With the opening of its new Silicon Materials Technology and Evaluation Center (SIMTEC) in Freiberg, Germany, Fraunhofer ISE is extending research into materials, which includes multicrystalline block crystallization, block shaping through to wafering silicon epitaxy for crystalline silicon thin-film wafer equivalents. SIMTEC will also work on metallurgical grade silicon and its use for the production of solar cells.
The Solar Power International (SPI) conference and exhibition is the largest solar industry event in the U.S. The 2008 event is being held this week in San Diego, California, Our intrepid reporter, Tom Cheyney was impressed with the Solar Block Party(s) last night in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. However, this daily review covers breaking news from the show rather than elsewhere, in an easy to digest summary.
Signet Solar has received Final Acceptance Test (FAT) certification from SGS Germany GmbH of its ‘SunFab’ thin film production line at its manufacturing facility in Mochau, Germany. This now enables the company to fast-track its ramp of the facility to 20MW. Signet Solar has plans for a further expansion to 130MW by the end of 2009. The FAT certification is the first for Applied Materials ‘SunFab’ technology.
Harvard University spin-off SiOnyx, founded by Professor Eric Mazur and Dr. James Carey in 2006, has exclusively licensed Harvard’s portfolio of ‘Black Silicon’ patents. The 'Black Silicon' relate to a highly light-absorbent material that absorbs nearly twice the visible light of regular silicon and detects infrared light that silicon based devices cannot utilize. SiOnyx claims it is able to produce silicon detectors and photovoltaic devices that respond from 400nm to 2500nm.
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide and partner, Asola, are to build a solar module manufacturing facility in Casablanca, with an initial capacity of 30MW. The company stated that Asola will hold the controlling stake in this joint venture, while both Asola and its Moroccan partner, Majdaline Holding, will implement the project.
centrotherm photovoltaics AG has been awarded a follow-on contract with a customer, located in Asia to undertake the complete turnkey contract for the second stage of a polysilicon plant (4,000MT) expansion plan. The initial project for 1,000MT facility had been handled by a consortium of suppliers and contractors.
Yingli Green Energy is to increase production of polysilicon ingots and wafers, PV cells and PV modules to its capacity target of 600MW in 2009, as previously stated but said that it doesn’t currently have plans to add any further capacity passed this projected level. Yingli Green also said that it would be focusing on maximizing utilization of its existing capacity and cost reduction strategies.
Neo Solar Power (NSP) has placed a $450 million multi-crystalline silicon wafer supply contract with REC ASA. The contract will start in the second half of 2009 and run through 2015. The agreement is structured as a take-or-pay contract with pre-determined prices and volumes for the entire contract period, REC said.
British Gas is to enter the photovoltaics market in the UK after its owner, Centrica PLC said it had acquired Solar Technologies Group Limited, an installer of PV and BIPV systems in the country, including the BIPV solar system for the London City Hall, designed by Fosters and using E-Ton Solar Tech’s crystalline PV modules.
In its continued efforts to become a major force in the materials metrology markets for both semiconductor and photovoltaics industries, Semilab Co. Ltd., has acquired French metrology equipment specialist SOPRA SA. The all cash transaction was closed on the 17th September, 2008. Details of the deal were not announced.
