Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering received a generous gift from an anonymous alumnus and his wife totaling US$1.3 million. The funding will go towards the launch of the Latimer Engineering Scholars Program, which beginning in the 2011 – 2012 academic year will sponsor teaching and research in the sustainable energy field.
The Tata Steel and Dyesol development partnership has produced the world’s largest dye-sensitized photovoltaic module. Manufactured at Tata Steel’s Shotton site in North Wales, the module is over three metres in length and approximately one square metre in area. This unique achievement represents an important step towards the development of large-scale microgeneration capability within building infrastructure.
Konarka Technologies’ New Bedford, Massachusetts facility now features the world’s first OPV semi-transparent BIPV curtain wall, laminated onto seven of the company’s south and east facing 56”x67” windows. Utilizing its own Power Plastic technology, Konarka was able to incorporate the technology into the building structure, producing the largest OPV installation of its kind.
Cylindrical PV system manufacturer Solyndra is set to introduce its 200 Series Metal Roof Solution at Intersolar Europe. The non-penetrating adjustable mounting system is designed to meet the additional solar installation challenges posed by metal roofs, which currently make up a significant portion of the large, low-sloped, commercial, industrial and agricultural rooftop markets.
Swiss PV solution company HopSol has entered into a three-year contract with Solar Frontier. The deal will have a market focus in Southern Africa with Solar Frontier delivering double digit megawatts of its CIS solar panels for solar projects in countries such as Namibia, Botswana and the Republic of South Africa. The companies did not reveal the financial details of the supply deal.
Despite changes expected to the UK feed-in tariff that would make large-scale projects uneconomical, while retaining incentives for the residential rooftop market, First Solar has gained Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification for its CdTe thin-film modules.The MCS accreditation applies to First Solar’s Series 3 modules FS-370 to FS-385.
Already in evaluation as a substrate for thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) applications, DuPont’s colourless polyimide film, ‘Kapton’ is also being developed for cadmium telluride (CdTe) applications that open-up new markets for the technology in the fields of lightweight, flexible and high-efficiency applications. Currently, the flexible thin-film market is dominated by a-Si and CIGS-based technologies.
Grupo T-Solar and Astonfield Renewable Resources have signed a long-term strategic partnership deal to develop solar PV power plants in India. Site construction is under way on the first project of the collaboration, a 5MW site in Osiyan, Rajasthan, India, which is expected to be commissioned by October.
Morgan Solar has closed the first installment of its Series B funding round with US$16.5 million. The funding will enable the company to increase its manufacturing and deployment for its Sun Simba concentrated PV module. Existing investors Inversiones Financieras Perseo, of the Iberdrola Group, and Nypro were joined by new investor, The Frost Group. Morgan Solar is in talks with strategic investors to close the remainder of the funding round.
Odersun has developed a new software tool, which essentially allows a user to design their own solar modules. Aptly named Solarmodule-Designer, the software lets users create solar modules that will fit an individual building project and system. Size, form, build-up and materials can all be customized by the user so that the modules can easily fit into their solar-integrated roofs and façades.
