A major Asian solar cell manufacturer has placed an order for multiple hydrogen annealing furnaces from BTU International after the customer experienced a significant increase in absolute cell efficiency using the technology especially on Class B cells during an evaluation period.
centrotherm photovoltaics and Kinetics Germany have signed an agreement with Société Nationale de l'Electricité et du Gaz (Sonelgaz) to build an integrated solar module manufacturing facility in Rouiba, Algeria. When completed, the 43,000-square-metre site, located 30 km east of Algiers, will be home to Africa’s largest solar module factory and have an annual production capacity of around 116MW.
Solaria has officially unveiled its new manufacturing plant and solar array at the company headquarters in Fremont, California. The opening ceremony was attended by Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom, EPA Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld and several other state dignitaries.
According to Taiwan-based thin-film PV module manufacturer NexPower, it is the first thin-film producers to receive carbon footprint verification under PAS 2050 and ISO/CD 14067-1 standards. NexPower’s multi-junction PV modules were verified by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) in February, 2011 taking approximately four-months for the verification, according to the company.
Fraunhofer ISE is reveling in the afterglow of the first SiliconPV-International Conference on Silicon Photovoltaics. The even took place April 17 through 20th in Freiburg, Germany and brought 540 scientists from 21 countries together to discuss and focus on silicon technology. The theme for the three-day long event was “Advanced Cell and Module Concepts” and included over 130 presentations that were designed to promote communication between all the participants.
Another day, another cell efficiency record as selective emitter technology from Schmid has been used to support a claimed new cell efficiency record by customer, Sunrise Global Solar of 19.2%. The cells were verified by the University of Konstanz and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.
Despatch Industries patent-pending VOC Thermal Oxidizers have already been making an impact at the company. Despatch reports that in the past six months it has collected orders to upgrade over 1.2GW of its installed base of CF series firing and drying services with its VOC technology.
Chevron Mining, a sister company to Chevron Technology Venture and a subsidiary of Chevron, has completed a 1MWconcentrated photovoltaic solar plant (CPV) near its molybdenum mine in Questa, New Mexico. The Questa solar project is spread over 20 acres and utilizes 173 solar trackers and Soitec’s CPV system to generate solar electricity. The energy produced at the site will be sold under a PPA to the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative.
Boeing and South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) will be working together to make Boeing’s South Carolina facility a 100% renewable energy site. The North Charleston site will produce renewable energy with the help of a 2.6MW rooftop solar installation. Both companies maintain that the solar system at the Boeings 787 Final Assembly site will be the largest solar installation in the Southeast and the sixth largest in the US.
Solar cell manufacturers are undertaking aggressive expansion plans at present in an attempt to meet ambitious 2011 shipment forecasts, according to Solarbuzz’s latest quarterly report. This ramping up of production has the potential to create US$15.2 billion in revenue for manufacturing firms – a year-on-year rise of 41%.
