Canadian Solar, Inc. (CSI) and Becancour Silicon, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Timminco, Ltd., have confirmed that they have reached the supply and quality targets as set out in their original contract of April 4th, 2007. As a result of this, Canadian Solar plans to formally launch its e-Module product at the Intersolar Trade Show in Munich on June 12-14th, 2008.
Robert Bosch GmbH has acquired an initial 50.45 percent share holding in ersol Solar Energy AG, in a deal costing €546.4 million in cash. The sale was organized by Ventizz Capital, a major investor in ersol since 2004. Bosch is said to be submitting a public offer for the remaining ersol shares. The acquisition of ersol by Bosch is to enable the company to continue its activities in the renewable energy sector. “The Ventizz II fund has supported ersol during the set-up and rapidexpansion stages. After becoming a major and profitable solar producerover the past four years...
A new thin-film amorphous photovoltaic manufacturing company has been formed under the Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy program, dubbed Masdar PV. The new company will initially invest $600 million in two separate SunFab turnkey 5.7 m2 module production lines supplied by Applied Materials in Erfurt, Germany and in Abu Dhabi. Total investment has been put as $2 billion with an expected capacity in excess of 1GW of annual production by 2014. The combined initial production capacity of the two sites was said to be 210 megawatts, with the capacity already committed to PV system installers in Europe and projects for Masdar itself.
Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. has acquired a minority stake in Shunda Holdings, a China-based solar wafer manufacturer. The transaction saw Suntech hand over $98.9 million to Actis, a private equity investor for emerging markets, and to Waichun Investment Fund.
Q-Cells has announced its intentions to develop a major thin film photovoltaics manufacturing facility at the Silicon Border industrial park near Mexicali, Mexico at a projected cost of $3.5 billion. The development is dependent on the future growth of the PV market in the US, Mexico and Latin America and is a mid to long-term plan according to Q-Cells.
Over 30 PV equipment and materials suppliers have come together to form the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA) to collaborate on strategic partnerships, develop business opportunities and to provide a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas. The companies, which hail from Europe, the U.S. and Asia, will work together in supporting each other’s events...
Baoding Yingli Group Co. Ltd. has announced its intention to enter the realm of polysilicon manufacturing. Yingli Group expects to establish a green field project, primarily using Siemens methodology, to manufacture 3,000 metric tons of polysilicon annually in Baoding, China.
ersol Solar Energy AG has signed a long-term agreement with aleo solar AG to supply the module producer with crystalline silicon solar cells for a 12-year period, beginning in 2008. The contract volume of the agreement is approximately 250MWp and is expected to cost in the region of $3 billion.
Greentech Media, Inc. has announced the completion of a Series B Round of financing, raising $2.75million, and the subsequent appointment of a senior analyst to drive the company’s corporate growth. Michael Kanellos, well known in the industry for his role as CNET Green Technology Editor, brings experience in producing and analysing content to his new role as Senior Analyst for the company.
The EPIA will host the first International Conference on Thin Films in the Solar Photovoltaic sector in November 2008 in Munich, Germany. The event is being held due to the significant ramp in thin-film technologies that is expected through 2010, which could see the technology represent 20 percent of the overall PV module production capacity.
