Sharp Corporation is planning to make a big leap in a-Si thin film cell conversion efficiencies when it starts production at its nearly completed 1GW plant in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
First Solar has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government to build a multiphase solar power plant project in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, a site that will eventually reach 2GW in installed capacity. Once finalized, the agreement--the first of its kind between the Chinese authorities and a non-Chinese solar company--could also lead to the construction of First Solar moduling and supplier manufacturing facilities in the region.
The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany have both independently certified that Innovalight has demonstrated 18% conversion efficiency with silicon-ink processed solar cells--said to be a record for this type of technology.
Although the current weakness in demand has seen E-Ton unprofitable in the first-half of 2009, the solar cell manufacturer is said to be mulling plans for capacity expansions as demand from customers, notably in China and other parts of Asia has been improving. E-Ton shipped 30MW in Q109 and 50MW of solar cells in 2Q09, however the company is expecting shipments to increase to approximately 60MW in 3Q09.
South Australia has entered the renewable energy news twice this week, first announcing the opening of its largest PV systems in Adelaide Showground and later, the less positive warning published in Adelaide Now, from welfare groups that electricity prices for those in the area, could potentially double within five years.
Trina Solar has obtained a five-year syndicated US$304 million loan facility to support its East Campus 500MW capacity expansion project, which is to be completed over the next three years.
In a move which compliments the news of Japan's recent government support for renewables, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. and its 100% subsidiary Showa Shell Solar K.K. have decided to construct their third CIS PV plant in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is planned to start operations in 2011.
By the end of September, TerniEnergia should have completed all nine of its new PV solar installations in Puglia, Marche and Umbria with a total combined capacity of 10MW. Five of the new installations are assigned to the joint ventures for the production and sales of electrical energy from solar sources, with total combined capacity of 6MWp, while the other four are for third parties and will achieve 4MWp.
SMA Solar Technology has acquired the microinverter technology platform from Dutch company OKE-Services, a move that SMA says makes it the only manufacturer in the world with a product portfolio featuring all existing inverter technologies for operating photovoltaic systems of any size and with optimal technical system configuration.
