As one of a growing number of China-based Tier 1 PV manufacturers pushing-hard towards solar cell efficiencies of 20%, Canadian Solar is showcasing its ELPS solar cell technology (Efficient, Long-Term, Photovoltaic Solution), that has demonstrated cell efficiencies of 19.5% with monocrystalline wafers and 18% efficiencies with polycrystalline wafers.
At the solar industry’s largest event, Intersolar Europe, 2011 SunPower launched its new 96-cell E20 modules, which are the industry's first commercially-available solar panels to achieve total area efficiencies of 20% and above. Jorn Jugens, SunPower’s managing director, Germany had the honour of discussing with PV-Tech the key characteristics of the module, which includes SunPower's 22.4% efficient ‘Maxeon’ cell technology.
MEMC is filling-in a missing link in its polysilicon to solar projects manufacturing portfolio with the establishment of monocrystalline cell production through a joint venture with equipment supplier Jusung Engineering. At a cost of US$32 million, shared equally between the new partners, an initial 100MW of capacity is expected to begin production in the first half of 2012. The deal was signed by MEMC Singapore, though it was unclear whether the location of the cell plant would be in Singpaore or Korea, where Junsung is headquartered. The cells will used in modules for MEMC’s project arm, SunEdison.
A change of image and specialty has led Manz Automation AG to drop its ‘middle name’ to become simply Manz AG. The company’s focus has been across a wider range of products and services than automation alone for most of its near 25-year operation period, and this name change aims to reflect that. Manz is now a supplier of integrated production systems and processing equipment for the PV industry.
German laser system supplier 4JET has won the Deutscher Gründerpreis Award 2011. The award, sponsored by Porsche, German magazine Stern, ZDF Television and the Sparkasse Banking Group, was presented to 4JET for not just its exceptional financial growth over the past 12 months but also for creating a business model that promises further growth in the years ahead.
TNO spin-off company, SoLayTec has sold the first four of its Al2O3 ultrafast ALD (atomic layer deposition) Process Development Tools (PDT) to separate customers that include imec, Fraunhofer ISE and two unidentified Asia-based solar cell manufacturers. SoLayTec said that the tools would be installed in the third and fourth quarter of 2011.
As the 37th IEEE Photovoltaics Specialist Conference (PVSC) gets underway in Seattle, Alta Devices plans to discuss how it achieved record cell efficiencies of 27.6% last year as well as its overall best efficiency rating of 28.2%. Both results were verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with Alta disclosing that the high efficiencies they reached were due in part to a new discovery involving the light emitted and collected by a solar cell.
The 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, Washington June 19 -24, is ready to welcome the cream of the PV crop. The final program was recently announced with presentations during the week focusing on 10 technical areas, including crystalline silicon technologies, organic PV and space technologies. Over 1,200 technical abstracts from around the world were submitted for consideration, marking a new record for IEEE PVSC.
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.
Canadian Solar said its new ELPS solar cell technology can achieve up to 19.5% conversion efficiency for its monocrystalline cells and up to 18% for polycrystalline. During the fourth quarter, the high-efficiency cells are expected to be in production and modules incorporating them to ship, according to the company. These products and more will be among the firm's offerings at Intersolar Europe.
