Global solar technology giant SMA Technologie AG, the parent company of SMA America, Inc., has broken ground on an 82,000-square-foot solar inverter manufacturing plant in Kassel, Germany. The new facility is designed to triple SMA’s current production capacity to meet the global demand for its solar inverters.
GT Solar has received an initial order worth $8.8 million from new silicon solar wafer producer, Nexolon Co., Ltd. of South Korea. Formed in 2007, Nexolon is currently building its first manufacturing plant in the Iksan Industrial Complex in Iksan City of JeonBuk Province, South Korea. Nexolon has ordered multiple DSS450 furnaces from GT Solar that will be used for multicrystalline silicon ingot production.
As Country Manager of SunEdison Canada, Ron Mantay will lead the company’s development of utility-scale and rooftop solar power projects and also takes on responsibility for the company’s business operations. His new role will see him report to company Vice President of International, Len Jornlin.
Solar Power Conference & Expo 2008 looks set to build on its successful event in 2007 to provide a wealth of exhibitors, vendors, conference sessions and workshops at its event in San Diego’s Convention Center from October 13th to 16th. The event is expected to attract a record 12,000 professionals from more than 70 countries and 400 exhibitors from 14 countries.
A new joint venture crystalline solar cell manufacturer has been created with the announcement that Munich, Germany-based PV systems manufacturer Centrosolar Group AG and Munich-headquartered Qimonda AG plan to build and operate a 100MWp facility at Qimonda’s Vila do Conde, Portugal semiconductor packaging plant. Qimonda is a major semiconductor memory manufacturer.
Polysilicon shortages are not only limiting the potential growth of the PV industry but are continuing to impact manufacturing costs, according to Dr. Henning Wicht, Senior Director and Principal Analyst, MEMS and PV for iSuppli. Costs are rising rather than falling, forcing PV manufacturers to establish their own polysilicon production as well as seek cost saving elsewhere.
Sunovia announced yesterday that it had completed its next round of financing and was devoting these resources to the company’s plans for manufacturing CdTe solar cells. More than $25 million has been invested into the companies' core CdTe research, development and design for the high-throughput CdTe-based manufacturing facility. Sunovia’s move to mainstream commercial solar is a departure from its background as a supplier of niche solar products for NASA and the military.
PVA TePla AG has said that it has received its largest single order for crystal growing systems in the company’s history, valued at €76 million. The order comes from ASi Industries GmbH, Arnstadt, Germany - a wholly-owned subsidiary of ersol Solar Energy AG.
First Reserve Corporation, a private equity firm specializing in the energy industry, has said it will invest €600 million over five years into developing renewable energy generation assets. The private equity firm recently acquired Gamesa Solar, a major solarenergy company in Spain, for €261 million as well as Italian PV powerplant specialist Ener3.
California-based OptiSolar has contributed to the state’s aim of sourcing 20% of its power from renewable sources with the planned establishment of a solar power farm in San Luis Obispo County. Located on the northwest of theClarissa Plains, the 550MW PV farm’s location...
