News

Taiwan-based Mosel Vitelic has signed a five-year contract to receivemulticrystalline solar wafers from LDK Solar Co., Ltd., that is valuedat approximately $190 million with delivery expected to start in 2008.

Solar Semiconductor, a solar photovoltaic module producer, has awardedersol Solar Energy AG a contract worth $170 million to supply 156mmmono and multi-crystalline solar cells. These solar cells will be usedfor solar module production in Solar Semiconductor’s new PV modulemanufacturing plant in Hyderabad, India.

Nicholas Cucinelli (pictured), an expert in the field ofsolar-photovoltaics commercialization, has been appointed as Presidentand CEO for Octillion Corp.  Mr. Cucinelli replaces Harmel Rayat, whowill remain with the company in the role of Director and majorityshareholder.

China Nuvo Solar Energy has teamed with Pioneer Materials to establisha pilot development and manufacturing operation in PMI’s Chengdu,Sichuan, China facility located in Chengdu’s West High Tech developmentzone.

A multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer based in India has placed an order with Despatch Industries for its DCF3615 integrated, in-line diffusion unit to revamp their manufacturing process from batch to in-line production. This is Despatch Industries’ first sale of solar cell manufacturing equipment to India.

Advent Solar, a solar cell and module manufacturer, has placed a multiple systems order with Edwards for its Hot Oxidation Systems (HOx) abatement technology. The Hox-based systems will be used for the abatement of PECVD exhaust gases during solar cell manufacturing at its Albuquerque, New Mexico plant. The systems will ship to Advent Solar in September 2007, according to Edwards.

A group of industrial partners have said that they have developed apulling process resulting in silicon crystals with a diameter of 300mm.The process, specifically for applications within the solar cell andmodule market, can reduce energy consumption in the pulling processcompared to smaller sizes and allow the energy recoup time per W (peak)to be faster.

A 20-year veteran of the technology industry, Jeannine Sargent’sexperience in engineering circles has led to her appointment as CEO forOerlikon Solar.  The new position of CEO was created in line with thecompany’s decision to encompass all solar-related activities under theOerlikon Solar title.

Green and Gold Energy (GGE) has placed a follow-on order for 3 millionconcentrator solar cell units, equivalent to 105MW of energy fromEMCORE Corporation. The 105 MW purchase order is valued at $24 millionand is claimed to be the largest procurement of concentrator solarcells in the industry to date. All hardware ordered under this contractis to be shipped by the end of 2008, according to EMCORE.