Kisco has agreed to become Tera-Barrier Films’ exclusive distributor in the Asia-Pacific region after making a strategic investment in the Singapore-based company. Kisco made the investment during Tera’s Series A investment round and its funding will help Tera’s attempts to bring its moisture-resistant films for solar cells to market.
The U.S. Department of Energy has made a conditional commitment of a loan guarantee worth up to $967 million for the 290MW (AC) Agua Caliente solar PV farm, located on 2400 acres of former agricultural land site east of Yuma, AZ. Preliminary construction on the site has begun, with the first electricity expected to be produced later this year or early 2012. The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2014.
Solar3D has revealed the details for its new solar cell and plans to have developed a working prototype by the end of 2011. The three-dimensional micro-photovoltaic cell is inspired by light management techniques used in fiber optic devices and Solar3D claim it has the potential to dramatically change the economics of solar energy.
The latest Solarbuzz ‘PV Equipment Quarterly Report’ highlights that the fourth quarter of 2010 saw a further 1.25GW of quarterly solar manufacturing capacity come online. According to the market research firm, annualized c-Si cell and thin-film module capacity increased by a further 11.5GW, in 2010. Equipment spending grew for the sixth consecutive quarter to reach US$2.9 billion in the fourth quarter. At the end of the year, 20 equipment suppliers to have order backlogs in excess of US$100 million, with the majority of these orders scheduled for shipment during the first half of 2011.
Southwest Solar Technologies (SST) has completed the first stage of its solar park in Phoenix, Arizona. The focal point of the 18-acre facility is a 75-foot wide solar dish, which plays a key role in SST’s solar dish turbine technology.
SolarPrint has formally introduced its dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) technology, which is combined with wireless sensors to yield better efficiencies on commercial applications. Per the company, its new DSSC technology imitates photosynthesis and has the ability to collect ambient or diffused light, despite the incident angle, which allows for a higher power output.
Amtech Systems has announced its preliminary results for Q1 of the new fiscal year, including record-breaking revenue and pre-sale figures. Q1, which ended on December 31, delivered revenue of US$52 million, bookings of approximately US$134 million, and an order backlog of US$172 million.
5N Plus, a producer of high-purity metals, compounds and wafers for electronic applications, has converted its US$3 million debenture with Sylarus Technologies into a 66.67% majority interest. 5N has also agreed to provide additional funding of US$766,000 in the form of secured debt, to enable the repayment of short-term debt contracted by Sylarus.
The Finnish cleantech company, Beneq, has newly received a combined €9 million investment from Finnish Industry Investment, Via Venture Partners and other private investors. Beneq is known as a supplier of production and research equipment for nano-scale thin-film coatings and developed the nAERO aerosol-assisted process. nAero is a deposition method that allows for production of low-haze and high-haze transparent conductive oxide (TCO) coatings for in-line and off-line coated products. The company is presently shifting from its piloting to industrial production phase.
Flexible silicon thin-film firm Xunlight has received IEC 61646 and 61730 certification, conducted by TÜV InterCert Group. The certification enables the U.S.-based manufacturer to market its products in Europe, competing against the likes of Uni-Solar products.
