PV Tech - News

Matheson Tri-Gas to distribute CIGS sputtering targets and materials for Pioneer Materials

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:51:10 GMT

A global exclusive distribution agreement has been signed between Pioneer Materials and Matheson Tri-Gas that will enable Pioneer Materials to concentrate on production and product development of its range of CIGS (copper indium gallium selenium), CIS (copper indium di-sulphide) and other related thin film compounds, while speciality materials producer and distributor handles sales, distribution and customer services.

Order Focus: Calyxo selects 5N Plus CdTe supply and recycling

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:32:22 GMT

Leveraging its refining facility in Germany (5N PV GmbH), which was established to meet the needs of First Solar’s thin-film production facility in the country, 5N Plus has now been selected by First Solar rival, Calyxo to supply high-purity metals and compounds for its CdTe thin film products. Calyxo is a subsidiary of Q-Cells. The agreement also includes long-term PV module and production scrap recycling services. 5N Plus also recently secured a similar deal with another CdTe thin film start-up, Abound Solar.

GCL-Poly reduces polysilicon costs to US$39.4 per kg in 2009: plans 2GW wafer capacity in 2010

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:59:15 GMT

GCL-Poly has announced 2009 financial results and detailed a major effort to diversify operations and move downstream into wafer and solar project development. Revenue from the sale of polysilicon and wafers amounted to RMB 2,537.1 million (US$371.6 million) and and RMB 262.3 million (US$38.4 million respectively. GCL-Poly was able to produce 7,454MT of polysilicon in 2009 and sold 5,675MT as well as 46.4MW of wafers via tolling arrangements. Average selling price for polysilicon was US$65.4 per kg and US$0.83/W for wafers. As the company ramped polysilicon production and benefited from improved economies of scale, production costs declined significantly from US$66.0 per kg in 2008 to US$39.4 per kg in 2009.

SunPower reports US$1.52 billion revenue in 2009: Guides US$2.0 billion plus in 2010

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:43:20 GMT

SunPower Corp has reported record fourth quarter revenue of US$548 million, which helped push 2009 total revenues to US$1.52 billion, a 6% increase over 2008. SunPower guided revenue for 2010 would be between US$2.00 and US$2.25 billion and heavily weighted to large-scale utility projects in the second half of the year. The SunRay Renewable Energy acquisition will add 1.2GW to its project pipeline, which the company said was now standing at 4GW. The company reached a cost per watt of slightly below US$2.00 in the fourth quarter.

Timminco stops UMG-silicon production as demand wanes

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:20:13 GMT

The roller coaster ride for UMG-silicon production at Timminco would seem to be over for the time being with the company announcing it has completely stopped production due to lack of demand and plummeting prices. Timminco’s silicon metal subsidiary, Becancour also suffered from low quality issues with much of its production in 2009 returned to the company from its customers. Becancour has switched to silicon metal production, which is showing stronger demand from polysilicon producers. However, the company reiterated its difficult financial position and going concern issues.

Project Focus: SolFocus installing 1MW CPV system on Victor Valley College campus

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:54:16 GMT

SolFocus is installing a 1MW high-concentrator photovoltaics system at Victor Valley College in the high desert of California. Construction of the HCPV installation, which consists of 122 of the company's SF-1100S 8.4KW arrays spread across six acres, is taking place on the college's main campus in Victorville, CA. When the power plant is completed in May, it will generate about 2.5 million kilowatt-hours annually (roughly 30% of the college's electricity demand) and be the largest facility of its kind in North America, according to SolFocus.

GE outlines R&D efforts with CdTe thin-film technology

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:17:05 GMT

Via its majority share holding in PrimeStar Solar, GE has outlined its R&D efforts with CdTe thin-film technology. GE said that hundreds of technologists in Germany, China, India and the United States are working on solar technologies. The company noted that it was utilizing its four Global Research operations to address each of the challenges required to bring a new CdTe thin-film product to market.

German government official claims 3GW of solar modules installed in 2009: expects 5GW in 2010

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:25:02 GMT

The German government solar energy official, Dr. Karin Freier told a Euroforum conference that solar module installations reached 3GW in 2009, according to Reuters. The official figures have yet to be released, with many industry observers believing the figures are being withheld until proposed feed-in tariff cuts gain full authorization. Reuters quoted Freier as saying that more than 5GW could be installed in Germany this year as the race to beat the tariff cuts that are to start July 1st occurs.

Centrosolar claims market leadership in France: posts revenue of €308.7 million in 2009

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:38:38 GMT

Demand for residential PV systems in the second-half of 2009 enabled Centrosolar to post record revenue and earnings figures in the fourth quarter and helped restore revenue for the year of €308.7 million, compared to €332.6 million in 2008. Approximately 50% of sales came from outside Germany and the company expects revenue growth of between 10 and 20% in 2010. Module production at its new plant in Wismar, Germany will expand production from 110MW in 2009 to 150MW in 2010. Centrosolar claimed that it success in the small roof-integrated systems market in France has led the company to become the market leader in the country.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance Model projects 22% of global power generation from renewables by 2020

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:14:34 GMT

Although a new long-range forecast from Bloomberg New Energy Finance believes wind will be the main technology used through 2030, solar photovoltaics is expected to grow considerably in that timeframe and help contribute to renewable energy generating 22% of global energy production by 2020 and 31% by 2030. According to the report annual global expenditure on renewable energy projects will increase from US$90 billion in 2009 to US$150 billion in 2020. Given current policy targets from countries around the world, expenditure is projected to increase to US$200 billion annually by 2030.

Holst Centre adds new sintering platform to roll-to-roll manufacturing toolset for OPV, OLEDs

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:00:31 GMT

The Holst Centre research organization has built a new proprietary roll-to-roll (R2R) sintering platform for fast, low-temperature curing of printed conductive structures. The group says this tool is a next step in the creation of a complete equipment set for R2R manufacturing, which will enable the center and its industrial partners to further advance such technologies for the manufacturing of organic PV, flexible OLEDs, and smart packaging.

Czech politicians give the go-ahead for feed-in tariff cuts

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:57:06 GMT

Lower house politicians in the Czech Republic have now approved a law to cut the incentives for solar energy production in a bid to control the expected rise in solar installations. The Czech Republic's Prime Minister, Jan Fischer, first called for the cuts earlier this month.

Order Focus: Scheuten Solar places follow-on order with Bürkle

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:50:11 GMT

As part of its module production expansion plans for 2010, Scheuten Solar has placed a follow-on order with Robert Bürkle for its multiopening Ypsator module lamination tool. The machine will be delivered and commissioned in the second quarter of 2010. According to Bürkle, Scheuten Solar will be able to produce a module every 45 seconds on two Bürkle lines from the middle of this year.

Project Focus: Suntech to supply modules for 4.7MW solar plant in Taiwan

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:47:34 GMT

The largest solar power plant in Taiwan to date will use c-Si PV modules from Suntech, nearly doubling Taiwan’s current installed capacity. The 4.7MW plant is being built for Taiwan Power Co. and developed by Fortune Electric in Young'an, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

New utility-scale PV project developer in U.S. receives investment from Good Energies

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:40:31 GMT

A new utility-scale PV project developer, Agile Energy, has received an undisclosed investment from Good Energies in a Series A round of funding. Agile Energy was founded by Glen Davis and Robert Morgan, veteran energy executives. The company said that it would focus on developing grid-connected, ground-mounted solar projects in North America with generating capacity over 5MW. Agile Energy claims to have a pipeline of projects totaling 400MW and would use PV or CPV technologies with suppliers selected on a competitive basis.

Day4 Energy starts turnaround on back of record fourth quarter revenue

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:26:11 GMT

Struggling PV module start-up Day4 Energy saw fourth-quarter revenue reach CDN$36.6 million, an increase of 175% from the prior quarter and 120% increase over the same period in 2008. Full-year revenues for 2009 were CDN$60.0 million, compared to CDN$76.8 million for the prior year. The company was forced to reduce its workforce in early 2009 and shift module production to Jabil in Poland.

Project Focus: 9REN to construct 2MW turnkey PV systems for Inergia in Italy

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:40:08 GMT

Inergia and 9REN have signed contracts for the turnkey construction of two ground-based photovoltaic systems in Puglia, Italy. One of the systems will be a fixed structure, while the other will be mobile.

Project Focus: Siliken to build 9.8MW solar power plant in Rome

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:13:42 GMT

Siliken, the Spanish renewable energy company, has entered into an agreement with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) to set up a 9.8MW power solar photovoltaics plant in the Italian city of Fiumicino, Rome. Once complete this will be the largest PV installation in the region and one of the biggest in Italy.

Filmetrics opens two new film thickness measurement application labs

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:57:30 GMT

Filmetrics has opened two film thickness measurement application labs in Tainan, Taiwan and Munich, Germany. Each lab is tied into the Filmetrics support network, which provides immediate internet and voice response to Filmetrics customers.

Order Focus: Pasan sells first sun simulator in Japan

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:49:52 GMT

Mitsubishi Chemical has selected and successfully installed a sun simulator from Pasan, a division of Meyer Berger. This is the first sale to a Japanese customer for the company, which will use the equipment for testing of very large a-Si thin film solar modules and is part of MCC’s move into the BIPV market.