Amtech Systems’ Chinese subsidiary, Kingstone Semiconductor, will introduce its ion implant system at the SNEC Exhibition, in Shanghai this week. This ion implant system has been developed from the ground up to specifically serve the needs of the solar industry. Also at the SNEC Exhibition, Tempress Systems will introduce its new tube-type batch PECVD product.
The University of Luxembourg’s Laboratory of Photovoltaics has received a sizable grant to develop technologies for more efficient and cheaper solar cells. The University is part of a consortium of 14 partners, known as the Scalenano project, which has been awarded €10 million by the European Union.
Having made a few leaps in the last six months alone with a TÜV safety certification in September, announced the production of its first 100MW thin-film modules and partnering with altPOWER for future US-based BIPV projects, executive management of Soltecture have applied to open insolvency proceedings. Having extensively explored new financing options, including rebranding and restructuring initiatives towards the end of last year, the company has stated it saw no other viable option for averting the company’s impending insolvency at the present time.
HYET Solar, a relatively new company founded by Rombout Swanborn, recently bought all assets of Helianthos from Nuon. The company plans to further develop Helianthos’ technology with a team of 15 to 20 employees. HYET advised that its long term goal is to eventually bring the Helianthos flexible solar cell foil to market on a large scale.
bSolar has advised that its high-efficiency, bifacial PV crystalline silicon solar cells are ready to be showcased during Intersolar Europe in Munich June 14-16. The company’s bifacial cells use the cells’ back side to collect reflected and diffused sunlight in order to produce added electricity. They are manufactured using p-type wafers, standard equipment and production processes.
Calyxo has revealed that its CdTe cell technology has reached 16.2% efficiency, a figure that has been verified by Germany’s SGS testing body. The company uses its proprietary low-cost “hot and fast” atmospheric deposition process in the manufacture of its CdTe cells. Calyxo’s CTO Michael Bauer also expressed confidence in the technology’s potential to reach 17–18% cell efficiency and 14–15% top module efficiency by the end of the year.
Yingli Green Energy has furthered its reach across Asia with its establishment of a regional headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. In conjunction with this new location, the company has also set up a new wholly owned subsidiary in the form of Yingli Japan, or more formally, Yingli Green Energy Japan Corporation, Ltd. The news is a move on the part of the vertically integrated manufacturer to further its business development in Japan.
Following reports on First Solar shutting down production in Germany, it has contracted German PV services provider Adler Solar to take over responsibility for European warranties.
Meyer Burger Technology advised that it had raised US$121.3 (CHF110 million) in long-term capital through a Swiss Franc dominated straight bond issuance. The bond holds a coupon of 5% payable annually and maturity date of May 24, 2017. Zürcher Kantonalbank, Credit Suisse and UBS Investment Bank collectively offered the bond issue to institutional and private investors.
Six years after the US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Nanosolar a US$42 million Solar American Initiative (SAI) Technology Pathway Partnership (TPP) grant, the company has advised that all 10 major tasks have been achieved or surpassed. The grant was originally awarded in 2006 for the development of large-scale PV systems for commercial buildings that would offer the best price per watt performance in the industry.
