group has 11,000 stores in 9 countries of which 9,031 are located in France.
Construction was said to have commenced on three solar photovoltaic projects totalling 36MW in Ontario, by EDF Energies Nouvelles. Two projects (12MW each) are to use Suntech c-Si modules while a third PV power plant will use CdTe thin film modules from First Solar. All three plants are expected to be grid connected by the end of the year. White Construction Canada is the general contractor for EDF EN Canada, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles.
Bloo Solar’s Solar Brush wafer development production has begun and with the hopes to bring the commercial modules to market in 2012, the company has chosen CVD Equipment Corp. to develop and manufacture the equipment for the solar module.
Lagofrio Energy Solutions (LES), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TinSol Energy (TSEL) South Africa, has placed a US$210 million contract with Fidelis Energy to Supply 93MW of PV modules for several solar parks across Africa. Fidelis will begin shipments during the first quarter of 2011 as its module plant in China is expected to come on-stream during the fourth quarter of 2010.
Five-years after starting production of its copper-indium-sulfide (CIS) thin-film solar modules, Berlin-based Sulfurcell plans to set-up a North American network of system integrators and installers. As with the perceived consumer concerns for more aesthetic looking PV modules, Sulfurcell believes its ‘black-tile aesthetics’ will prove popular in that market. Sulfurcell will be offering framed, frameless, and roof-integrated modules.
Yingli Green Energy Americas, a subsidiary of Yingli Green Energy Holding Company, has signed a strategic PV module supply agreement with DC Power Systems. The agreement will last through the end of this year and is one of the largest supply agreements in the US for Yingli this year and the largest between the two companies to date.
Under the agreement signed by SunEdison and LaSalle Investment Management, SunEdison will finance, build, own, operate, monitor and maintain eight PV solar energy systems, which total a capacity of 2.1MW. The roof-top installations will be located on LaSalle facilities with the Ontario Power Authority purchasing the energy under the Ontario Feed-In Tariff program.
Located on a former military site, AES Solaire France has launched its 1.2MW ground-mounted solar PV power plant. The Sault (Vaucluse), France, site previously housed a nuclear missile from the mid-1960s until it was dismantled in the late 1990s.
Germanium solar cell substrate producer Sylarus Technologies has entered into a long-term germanium feedstock supply and recycling agreement with 5N Plus. The deal is supported by 5N Plus agreeing to the subscription of a convertible debt in Sylarus, which in turn supports the substrate manufacturers' expansion plans.
