Earlier this year, Veeco announced its impending exit from the CIGS thin-film PV business and with its announcement advised of its intentions to transfer its R&D facility and pilot line in New York to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University of Albany. Three months after the initial declaration, Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, Senior VP and CEO of CNSE, and Congressman Chris Gibson, came together to formally launch CNSE’s new Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, New York, which has taken over the facility once occupied by Veeco.
Abound Solar is planning to triple the capacity of its thin-film module manufacturing plant in Colorado by the end of 2012. The site expansion will see annual production capacity reach 200MW and help the company meet growing global demand for cadmium telluride modules.
Citing some customer cutbacks in solar module manufacturing production levels and continued pressure on wafer prices that have declined more than 50% since April this year, PV Crystalox Solar is taking drastic measures to reduce cash burn in difficult times for the global PV industry. The company guided a significant reduction in wafer shipments, compared to previous forecasts, job losses and short time working.
The Solar Gateway Project – a combined effort from full-service construction company Gilbane Co. and solar panel manufacturer SunPower Corp. – is underway to build a 1.1MW solar power system at California-based West Valley College campus. With SunPower's high-efficiency solar panels, the system will generate approximately one-third of West Valley College's electricity demand and save more than US$9 million.
It was recently revealed that Solyndra’s surplus assets will be auctioned off through a global webcast and in person auction by Heritage Global Partners beginning Wednesday, November 2 through Thursday November 3.
At the Solar Power International Expo this October 2011, technology pioneer OutBack Power Technologies will demonstrate their off-grid power conversion components. And Ameresco Solar, a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company has reached an agreement to provide BP Solar International’s small area module (SAM) line of solar panels that range from 5 watts to 180 watts under the Ameresco Solar brand.
S-Energy, a Korea-based module manufacturer, increased its module capacity by 120MW to a total of 350MW in October 2011. The company claims this is the most modern solar module manufacturing line in Korea with stringers from Germany (Teamtechnik), laminators from Switzerland (3S) and automation made in Korea (Evertechno).
AEG Power Solutions has inaugurated its new 400MW PV manufacturing factory in Bangalore, India. Initially, the 80,000-square-foot site, which employs 150 people, will produce AEG’s PV250 and PV500 series inverters, although plans are already underway to ramp up capacity to include uninterruptible power supplies.
Five awards were given to recognize the partners REC during the Global Partner Summit in Italy.
Luc Graré, Senior VP of sales and marketing cells and modules at REC Solar, said, “We are very excited to recognize the strong commitment of our partners who have made a significant contribution to our sales and marketing activities over the last year".
JinkoSolar has restarted solar cell production at its plant in Haining, China, after receiving approval by the local Haining government and an appointed panel of experts that remediation work after a fluoride chemical leak satisfied environmental requirements. Clearance by the ‘Experts Committee’ was issued to JinkSolar on October 9, according to the company.
