According to new figures from SEMI, worldwide shipments of polysilicon reached 43,901MT in 2008, fueled by the growing demand from the solar industry on a quarter-on-quarter basis. The semiconductor industry demand has been affected by fab closures and drastic cuts in fab utilization rates as IC manufacturers cut production due to severe market softness.
Major solar wafer producer LDK Solar has shifted its business strategy from aggressive capacity expansions to one of production cost reductions for 2009. The continued uncertainty of the growth levels in the photovoltaics industry for the year have turned LDK Solar hyper-conservative, cutting polysilicon production targets as a consequence of delaying previously planned plant ramps and holding wafer production at 2008 final capacity levels, until demand visibility returns.
All of Europe’s energy needs could be met by covering an area in the Sahara Desert with solar panels, it was announced in Copenhagen. With a solar farm as large as Ireland, Europe could realistically consider receiving 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The most challenging economic conditions in recent memory have taken their toll on a leading semiconductor/solar trade association--the Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International. SEMI North America President Jonathan Davis told PV Tech/Fabtech in an exclusive interview earlier this week that because of what he called a "fairly severe decline in revenues," the organization has taken a "number of cost reduction measures, including layoffs."
Santa Barbara has activated its first large-scale, municipal solar power plant. The system, a 384-KW set of arrays built on six of the Southern California city's Corporate Yard rooftops, was installed by Suntech Energy Solutions during the fall of 2008 and is financed and operated by Tioga Energy.
Hoku Materials, Inc. has entered into a 10-year polysilicon supply agreement with Shanghai Alex New Energy Company, Ltd., a crystalline silicon solar cells, modules and PV products manufacturer, with deliveries beginning in early 2010. The polysilicon has been offered at set prices that will decline throughout the agreement’s 10-year lifespan.
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., manufacturers of flexible thin-film solar modules, has announced it has started regular production of monolithically integrated flexible CIGS modules from its production line in Littleton, Colorado.
NorSun AS, the Norwegian manufacturer of high-performance monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers, announced it has raised NOK1.15 billion to finance production of new silicon ingots and wafers for high efficiency solar cells.
The PV Group’s recent PV Fab Managers’ Forum in Dresden, Germany, was a successful event that saw attendance by over 200 leaders and technology experts in the PV industry. The overriding message was that the goal of grid parity would be greatly helped along by the implementation of standards – an ITRS of sorts for the PV industry.
Grupo Ibereolica has strengthened its foray into the solar thermal industry with its involvement with a dual project that will see an additional 100MW of capacity on Spain’s solar portfolio. Grupo Ibereolica has signed an agreement with Inveravante, a private energy, finance and real estate conglomerate, for the joint construction of two 50MW CSP solar thermal plants, one in Seville, Andalucia, the other in Badajoz, Extremadura.
