SCOTTSDALE, USA: In the last few years, the number of worldwide cellular base stations has exploded from the hundreds of thousands to the many millions, creating greenhouse gases and pollution from the power required to run them, reports In-Stat.
Base stations on an electric grid aren’t the real problem, but as cellular spreads to billions of people in emerging countries, off-grid base stations, which are usually powered by diesel generators running 24/7, proliferate.
“While diesel pollution is an environmental issue, what bothers operators the most is the cost of powering and securing the generators,” says Allen Nogee, In-Stat analyst. “Diesel fuel has to be trucked to remote sites, and theft of diesel fuel and equipment can cost operators millions of dollars. The solution is for operators to at least partially power remote base stations with wind turbines, solar panels, or both. This is truly a case where it pays to be green.”
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
* By 2014, over 230,000 cellular base stations in developing countries will be solar-powered or wind-powered.
* The number of off-grid base stations is growing at 30 percent per year.
* Off-grid base stations are primarily located in Africa, South Asia (including India), South America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Showing posts with label Solar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solar. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Nuclear power plant goes solar with off-grid LED outdoor lighting
VICTORIA, USA: One of California’s largest state utilities, Southern California Edison (SCE), is lighting up the night with solar technology at its San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
To illuminate its main employee parking areas, Edison is equipping the site with solar-powered LED lights from Carmanah Technologies. By using solar technology as an alternative to traditional grid-powered lights, the EverGEN 1500-series lighting system can provide a reliable source of bright uniform illumination while avoiding the costs and challenges typically associated with trenching, cabling, and accessing electrical grid power.
Featuring custom BetaLED light fixtures, Carmanah solar-powered lights offer superior output and performance in accordance with IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) guidelines. A full-cutoff “Dark Sky”-friendly design directs light only where needed (preventing glare or spillover of light onto neighboring properties or into the night sky), while integrated energy management capabilities ensure optimal lighting performance year round.
With no bulbs to replace and a five-year battery life, the EverGEN 1500 lights will help Southern California Edison reduce maintenance and operating costs while serving as a lasting, practical investment in renewable energy technology.
EverGEN 1500-series solar LED lights are available now from Carmanah Technologies.
To illuminate its main employee parking areas, Edison is equipping the site with solar-powered LED lights from Carmanah Technologies. By using solar technology as an alternative to traditional grid-powered lights, the EverGEN 1500-series lighting system can provide a reliable source of bright uniform illumination while avoiding the costs and challenges typically associated with trenching, cabling, and accessing electrical grid power.
Featuring custom BetaLED light fixtures, Carmanah solar-powered lights offer superior output and performance in accordance with IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) guidelines. A full-cutoff “Dark Sky”-friendly design directs light only where needed (preventing glare or spillover of light onto neighboring properties or into the night sky), while integrated energy management capabilities ensure optimal lighting performance year round.
With no bulbs to replace and a five-year battery life, the EverGEN 1500 lights will help Southern California Edison reduce maintenance and operating costs while serving as a lasting, practical investment in renewable energy technology.
EverGEN 1500-series solar LED lights are available now from Carmanah Technologies.
Monday, August 10, 2009
DisplaySearch expands offerings to cover solar and photovoltaics
AUSTIN, USA: Building upon its expertise in providing market research within the flat panel display market for more than 13 years, DisplaySearch, the worldwide leader in display market research, today announced that it will roll out a new suite of reports to cover the rapidly growing solar and photovoltaics markets.
As the photovoltaics market takes off, it becomes increasingly important for the industry to have the tools they need the most to help businesses understand and capitalize on developments within this market.
DisplaySearch has been tracking the solar industry since 2006, covering photovoltaic (PV) solar cells in its newsletters and blogs, providing PV-related custom consulting, and presenting on solar at conferences.
The release of the first issue of the Quarterly PV Cell Capacity Database & Trends Report makes DisplaySearch’s proprietary solar cell capacity database and unique analysis available to clients around the world.
Using best-of-class research methodologies and a holistic supply chain approach proven in the display industry, DisplaySearch will expand its solar research offerings and support clients as they evaluate opportunities in the long-term solar growth industry.
“The photovoltaics market is poised for significant growth, with capacity forecast to grow at a CAGR of 49 percent from 2009 to 2013,” noted Paul Semenza, DisplaySearch Senior Vice President.
“We have covered solar as part of our display-related research for more than three years, and now that our FPD clients are expanding their business operations into solar, they’re demanding greater coverage in this market segment.
“We’ve built our reputation by demonstrating our expertise and quality in the FPD supply chain and look forward to expanding our reach into solar to further help our customers make smart business decisions by providing them with the data they need the most.”
Current market research on solar and photovoltaics often covers only certain regions and types of research. Based on its reliable methodologies, DisplaySearch’s planned reports will uniquely cover global data, and cover a breadth of data including market share and market forecasts, based on technology, equipment and capacity.
In addition, DisplaySearch will utilize the supply chain analysis developed for the flat panel display market, from equipment and raw materials to end-product shipments, to analyze supply-demand relationships…
As the photovoltaics market takes off, it becomes increasingly important for the industry to have the tools they need the most to help businesses understand and capitalize on developments within this market.
DisplaySearch has been tracking the solar industry since 2006, covering photovoltaic (PV) solar cells in its newsletters and blogs, providing PV-related custom consulting, and presenting on solar at conferences.
The release of the first issue of the Quarterly PV Cell Capacity Database & Trends Report makes DisplaySearch’s proprietary solar cell capacity database and unique analysis available to clients around the world.
Using best-of-class research methodologies and a holistic supply chain approach proven in the display industry, DisplaySearch will expand its solar research offerings and support clients as they evaluate opportunities in the long-term solar growth industry.
“The photovoltaics market is poised for significant growth, with capacity forecast to grow at a CAGR of 49 percent from 2009 to 2013,” noted Paul Semenza, DisplaySearch Senior Vice President.
“We have covered solar as part of our display-related research for more than three years, and now that our FPD clients are expanding their business operations into solar, they’re demanding greater coverage in this market segment.
“We’ve built our reputation by demonstrating our expertise and quality in the FPD supply chain and look forward to expanding our reach into solar to further help our customers make smart business decisions by providing them with the data they need the most.”
Current market research on solar and photovoltaics often covers only certain regions and types of research. Based on its reliable methodologies, DisplaySearch’s planned reports will uniquely cover global data, and cover a breadth of data including market share and market forecasts, based on technology, equipment and capacity.
In addition, DisplaySearch will utilize the supply chain analysis developed for the flat panel display market, from equipment and raw materials to end-product shipments, to analyze supply-demand relationships…
Monday, July 13, 2009
Treasury, Energy announce over $3 billion in Recovery Act Funds for renewable energy projects
WASHINGTON, USA: As part of an innovative partnership aimed at increasing economic development in urban and rural areas while setting our nation on the path to energy independence, the US Department of the Treasury and the US Department of Energy announced an estimated $3 billion for the development of renewable energy projects around the country and made available the guidance businesses will need to submit a successful application.
Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), the program will provide direct payments in lieu of tax credits in support of an estimated 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities.
"The renewable energy program provides another important avenue for the Recovery Act to contribute to economic development in communities around the country," said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. "It will provide additional stimulus to economies in urban and rural America by helping to develop domestic sources of clean energy. This partnership between Treasury and Energy will enable both large companies and small businesses to invest in our long-term energy needs, protect our environment and revitalize our nation's economy."
The Recovery Act authorized Treasury to make direct payments to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities beginning January 1, 2009. Previously, these companies could file for a tax credit to cover a portion of the renewable energy project's cost; under the new program, applicants would agree to forgo tax credits down the line in favor of an immediate reimbursement of a portion of the property expense. This direct payment program allows for an immediate stimulus in local economies.
Steven Chu, Energy Secretary, said: "These payments will help spur major private sector investments in clean energy and create new jobs for America's workers. It is part of our broad effort to double our renewable energy capacity in the next few years and make sure that America leads the world in creating the new clean energy economy of the future."
In previous years, the tax credit has been widely used. It is considered a successful incentive for encouraging the development of renewable energy. In 2006, approximately $550 million in tax credits were provided to 450 businesses. The rate of new renewable energy installations has fallen since the economic and financial downturns began, as projects had a harder time obtaining financing. The Departments of Treasury and Energy expect a fast acceleration of businesses applying for the energy funds in lieu of the tax credit.
To expedite implementation of the program, Treasury and Energy are making available the terms and conditions, guidance, and a sample application at http://www.treas.gov/recovery/1603.shtml so that companies can prepare successful applications in advance of the launch of the web based application in the coming weeks – yet another tool designed to facilitate the timely flow of program funds to eligible businesses.
Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), the program will provide direct payments in lieu of tax credits in support of an estimated 5,000 bio-mass, solar, wind, and other types of renewable energy production facilities.
"The renewable energy program provides another important avenue for the Recovery Act to contribute to economic development in communities around the country," said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. "It will provide additional stimulus to economies in urban and rural America by helping to develop domestic sources of clean energy. This partnership between Treasury and Energy will enable both large companies and small businesses to invest in our long-term energy needs, protect our environment and revitalize our nation's economy."
The Recovery Act authorized Treasury to make direct payments to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities beginning January 1, 2009. Previously, these companies could file for a tax credit to cover a portion of the renewable energy project's cost; under the new program, applicants would agree to forgo tax credits down the line in favor of an immediate reimbursement of a portion of the property expense. This direct payment program allows for an immediate stimulus in local economies.
Steven Chu, Energy Secretary, said: "These payments will help spur major private sector investments in clean energy and create new jobs for America's workers. It is part of our broad effort to double our renewable energy capacity in the next few years and make sure that America leads the world in creating the new clean energy economy of the future."
In previous years, the tax credit has been widely used. It is considered a successful incentive for encouraging the development of renewable energy. In 2006, approximately $550 million in tax credits were provided to 450 businesses. The rate of new renewable energy installations has fallen since the economic and financial downturns began, as projects had a harder time obtaining financing. The Departments of Treasury and Energy expect a fast acceleration of businesses applying for the energy funds in lieu of the tax credit.
To expedite implementation of the program, Treasury and Energy are making available the terms and conditions, guidance, and a sample application at http://www.treas.gov/recovery/1603.shtml so that companies can prepare successful applications in advance of the launch of the web based application in the coming weeks – yet another tool designed to facilitate the timely flow of program funds to eligible businesses.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
GT Solar launches engineering solution for Silane gas
MERRIMACK, USA: GT Solar, a global provider of specialized equipment and technology for the solar power industry, announced the availability of its Silane Production Package, which bundles GT Solar’s silane technology expertise with its proprietary equipment.
This new package enables companies in the semiconductor, solar, and flat panel display industries to secure their own source of ultrapure silane gas using cost-effective, local production facilities.
“Increased demand from the semiconductor, photovoltaic, and flat panel display industries has resulted in shortages of silane gas accompanied by rising prices,” said Dave Keck, vice president and general manager of GT Solar’s polysilicon business.
“As the need for silane gas continues to grow, companies around the globe are beginning to seek more secure solutions. With silane production a natural extension of our existing, well-proven polysilicon and trichlorosilane production plant capabilities, we believe we are well positioned to take advantage of these adjacent market opportunities.
“Similar to what we are experiencing in polysilicon production, where GT Solar’s efforts with new entrants are drastically augmenting polysilicon supply, we expect that our technology and know-how will help create a new class of regional competitors in the silane market. As a result, we anticipate that silane users will have more choice, and there will be a reduced reliance on the one, primary supplier that currently exists.”
GT Solar’s Silane Production Package is a modular equipment solution and basic engineering package that enables companies to construct silane plants and begin delivering silane gas within 24 months. The package includes design, fabrication, quality control, training and technical support services; as well as a modular silane production plant, complete with piping, instrumentation, and analytical equipment.
Silane (or monosilane) gas is one of the most widely used silicon-containing gases utilized in the production of the thin silicon layers that are the foundation for semiconductor and photovoltaic products, as well as flat panel displays.
This new package enables companies in the semiconductor, solar, and flat panel display industries to secure their own source of ultrapure silane gas using cost-effective, local production facilities.
“Increased demand from the semiconductor, photovoltaic, and flat panel display industries has resulted in shortages of silane gas accompanied by rising prices,” said Dave Keck, vice president and general manager of GT Solar’s polysilicon business.
“As the need for silane gas continues to grow, companies around the globe are beginning to seek more secure solutions. With silane production a natural extension of our existing, well-proven polysilicon and trichlorosilane production plant capabilities, we believe we are well positioned to take advantage of these adjacent market opportunities.
“Similar to what we are experiencing in polysilicon production, where GT Solar’s efforts with new entrants are drastically augmenting polysilicon supply, we expect that our technology and know-how will help create a new class of regional competitors in the silane market. As a result, we anticipate that silane users will have more choice, and there will be a reduced reliance on the one, primary supplier that currently exists.”
GT Solar’s Silane Production Package is a modular equipment solution and basic engineering package that enables companies to construct silane plants and begin delivering silane gas within 24 months. The package includes design, fabrication, quality control, training and technical support services; as well as a modular silane production plant, complete with piping, instrumentation, and analytical equipment.
Silane (or monosilane) gas is one of the most widely used silicon-containing gases utilized in the production of the thin silicon layers that are the foundation for semiconductor and photovoltaic products, as well as flat panel displays.
New Energy’s see-thru SolarWindow cells surpass thin-film and solar in artificial light
BURTONSVILLE, USA: New Energy Technologies Inc., a next-generation alternative and renewable energy developer, announced that new tests of the company’s ultra-small solar cells for use in its transparent SolarWindow have demonstrated substantially superior performance over current thin-film and solar photovoltaic technologies at generating electricity from artificial light -– an important advantage over conventional solar technologies which are limited by their capacity to function well where exposure to direct sunlight is available.
“One of the biggest issues with today’s solar products is their dependency on direct sunlight, which our cells have demonstrated the potential capacity to overcome,” explained Meetesh V. Patel, Esq., President and CEO of New Energy Technologies.
“We’re now actively working to coat these cells onto transparent glass in order to fabricate our SolarWindows, which generate electricity and have the potential to be installed virtually anywhere that either direct sunlight or artificial lighting such as fluorescent systems emit visible light. In contrast, today’s building-integrated solar and photovoltaic products are limited to installation on south-facing surfaces, as is the case with currently-available solar materials tested in these newest experiments.”
In a series of new experiments, researchers repeatedly tested New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells on a 1”x1” substrate against today’s popular solar materials for their capacity to produce electricity under varying artificial light conditions, mimicking the levels of light exposure in homes and commercial offices.
In every case, New Energy’s solar cells, the smallest reported organic solar cells of their kind in the world, exponentially outperformed all of the conventional materials tested.
Under normal office lighting conditions, without the benefit of outside natural light from windows, New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells produced:
* Almost two-fold greater output power density than monocrystalline silicon, an established commercial solar cell material;
* More than eight-fold greater output power density than copper-indium-selenide, known for its high optical absorption coefficients and versatile optical and electrical characteristics; and
* More than 10-fold greater output power density than flexible thin-film amorphous-silicon, a popular ‘second-generation’ solar thin-film material.
New Energy's solar cells generate electricity not only from the visible radiation found in sunlight but also by using the visible light found in artificial illumination, such as the fluorescent lighting typically installed in offices and commercial buildings. While the majority of today's solar cells can only be installed where direct sunlight is available, New Energy's cells could be installed close to any source of visible light.
New Energy’s SolarWindow technology makes use of an organic solar array, which has the same desirable electrical properties as silicon, yet has a considerably better capacity to ‘optically absorb’ photons from light to generate electricity and achieves transparency through the innovative use of conducting polymers. Each solar array is composed of a series of twenty ultra-small solar cells measuring less than ¼ the size of a grain of rice each.
The organic solar cells are fabricated using environmentally-friendly hydrogen-carbon based materials, and successfully produce electricity, as demonstrated in a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Renewable and sustainable Energy of the American Institute of Physics.
Click here to view the study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2998825
The superior optical absorption properties of New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells enables development of an ultra-thin film (only 1/1000th the thickness of a human hair, or 1/10th of a micrometer) that can be utilized to produce a transparent solar window. In photovoltaic applications such as see-thru windows, where transparency is a primary concern, today’s thin film solar cells simply cannot be utilized to produce a transparent solar window for application in homes, offices, and commercial buildings.
“One of the biggest issues with today’s solar products is their dependency on direct sunlight, which our cells have demonstrated the potential capacity to overcome,” explained Meetesh V. Patel, Esq., President and CEO of New Energy Technologies.
“We’re now actively working to coat these cells onto transparent glass in order to fabricate our SolarWindows, which generate electricity and have the potential to be installed virtually anywhere that either direct sunlight or artificial lighting such as fluorescent systems emit visible light. In contrast, today’s building-integrated solar and photovoltaic products are limited to installation on south-facing surfaces, as is the case with currently-available solar materials tested in these newest experiments.”
In a series of new experiments, researchers repeatedly tested New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells on a 1”x1” substrate against today’s popular solar materials for their capacity to produce electricity under varying artificial light conditions, mimicking the levels of light exposure in homes and commercial offices.
In every case, New Energy’s solar cells, the smallest reported organic solar cells of their kind in the world, exponentially outperformed all of the conventional materials tested.
Under normal office lighting conditions, without the benefit of outside natural light from windows, New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells produced:
* Almost two-fold greater output power density than monocrystalline silicon, an established commercial solar cell material;
* More than eight-fold greater output power density than copper-indium-selenide, known for its high optical absorption coefficients and versatile optical and electrical characteristics; and
* More than 10-fold greater output power density than flexible thin-film amorphous-silicon, a popular ‘second-generation’ solar thin-film material.
New Energy's solar cells generate electricity not only from the visible radiation found in sunlight but also by using the visible light found in artificial illumination, such as the fluorescent lighting typically installed in offices and commercial buildings. While the majority of today's solar cells can only be installed where direct sunlight is available, New Energy's cells could be installed close to any source of visible light.
New Energy’s SolarWindow technology makes use of an organic solar array, which has the same desirable electrical properties as silicon, yet has a considerably better capacity to ‘optically absorb’ photons from light to generate electricity and achieves transparency through the innovative use of conducting polymers. Each solar array is composed of a series of twenty ultra-small solar cells measuring less than ¼ the size of a grain of rice each.
The organic solar cells are fabricated using environmentally-friendly hydrogen-carbon based materials, and successfully produce electricity, as demonstrated in a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Renewable and sustainable Energy of the American Institute of Physics.
Click here to view the study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2998825
The superior optical absorption properties of New Energy’s ultra-small solar cells enables development of an ultra-thin film (only 1/1000th the thickness of a human hair, or 1/10th of a micrometer) that can be utilized to produce a transparent solar window. In photovoltaic applications such as see-thru windows, where transparency is a primary concern, today’s thin film solar cells simply cannot be utilized to produce a transparent solar window for application in homes, offices, and commercial buildings.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Solar at the heart of utility corporate strategy!
DUBLIN, IRELAND: Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Solar at the Heart of Utility Corporate Strategy" report to its offering.
The development of solar power is proceeding at a strong pace, yet necessary technological breakthroughs must now come from solar component manufacturers for the sector to undergo exponential growth. As the technology draws near grid parity, involvement from the major utilities as a source of significant demand will be of paramount importance.
* Market segmentation data, annual and cumulative solar cell production data, regional and national production shares and top 10 global cell producers.
* Solar installed capacity data for major US and European utilities and detailed market/technology/regulatory/company operational and financial drivers.
* An overview the drivers and implications of the current solar industry trends towards manufacture consolidation and vertical integration.
* Forecasts of annual/cumulative solar capacities and market growth potentials for utilities seeking to develop their solar strategy (13 key markets).
Manufacturing growth along the solar value chain has been dramatic by any standards: 2008 saw further large increases in solar production capacity, diversification of manufacturing locations and shifts in leadership. With new companies and fresh markets wrestling for prominence strong industry consolidation and vertical integration is now expected.
So far, solar manufacturers rather than established energy companies are exploiting opportunities presented by the fast-expanding market. Indeed, European utilities have largely shunned the solar market. However, European utilities will quickly become the largest and one of the most important customers for the solar industry.
India is emerging as an aspiring producer of solar technologies with the infrastructure to support utility-scale involvement. European utilities seeking to diversify into solar should also turn their attention to Italy's solar market, but also Germanys, which is expected to reclaim the number one spot as the most mature solar market worldwide.
The development of solar power is proceeding at a strong pace, yet necessary technological breakthroughs must now come from solar component manufacturers for the sector to undergo exponential growth. As the technology draws near grid parity, involvement from the major utilities as a source of significant demand will be of paramount importance.
* Market segmentation data, annual and cumulative solar cell production data, regional and national production shares and top 10 global cell producers.
* Solar installed capacity data for major US and European utilities and detailed market/technology/regulatory/company operational and financial drivers.
* An overview the drivers and implications of the current solar industry trends towards manufacture consolidation and vertical integration.
* Forecasts of annual/cumulative solar capacities and market growth potentials for utilities seeking to develop their solar strategy (13 key markets).
Manufacturing growth along the solar value chain has been dramatic by any standards: 2008 saw further large increases in solar production capacity, diversification of manufacturing locations and shifts in leadership. With new companies and fresh markets wrestling for prominence strong industry consolidation and vertical integration is now expected.
So far, solar manufacturers rather than established energy companies are exploiting opportunities presented by the fast-expanding market. Indeed, European utilities have largely shunned the solar market. However, European utilities will quickly become the largest and one of the most important customers for the solar industry.
India is emerging as an aspiring producer of solar technologies with the infrastructure to support utility-scale involvement. European utilities seeking to diversify into solar should also turn their attention to Italy's solar market, but also Germanys, which is expected to reclaim the number one spot as the most mature solar market worldwide.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
EVSO: Why solar wins!
PHOENIX, USA: According to Evolution Solar Corp., as America evolves from a petroleum economy to a green energy economy, investors seek to predict what industries will experience maximum growth.
As a solar consulting firm, EVSO sees strong market trends toward solar. Why will solar be a winning technology when others fail?
* The cost per kilowatt of solar panels is dropping dramatically with the introduction of thin film technology;
* Solar is the cleanest and quietest alternative energy technology available;
* Solar power can be installed as huge commercial power plants or on an individual home;
* It is the perfect distributed power technology.
“With prices dropping and efficiency rising, we see solar as the next big thing in alternative energy at a time when demand is being pushed hard by Congress and the Obama administration,” stated Robert Kaapke, CEO of Evolution Solar Corp. “We believe we are well positioned in an industry poised to experience explosive growth.”
Evolution Solar expects to benefit from growth within the solar industry along with competitors such as, Sun Power, First Solar, Trina Solar and LDK Solar.
As a solar consulting firm, EVSO sees strong market trends toward solar. Why will solar be a winning technology when others fail?
* The cost per kilowatt of solar panels is dropping dramatically with the introduction of thin film technology;
* Solar is the cleanest and quietest alternative energy technology available;
* Solar power can be installed as huge commercial power plants or on an individual home;
* It is the perfect distributed power technology.
“With prices dropping and efficiency rising, we see solar as the next big thing in alternative energy at a time when demand is being pushed hard by Congress and the Obama administration,” stated Robert Kaapke, CEO of Evolution Solar Corp. “We believe we are well positioned in an industry poised to experience explosive growth.”
Evolution Solar expects to benefit from growth within the solar industry along with competitors such as, Sun Power, First Solar, Trina Solar and LDK Solar.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Ascent's solar modules to be designed into development of hybrid, unmanned aerial vehicle
THORNTON, USA: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc. announced that its state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules will be designed into the development of a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (H-UAV) called the Silent Sentinel developed by Bye Aerospace, Inc. The H-UAV will be designed primarily for military use; however, its capabilities will also include a broad spectrum of civil applications.
The first of its kind hybrid utilizes stored electric power, thin film solar photovoltaics (PV), and other technologies to enhance its endurance, quiet operations and low emissions. Bye Aerospace is teamed with thin film PV manufacturer Ascent Solar to develop the solar energy capability on the aircraft.
For primary propulsion, the hybrid UAV will be coupled with an advanced Williams International FJ33 turbofan. The efficient engine will provide the UAV remarkable climb rates and high altitude quick access to areas requiring surveillance.
Charlie Johnson, COO of Bye Aerospace, said the Silent Sentinel is a robust, long-range UAV that will incorporate several proprietary clean energy features.
“Ultimately, it will provide advanced tactical reconnaissance functionality while utilizing a uniquely long endurance, highly capable tactical sensor platform that is operationally stealthy and cost-effective to operate. The unique characteristics of the Ascent Solar flexible modules allow us to design this UAV to become very energy efficient.”
Dr. Joseph Armstrong, Chief Technical Officer of Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. stated: “Our flexible, monolithically integrated CIGS PV technology offers the ideal combination of low weight, higher voltage, and high performance that makes it ideal for applications such as the Silent Sentinel, and we look forward to providing Bye Aerospace the materials they require for their vehicle.”
Potential military applications include border patrol, search and rescue, visual and thermal reconnaissance, and forward air control. In addition, potential civil applications include traffic control, pipeline and power line inspection, aerial law enforcement, forest fire detection and aerial photography.
Initial meetings are being conducted with US Government entities regarding the capabilities of the aircraft. More are planned in the near term.
The first of its kind hybrid utilizes stored electric power, thin film solar photovoltaics (PV), and other technologies to enhance its endurance, quiet operations and low emissions. Bye Aerospace is teamed with thin film PV manufacturer Ascent Solar to develop the solar energy capability on the aircraft.
For primary propulsion, the hybrid UAV will be coupled with an advanced Williams International FJ33 turbofan. The efficient engine will provide the UAV remarkable climb rates and high altitude quick access to areas requiring surveillance.
Charlie Johnson, COO of Bye Aerospace, said the Silent Sentinel is a robust, long-range UAV that will incorporate several proprietary clean energy features.
“Ultimately, it will provide advanced tactical reconnaissance functionality while utilizing a uniquely long endurance, highly capable tactical sensor platform that is operationally stealthy and cost-effective to operate. The unique characteristics of the Ascent Solar flexible modules allow us to design this UAV to become very energy efficient.”
Dr. Joseph Armstrong, Chief Technical Officer of Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. stated: “Our flexible, monolithically integrated CIGS PV technology offers the ideal combination of low weight, higher voltage, and high performance that makes it ideal for applications such as the Silent Sentinel, and we look forward to providing Bye Aerospace the materials they require for their vehicle.”
Potential military applications include border patrol, search and rescue, visual and thermal reconnaissance, and forward air control. In addition, potential civil applications include traffic control, pipeline and power line inspection, aerial law enforcement, forest fire detection and aerial photography.
Initial meetings are being conducted with US Government entities regarding the capabilities of the aircraft. More are planned in the near term.
QD Soleil acquires critical patents in solar energy
PALO ALTO, USA: QD Soleil, a division of Nanosys Inc., announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement with Starfire Electronic Development and Marketing Corp. for patents covering the work of nanotechnology pioneer Dr. Avery Goldstein.
The technologies under license have the potential to dramatically improve the economics of solar energy by increasing process efficiencies and reducing the amount of raw materials required in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells.
The license relates to manufacturing methods for making semiconductor thin films using roll-to-roll processing and nanoparticle inks, and also includes seminal coverage of silicon and germanium nanocrystals, all of which are critical in the production of solar energy at cost parity with traditional energy sources. Silicon nanocrystals also have the potential to produce highly efficient photovoltaic cells.
“These patents complement our strong intellectual property position in the area of thin films and photovoltaic devices,” said Vijendra Sahi, vice president and general manager of QD Soleil. “Avery Goldstein has been one of the leading minds in nanotechnology since the beginning of this field. The licensed patents from Starfire cover fundamental applications of nanotechnology in photovoltaic technologies which will help keep QD Soleil at the forefront of solar innovation.”
“We are pleased to be working with QD Soleil, which is clearly the leader in semiconductor thin films and nanotechnology-enabled photovoltaic cells,” said Dr. Goldstein. “This is a natural fit for our intellectual property. I am excited about the opportunity to further the development and commercialization of this technology working in conjunction with QD Soleil.”
The technologies under license have the potential to dramatically improve the economics of solar energy by increasing process efficiencies and reducing the amount of raw materials required in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells.
The license relates to manufacturing methods for making semiconductor thin films using roll-to-roll processing and nanoparticle inks, and also includes seminal coverage of silicon and germanium nanocrystals, all of which are critical in the production of solar energy at cost parity with traditional energy sources. Silicon nanocrystals also have the potential to produce highly efficient photovoltaic cells.
“These patents complement our strong intellectual property position in the area of thin films and photovoltaic devices,” said Vijendra Sahi, vice president and general manager of QD Soleil. “Avery Goldstein has been one of the leading minds in nanotechnology since the beginning of this field. The licensed patents from Starfire cover fundamental applications of nanotechnology in photovoltaic technologies which will help keep QD Soleil at the forefront of solar innovation.”
“We are pleased to be working with QD Soleil, which is clearly the leader in semiconductor thin films and nanotechnology-enabled photovoltaic cells,” said Dr. Goldstein. “This is a natural fit for our intellectual property. I am excited about the opportunity to further the development and commercialization of this technology working in conjunction with QD Soleil.”
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
5G Wireless to develop hydrogen based fuel powered by the sun!
REDONDO BEACH, USA: 5G Wireless Communications, Inc. has signed a strategic alliance agreement with Magnegas Corp. that sets the framework for the joint commercial development of Magnegas Refineries powered by alternative sources of electricity such as wind, solar, or both.
The goal of the project is to commercialize the production of clean burning hydrogen-based fuel powered by the sun. The projects would be solar or wind powered, or a combination of the two.
5G Wireless CEO, Bo Linton, stated: "As the former President of Magnegas Corp., I am thrilled about the opportunity to work with Magnegas to construct as a first project a solar powered Magnegas refinery. I am confident the Magnegas Refinery is the best available technology for converting liquid waste into clean burning fuel. Our goal is to take it one step further and power the refinery with solar power creating a virtually infinite fuel supply supporting America’s efforts to achieve true energy independence.”
Rich Connelly, president of Magnegas stated: "Magnegas has been seeking an alliance to take advantage of the many synergies between wind or solar power and the Magnegas Refineries. We are confident that we have found the correct alliance in 5G to take the technology to the next level producing a hydrogen based fuel from the sun or wind."
The goal of the project is to commercialize the production of clean burning hydrogen-based fuel powered by the sun. The projects would be solar or wind powered, or a combination of the two.
5G Wireless CEO, Bo Linton, stated: "As the former President of Magnegas Corp., I am thrilled about the opportunity to work with Magnegas to construct as a first project a solar powered Magnegas refinery. I am confident the Magnegas Refinery is the best available technology for converting liquid waste into clean burning fuel. Our goal is to take it one step further and power the refinery with solar power creating a virtually infinite fuel supply supporting America’s efforts to achieve true energy independence.”
Rich Connelly, president of Magnegas stated: "Magnegas has been seeking an alliance to take advantage of the many synergies between wind or solar power and the Magnegas Refineries. We are confident that we have found the correct alliance in 5G to take the technology to the next level producing a hydrogen based fuel from the sun or wind."
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Applied Solar announces restructuring
SAN DIEGO, USA: Applied Solar, Inc. announced that it had begun the process of restructuring its operations. On May 22, 2009, the Company entered into a definitive loan and security agreement with The Quercus Trust, pursuant to which the company borrowed $698,000 under a short-term loan that matures on June 15, 2009.
As a condition to the loan, the company is required to file for reorganization pursuant to Title 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code within thirty days following the date of the loan. The company is currently engaged in discussions with potential financing sources, including The Quercus Trust, concerning the extension of debtor-in-possession or “DIP” financing to support the Company’s operations during its reorganization.
David Field, President and CEO of the company remarked: “Despite very promising macro and micro business trends affecting the company, including solid relationships with its business partners, the current state of the financial markets combined with a difficult and complicated capital structure have made it extremely challenging for the company to secure needed financing. We are hopeful that a restructuring will enable the company to emerge stronger and in a better position to capitalize on the anticipated future growth in the solar industry.”
At the present time, no binding commitment to provide DIP financing by The Quercus Trust or any other party has been received and there can be no guarantee that the company will obtain such financing.
As a condition to the loan, the company is required to file for reorganization pursuant to Title 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code within thirty days following the date of the loan. The company is currently engaged in discussions with potential financing sources, including The Quercus Trust, concerning the extension of debtor-in-possession or “DIP” financing to support the Company’s operations during its reorganization.
David Field, President and CEO of the company remarked: “Despite very promising macro and micro business trends affecting the company, including solid relationships with its business partners, the current state of the financial markets combined with a difficult and complicated capital structure have made it extremely challenging for the company to secure needed financing. We are hopeful that a restructuring will enable the company to emerge stronger and in a better position to capitalize on the anticipated future growth in the solar industry.”
At the present time, no binding commitment to provide DIP financing by The Quercus Trust or any other party has been received and there can be no guarantee that the company will obtain such financing.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Sanyo to launch high output HIT-HD solar modules in Europe
MUNICH, GERMANY: Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd has announced the development of new 240W and 235W HIT-HD photovoltaic modules, with the highest output of any SANYO solar panel, based on performance improvement for the HIT-HD*1 series.
The new modules are to begin mass production at SANYO Hungary Plant by October 2009. The new HIT-HD module will be on display at the Intersolar trade show being held in Munich, Germany, from May 27 to 29, 2009.
High Output 240/235W HIT-HD PV Modules (HIT-240/235HDE4)
Greater output and efficiency through manufacturing process optimization
Previous SANYO solar panels had a maximum rated power output of 230 watts per module (i.e., HDE Series 230W).
Now, with this improved HIT-HD module, a rated power of 240 watts has been achieved through the optimization of the cell manufacturing process. A cell conversion efficiency of 20 percent has also been reached (module conversion efficiency of 17.3 percent), which is the highest efficiency for a mass-produced SANYO model.
The new modules are to begin mass production at SANYO Hungary Plant by October 2009. The new HIT-HD module will be on display at the Intersolar trade show being held in Munich, Germany, from May 27 to 29, 2009.
High Output 240/235W HIT-HD PV Modules (HIT-240/235HDE4)
Greater output and efficiency through manufacturing process optimization
Previous SANYO solar panels had a maximum rated power output of 230 watts per module (i.e., HDE Series 230W).
Now, with this improved HIT-HD module, a rated power of 240 watts has been achieved through the optimization of the cell manufacturing process. A cell conversion efficiency of 20 percent has also been reached (module conversion efficiency of 17.3 percent), which is the highest efficiency for a mass-produced SANYO model.
Monday, May 18, 2009
American Solar Electric, KYOCERA, leading component makers bring solar to Habitat for Humanity
SCOTTSDALE, USA: Five families participating in Habitat for Humanity’s new homeowner program will be moving into solar-powered homes this year as a result of an industry partnership coordinated by American Solar Electric. The solar electric systems are being donated by American Solar Electric to Habitat for Humanity as part of the company’s 2009 Community Outreach Program.
The systems range in size from 2.73 to 3.15 kilowatts and are comprised of Kyocera high output 210-watt photovoltaic (PV) modules and high-efficiency Fronius IG and IG+ inverters.
Electricity generated by the solar electric systems will be used to offset utility power, thereby reducing the cost of electricity for the new homeowners. The systems are forecasted to produce between 4,700 and 5,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity in their first year of production.
“Even as our local economy has slowed, the local solar industry has continued to boom,” said Sean Seitz, president of American Solar Electric. “Thanks to our continued success and the contributions made by our employees and industry partners, we’ve been able to increase the number of solar projects we donate to Habitat for Humanity from two in 2008 to five in 2009.”
“Solar systems are not only a great source of clean energy but they significantly lower monthly electricity bills as well,” said U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell. “At a time when many people are struggling economically, Habitat for Humanity’s energy efficient homes will help insulate these families from rising energy costs.”
In addition to American Solar Electric’s donation of system components, employees of American Solar Electric and Kyocera are donating their time and expertise to install the systems. Additionally, Fronius has agreed to supply high-efficiency inverters for the projects at discounted prices.
“The partnership with American Solar Electric has a significant impact on Habitat’s ability to build affordable homes,” said Roger Schwierjohn, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona. “We appreciate American Solar’s commitment to renewable energy and to the families we serve.”
“We, at Kyocera, are pleased that our employees are volunteering their time to help Habitat for Humanity improve the human condition and the environment by installing pollution-free solar energy on homes,” stated Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc.
“Fronius is excited to be a part of Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to create sustainable affordable housing,” said Gord Petroski, director, Fronius USA, Solar Division. “Long-term planning is a core value at Fronius, and we are proud our inverters will be a part of the systems that will help keep these homes affordable into the future.”
It is the goal of Habitat for Humanity to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification on all five homes. One of the homes will be featured as part of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo coming to Phoenix on November 11-13. This featured home has been designed to be a ‘net zero energy’ home; meaning the energy generated with renewable resources is as much energy as the homeowners would use on a net annual basis. Three homes are expected to be completed in the spring with two more this fall.
The systems range in size from 2.73 to 3.15 kilowatts and are comprised of Kyocera high output 210-watt photovoltaic (PV) modules and high-efficiency Fronius IG and IG+ inverters.
Electricity generated by the solar electric systems will be used to offset utility power, thereby reducing the cost of electricity for the new homeowners. The systems are forecasted to produce between 4,700 and 5,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity in their first year of production.
“Even as our local economy has slowed, the local solar industry has continued to boom,” said Sean Seitz, president of American Solar Electric. “Thanks to our continued success and the contributions made by our employees and industry partners, we’ve been able to increase the number of solar projects we donate to Habitat for Humanity from two in 2008 to five in 2009.”
“Solar systems are not only a great source of clean energy but they significantly lower monthly electricity bills as well,” said U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell. “At a time when many people are struggling economically, Habitat for Humanity’s energy efficient homes will help insulate these families from rising energy costs.”
In addition to American Solar Electric’s donation of system components, employees of American Solar Electric and Kyocera are donating their time and expertise to install the systems. Additionally, Fronius has agreed to supply high-efficiency inverters for the projects at discounted prices.
“The partnership with American Solar Electric has a significant impact on Habitat’s ability to build affordable homes,” said Roger Schwierjohn, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona. “We appreciate American Solar’s commitment to renewable energy and to the families we serve.”
“We, at Kyocera, are pleased that our employees are volunteering their time to help Habitat for Humanity improve the human condition and the environment by installing pollution-free solar energy on homes,” stated Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc.
“Fronius is excited to be a part of Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to create sustainable affordable housing,” said Gord Petroski, director, Fronius USA, Solar Division. “Long-term planning is a core value at Fronius, and we are proud our inverters will be a part of the systems that will help keep these homes affordable into the future.”
It is the goal of Habitat for Humanity to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification on all five homes. One of the homes will be featured as part of the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo coming to Phoenix on November 11-13. This featured home has been designed to be a ‘net zero energy’ home; meaning the energy generated with renewable resources is as much energy as the homeowners would use on a net annual basis. Three homes are expected to be completed in the spring with two more this fall.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
PG&E, BrightSource sign record solar power deal
SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has entered into a series of contracts with BrightSource Energy, Inc. for a total of 1,310 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal power.
These power purchase agreements, covering seven projects, supersede the agreements PG&E executed with BrightSource in April 2008 for up to 900 MW of solar thermal power.
The first of these solar power plants, sized at 110 MW and located in Ivanpah, Calif., is contracted to begin operation in 2012. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. All seven projects are expected to produce 3,666 gigawatt-hours of power each year, equal to the annual consumption of about 530,000 average homes.
“The solar thermal projects announced today exemplify PG&E’s commitment to increasing the amount of renewable energy we provide to our customers throughout northern and central California,” said John Conway, senior vice president of energy supply for PG&E. “Through these agreements with BrightSource, we can harness the sun’s energy to meet our customers’ power requirements when they need it most – during hot summer days.”
“Today’s agreements reflect the technological milestones that the BrightSource Energy team has achieved over the past year,” said John Woolard, CEO of BrightSource Energy. “Our technology is setting the bar for efficient production of solar energy. We’re thrilled by the opportunity to help PG&E and other leaders bring energy customers more clean and reliable solar energy.”
Since 2002, PG&E has entered into contracts for more than 20 percent of its future electric power deliveries from renewable sources. On average, half of the electricity PG&E delivers to its customers comes from carbon-free generating sources, making the company’s energy among the cleanest in the nation.
These power purchase agreements, covering seven projects, supersede the agreements PG&E executed with BrightSource in April 2008 for up to 900 MW of solar thermal power.
The first of these solar power plants, sized at 110 MW and located in Ivanpah, Calif., is contracted to begin operation in 2012. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow. All seven projects are expected to produce 3,666 gigawatt-hours of power each year, equal to the annual consumption of about 530,000 average homes.
“The solar thermal projects announced today exemplify PG&E’s commitment to increasing the amount of renewable energy we provide to our customers throughout northern and central California,” said John Conway, senior vice president of energy supply for PG&E. “Through these agreements with BrightSource, we can harness the sun’s energy to meet our customers’ power requirements when they need it most – during hot summer days.”
“Today’s agreements reflect the technological milestones that the BrightSource Energy team has achieved over the past year,” said John Woolard, CEO of BrightSource Energy. “Our technology is setting the bar for efficient production of solar energy. We’re thrilled by the opportunity to help PG&E and other leaders bring energy customers more clean and reliable solar energy.”
Since 2002, PG&E has entered into contracts for more than 20 percent of its future electric power deliveries from renewable sources. On average, half of the electricity PG&E delivers to its customers comes from carbon-free generating sources, making the company’s energy among the cleanest in the nation.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Strategies for gaining share in solar market
NEW TRIPOLI, USA: Solar cell manufacturers must differentiate themselves during the slowdown in the solar cell market, according to a report Opportunities in The Solar Market For Crystalline and Thin Film Solar Cells, recently published by The Information Network.
The solar cell manufacturing industry has become a “me too” business. Solar companies manufacturing polycrystalline panels buy the same polysilicon and wafers from less than a dozen material suppliers. Companies buying an amorphous silicon thin film process line from Applied Materials or Oerlikon are making the same films as other customers from these equipment vendors.
Certainly there are new avenues of manufacturing, such as CdTe from First Solar, CIGS from half a dozen manufacturers, multi-junction cells from companies such as Uni-Solar, and building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) from an increasing number of manufacturers. These technologies differentiate these companies’ products, but the proportion of wattage manufactured, while growing, is small compared to the majority of solar panels sold using traditional methods of production, i.e., a thin film on a glass substrate.
How can the majority of solar manufacturers differentiate their products, particularly during the economic slowdown that has dropped capacity utilization to below 50 percent, and most importantly, how can they do it cheaply? Aside from the traditional lingo such as reduce costs or economies of scale, there are better ways -– increase efficiency and improve reliability.
Increase efficiency
Amorphous silicon thin film manufacturers are working on a micromorph structure in which a second layer of silicon is deposited. Applied Materials and Oerlikon are spending vast amounts of R&D to get the solar cells made on their equipment from an efficiency of less than 8 percent to above 10 percent to be competitive with CdTe and CIGS, but they are a few years away. Even so, the added cost of the vacuum equipment to deposit the additional layer can cost upwards of $50 million for a 60MW plant.
“A local company (contact me for details) has developed a coating for amorphous and polycrystalline cells that can improve efficiency between 8 and 12 percent using non-vacuum techniques so that the cost is in the cents per watt range,” noted Dr. Robert N. Castellano, President of The Information Network.
“Tunable refractive indices make these materials excellent candidates for improving both thermal conductivity and absorption bandwidths. When these unique, novel coatings are coupled with nano-enhanced polymeric coatings, significantly improved durability and extended product life can be anticipated. UV resistance, resistance to optical crazing, and the effect of adverse weather and temperature conditions is also predicted. Films can be coated on any surface,” he added.
Research was performed at an acclaimed university in Eastern PA, and the company is now looking for additional funding to optimize deposition parameters and coating properties with the intent of licensing the IP to all solar manufacturers.
Increasing the efficiency by 10 percent will increase a 50MW production line to 60MW. At a selling price of $3 per watt, that comes to added revenues of $30 million at an added cost of $1-2 per panel, that’s per panel of 100-200W, or 50,000-$100,000 per year for the 50MW facility. Imagine the possibility if this coating was put on all 7GW of power we estimate will be installed this year as indicated in a release in late November 2008.
Improve reliability
The high costs of solar panels and their installation keep them out of the “throwaway” mentality. Long life and low cost of ownership are paramount, particularly in space applications. Manufacturing can introduce defects in solar cells that can result in low electron mobility (EM), electron traps and photo-degradation from UV light.
Part 2 of this article will discuss how these issues affect efficiency and lifetime of solar cells and the importance of measuring electron mobility at the wafer and cell stage, and how these results can increase market share for the manufacturer.
The solar cell manufacturing industry has become a “me too” business. Solar companies manufacturing polycrystalline panels buy the same polysilicon and wafers from less than a dozen material suppliers. Companies buying an amorphous silicon thin film process line from Applied Materials or Oerlikon are making the same films as other customers from these equipment vendors.
Certainly there are new avenues of manufacturing, such as CdTe from First Solar, CIGS from half a dozen manufacturers, multi-junction cells from companies such as Uni-Solar, and building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) from an increasing number of manufacturers. These technologies differentiate these companies’ products, but the proportion of wattage manufactured, while growing, is small compared to the majority of solar panels sold using traditional methods of production, i.e., a thin film on a glass substrate.
How can the majority of solar manufacturers differentiate their products, particularly during the economic slowdown that has dropped capacity utilization to below 50 percent, and most importantly, how can they do it cheaply? Aside from the traditional lingo such as reduce costs or economies of scale, there are better ways -– increase efficiency and improve reliability.
Increase efficiency
Amorphous silicon thin film manufacturers are working on a micromorph structure in which a second layer of silicon is deposited. Applied Materials and Oerlikon are spending vast amounts of R&D to get the solar cells made on their equipment from an efficiency of less than 8 percent to above 10 percent to be competitive with CdTe and CIGS, but they are a few years away. Even so, the added cost of the vacuum equipment to deposit the additional layer can cost upwards of $50 million for a 60MW plant.
“A local company (contact me for details) has developed a coating for amorphous and polycrystalline cells that can improve efficiency between 8 and 12 percent using non-vacuum techniques so that the cost is in the cents per watt range,” noted Dr. Robert N. Castellano, President of The Information Network.
“Tunable refractive indices make these materials excellent candidates for improving both thermal conductivity and absorption bandwidths. When these unique, novel coatings are coupled with nano-enhanced polymeric coatings, significantly improved durability and extended product life can be anticipated. UV resistance, resistance to optical crazing, and the effect of adverse weather and temperature conditions is also predicted. Films can be coated on any surface,” he added.
Research was performed at an acclaimed university in Eastern PA, and the company is now looking for additional funding to optimize deposition parameters and coating properties with the intent of licensing the IP to all solar manufacturers.
Increasing the efficiency by 10 percent will increase a 50MW production line to 60MW. At a selling price of $3 per watt, that comes to added revenues of $30 million at an added cost of $1-2 per panel, that’s per panel of 100-200W, or 50,000-$100,000 per year for the 50MW facility. Imagine the possibility if this coating was put on all 7GW of power we estimate will be installed this year as indicated in a release in late November 2008.
Improve reliability
The high costs of solar panels and their installation keep them out of the “throwaway” mentality. Long life and low cost of ownership are paramount, particularly in space applications. Manufacturing can introduce defects in solar cells that can result in low electron mobility (EM), electron traps and photo-degradation from UV light.
Part 2 of this article will discuss how these issues affect efficiency and lifetime of solar cells and the importance of measuring electron mobility at the wafer and cell stage, and how these results can increase market share for the manufacturer.
China solar PV installed capacity likely to reach 10,000-20,000 MW by 2020
BEIJING, CHINA: (Xinhua via COMTEX) China's solar PV installed capacity will likely reach 10,000-20,000 megawatts by 2020 with the implementation of its solar photovoltaic (PV) roof plan and other supportive measures, China Securities Journal quoted Wang Zhongying, head of the Renewable Energy Development Center of the Energy Research Institute (ERI) as saying.
The predicted capacity is far higher than the government's original plan, which targets at 1,800 MW of solar PV installed capacity by 2020.
China has announced a plan to build the country's largest solar PV project in Dunhuang, Gansu, with a primary installed capacity set at 10 MW. Bidding for the project, enterprises have offered an average power price of 1.5 yuan/kwh.
Although the price is still far higher than the 0.6 yuan/kwh price of wind-generating electricity selling to grids and the 0.3 yuan/kwh price of on-grid thermal power, it can reflect the sharp decline in the solar PV costs, said Wang.
Calculated on the basis of current solar PV cost and on-grid thermal power price, Chinese government need give one yuan of subsidy to each kwh of electricity generated from solar power, Wang noted.
Wang also stated that Chinese government is likely to draw up more favorable measures to encourage investment in solar power project.
China announced a solar PV roof plan in March, promising to grant 20 yuan/watt-peak subsidy to solar PV projects whose single installed capacity exceeds 50 kWp.
Now, China-based solar PV product makers like SunTech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (STP.NYSE), Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (SOLF.Nasdaq) and China Technology Development Group Corporation (CTDC.Nasdaq), suffer significant losses due to foreign market shrinkage and a big number of provisions against price drops.
Source: Trading Markets
The predicted capacity is far higher than the government's original plan, which targets at 1,800 MW of solar PV installed capacity by 2020.
China has announced a plan to build the country's largest solar PV project in Dunhuang, Gansu, with a primary installed capacity set at 10 MW. Bidding for the project, enterprises have offered an average power price of 1.5 yuan/kwh.
Although the price is still far higher than the 0.6 yuan/kwh price of wind-generating electricity selling to grids and the 0.3 yuan/kwh price of on-grid thermal power, it can reflect the sharp decline in the solar PV costs, said Wang.
Calculated on the basis of current solar PV cost and on-grid thermal power price, Chinese government need give one yuan of subsidy to each kwh of electricity generated from solar power, Wang noted.
Wang also stated that Chinese government is likely to draw up more favorable measures to encourage investment in solar power project.
China announced a solar PV roof plan in March, promising to grant 20 yuan/watt-peak subsidy to solar PV projects whose single installed capacity exceeds 50 kWp.
Now, China-based solar PV product makers like SunTech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (STP.NYSE), Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (SOLF.Nasdaq) and China Technology Development Group Corporation (CTDC.Nasdaq), suffer significant losses due to foreign market shrinkage and a big number of provisions against price drops.
Source: Trading Markets
Monday, May 4, 2009
Skyline Solar launches company, HGS architechture
MOUNTAIN VIEW, USA: Skyline Solar, a manufacturer of High Gain Solar (HGS) arrays for the commercial, industrial, government and utility markets, announced the launch of the company and its HGS architecture after achieving key product, financing and customer milestones.
Skyline Solar’s HGS architecture delivers the performance and durability of tracked silicon at the cost of thin-film technologies in sunny climates thereby accelerating the path to grid parity.
In conjunction with the formal launch of the company and its HGS architecture, Skyline Solar announced that it has reached several key corporate milestones:
Construction of the Company’s First Demonstration Plant—Skyline Solar entered into a public-private partnership agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to construct its initial demonstration plant in San Jose, Calif. VTA is an independent special district that is responsible for bus, light rail and para-transit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning throughout Santa Clara County. The system was completed only eight months after the company received its Series A financing.
Pilot Manufacturing & Component Certification—after a year of under-sun reliability and system testing at the company’s Mountain View headquarters, Skyline has submitted components of its HGS system for certification and has entered pilot manufacturing in the US and Asia.
The $24.6 million in Series A Venture Financing—Skyline Solar has received an equity investment from New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and several other financial and strategic investors.
US Department of Energy (DOE) Funding—in the first quarter of 2009, the company signed a developmental contract with the DOE for $3 million. Skyline Solar was selected as one of six solar photovoltaic technology companies to receive funding under the DOE’s Solar America Initiative. The company was cited as developing a technology that could “make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity.”
The company has attracted top executive talent from a number of relevant industries, including solar, finance, manufacturing and logistics. Skyline’s board of directors includes current and former executives and board members of SolFocus, Suniva, Deeya Energy, Emcore, Cobalt Power Systems and Solar Junction.
“The Solar America Initiative PV incubation process was extremely competitive and we're confident we've selected innovative companies to drive the solar industry forward,” said Martha Symko-Davies, Research Senior Supervisor at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “We were impressed by Skyline's total system approach which packages many high-gain solar design elements into an elegant array leveraging traditional manufacturing for large scale. Skyline is one of the first to recognize and drive the High Gain Solar systems movement towards grid parity over the next 18 months.”
Skyline’s HGS architecture delivers ten times more energy per gram of silicon versus traditional flat-panel systems in sunny locations and offers industry-leading energy density. Skyline HGS arrays combine industry-proven silicon cells, durable reflector materials and single-axis tracking into a complete, easy-to-deploy system. Built primarily out of commodity materials with globally available manufacturing processes from the PV and automotive industries, Skyline HGS simultaneously improves financial payback and scalability. As a result, Skyline Solar believes the HGS architecture is the fastest path to grid parity.
“Skyline Solar has developed an innovative, differentiated approach that simultaneously provides the performance and reliability of silicon PV while driving a much lower delivered cost,” said Mark Perry, General Partner at NEA. “The company's solution is both robust and highly capital efficient and NEA is excited to work with Skyline's outstanding leadership team as they advance this potentially game-changing solar technology.”
By increasing the productivity of silicon-based PV technologies and using only a fraction of the materials to reduce costs, Skyline Solar is well positioned to capitalize on forecasted market growth. Skyline HGS uses 90 percent less silicon and 66 percent fewer parts versus traditional flat panel solar power plants. The system uses widely available materials translating into a scalable manufacturing process.
“When asked why I invested in Skyline Solar, the answer is clear—simplicity,” said Alf Bjorseth, founder of Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) and Scatec Solar. “Simplicity will be essential for PV reaching new levels of cost and scalability.”
“Skyline Solar is focused on a single goal as a company—accelerating the deployment of solar energy to meaningfully offset fossil fuel consumption. This requires rapidly achieving grid parity and dramatically improving scalability of PV systems,” said Bob MacDonald, CEO of Skyline Solar and a solar industry veteran. “We have a laser-like focus on real-world system performance and delivering the lowest cost of energy in the industry. We believe that we can help solar integrators, project developers and project finance firms reduce the cost and complexity of system installation, while delivering a high-yield, low maintenance system for their commercial, industrial and utility customers.”
Skyline Solar is currently in the process of reviewing, accepting and evaluating several other early-stage projects to demonstrate the “shovel-ready” capabilities of the HGS approach later this year. The company expects to unveil its HGS product details and system specifications, and production in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Skyline Solar’s HGS architecture delivers the performance and durability of tracked silicon at the cost of thin-film technologies in sunny climates thereby accelerating the path to grid parity.
In conjunction with the formal launch of the company and its HGS architecture, Skyline Solar announced that it has reached several key corporate milestones:
Construction of the Company’s First Demonstration Plant—Skyline Solar entered into a public-private partnership agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to construct its initial demonstration plant in San Jose, Calif. VTA is an independent special district that is responsible for bus, light rail and para-transit operations; congestion management; specific highway improvement projects; countywide transportation planning throughout Santa Clara County. The system was completed only eight months after the company received its Series A financing.
Pilot Manufacturing & Component Certification—after a year of under-sun reliability and system testing at the company’s Mountain View headquarters, Skyline has submitted components of its HGS system for certification and has entered pilot manufacturing in the US and Asia.
The $24.6 million in Series A Venture Financing—Skyline Solar has received an equity investment from New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and several other financial and strategic investors.
US Department of Energy (DOE) Funding—in the first quarter of 2009, the company signed a developmental contract with the DOE for $3 million. Skyline Solar was selected as one of six solar photovoltaic technology companies to receive funding under the DOE’s Solar America Initiative. The company was cited as developing a technology that could “make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity.”
The company has attracted top executive talent from a number of relevant industries, including solar, finance, manufacturing and logistics. Skyline’s board of directors includes current and former executives and board members of SolFocus, Suniva, Deeya Energy, Emcore, Cobalt Power Systems and Solar Junction.
“The Solar America Initiative PV incubation process was extremely competitive and we're confident we've selected innovative companies to drive the solar industry forward,” said Martha Symko-Davies, Research Senior Supervisor at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). “We were impressed by Skyline's total system approach which packages many high-gain solar design elements into an elegant array leveraging traditional manufacturing for large scale. Skyline is one of the first to recognize and drive the High Gain Solar systems movement towards grid parity over the next 18 months.”
Skyline’s HGS architecture delivers ten times more energy per gram of silicon versus traditional flat-panel systems in sunny locations and offers industry-leading energy density. Skyline HGS arrays combine industry-proven silicon cells, durable reflector materials and single-axis tracking into a complete, easy-to-deploy system. Built primarily out of commodity materials with globally available manufacturing processes from the PV and automotive industries, Skyline HGS simultaneously improves financial payback and scalability. As a result, Skyline Solar believes the HGS architecture is the fastest path to grid parity.
“Skyline Solar has developed an innovative, differentiated approach that simultaneously provides the performance and reliability of silicon PV while driving a much lower delivered cost,” said Mark Perry, General Partner at NEA. “The company's solution is both robust and highly capital efficient and NEA is excited to work with Skyline's outstanding leadership team as they advance this potentially game-changing solar technology.”
By increasing the productivity of silicon-based PV technologies and using only a fraction of the materials to reduce costs, Skyline Solar is well positioned to capitalize on forecasted market growth. Skyline HGS uses 90 percent less silicon and 66 percent fewer parts versus traditional flat panel solar power plants. The system uses widely available materials translating into a scalable manufacturing process.
“When asked why I invested in Skyline Solar, the answer is clear—simplicity,” said Alf Bjorseth, founder of Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) and Scatec Solar. “Simplicity will be essential for PV reaching new levels of cost and scalability.”
“Skyline Solar is focused on a single goal as a company—accelerating the deployment of solar energy to meaningfully offset fossil fuel consumption. This requires rapidly achieving grid parity and dramatically improving scalability of PV systems,” said Bob MacDonald, CEO of Skyline Solar and a solar industry veteran. “We have a laser-like focus on real-world system performance and delivering the lowest cost of energy in the industry. We believe that we can help solar integrators, project developers and project finance firms reduce the cost and complexity of system installation, while delivering a high-yield, low maintenance system for their commercial, industrial and utility customers.”
Skyline Solar is currently in the process of reviewing, accepting and evaluating several other early-stage projects to demonstrate the “shovel-ready” capabilities of the HGS approach later this year. The company expects to unveil its HGS product details and system specifications, and production in the fourth quarter of 2009.
SOLAR IN A BOX PV option for green-friendly i-house from Clayton Homes
OMAHA, USA: Ready Solar Inc., the company that created the solar-in-a-box industry, announced today that its SOLAR IN A BOX will be the solar PV system option for the new i-house available now from Clayton Homes.
The i-house, the housing industry’s first green, affordable manufactured housing, was featured at the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 2 and exhibited at Omaha’s Qwest Center. Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, is the nation’s leading home builder.
SOLAR IN A BOXTM from Ready Solar will be pre-installed at the factory for i-house buyers who order the solar option at the time of purchase or can be ordered later as on after market installation. Kevin Clayton, Clayton Homes CEO, stated, “Green and building energy efficiency into every Clayton home has become a passion for us. Providing our home buyer with the option of including solar power seemed natural.”
With Ready Solar’s turnkey, all-AC solar rooftop system, components are pre-engineered and pre-assembled. The same electricians who wire any house can install the system with no special proficiencies required. SOLAR IN A BOX cuts installation time of solar systems by more than half.
Bob Giles, CEO of Ready Solar, said: 'Clayton Homes is taking a major step toward the greening of American homes with the i–house. Our role is to provide Clayton Homes and the homebuilding industry with the easiest and most cost-effective way to install solar power systems. As solar adoption increases and homebuilding moves toward economic recovery, Ready Solar will help open the multi-billion solar industry to general contractors, electrical contractors, homebuilders and other trades-people with basic electrical skills. We are delighted to provide the solar option for Clayton Homes."
The i-house, the housing industry’s first green, affordable manufactured housing, was featured at the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska on May 2 and exhibited at Omaha’s Qwest Center. Clayton Homes, a Berkshire Hathaway Company, is the nation’s leading home builder.
SOLAR IN A BOXTM from Ready Solar will be pre-installed at the factory for i-house buyers who order the solar option at the time of purchase or can be ordered later as on after market installation. Kevin Clayton, Clayton Homes CEO, stated, “Green and building energy efficiency into every Clayton home has become a passion for us. Providing our home buyer with the option of including solar power seemed natural.”
With Ready Solar’s turnkey, all-AC solar rooftop system, components are pre-engineered and pre-assembled. The same electricians who wire any house can install the system with no special proficiencies required. SOLAR IN A BOX cuts installation time of solar systems by more than half.
Bob Giles, CEO of Ready Solar, said: 'Clayton Homes is taking a major step toward the greening of American homes with the i–house. Our role is to provide Clayton Homes and the homebuilding industry with the easiest and most cost-effective way to install solar power systems. As solar adoption increases and homebuilding moves toward economic recovery, Ready Solar will help open the multi-billion solar industry to general contractors, electrical contractors, homebuilders and other trades-people with basic electrical skills. We are delighted to provide the solar option for Clayton Homes."
Sunday, May 3, 2009
SolarCity unveils 100KW solar system at Intel’s Jones Farm Campus, Oregon
FOSTER CITY & HILLSBORO, USA: SolarCity, a national leader in solar power system design, financing, installation, monitoring and related services, unveiled a new solar installation at Intel’s Jones Farm Campus in Hillsboro, Ore.
Intel also showcased a kiosk in its visitor building lobby last week, provided by SolarCity, to educate employees, visitors and students about solar power. The kiosk displays an Internet feed from SolarGuard, SolarCity’s monitoring system, to provide updates every 15 minutes on Intel’s solar system’s production, electricity offset and environmental impact.
The 100.8 kilowatt DC solar electric system consists of 504 solar modules on the roof of Building Four at the Jones Farm Campus. In the first 25 years of the system’s lifetime, it is expected to offset more than 4 million pounds of greenhouse gas that would otherwise have been emitted by coal or fossil-fuel-generated electricity.
This would be the equivalent of taking 21.5 cars off the road for 25 years, or planting 35 acres of trees. Intel is currently the largest voluntary purchaser of “green power” in the US, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We’re honored to offer clean, affordable, renewable energy to an innovation and sustainability leader like Intel,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive. “In addition to contributing science, technology and educational resources to local communities, Intel has provided strong corporate leadership on sustainability issues.”
Intel also showcased a kiosk in its visitor building lobby last week, provided by SolarCity, to educate employees, visitors and students about solar power. The kiosk displays an Internet feed from SolarGuard, SolarCity’s monitoring system, to provide updates every 15 minutes on Intel’s solar system’s production, electricity offset and environmental impact.
The 100.8 kilowatt DC solar electric system consists of 504 solar modules on the roof of Building Four at the Jones Farm Campus. In the first 25 years of the system’s lifetime, it is expected to offset more than 4 million pounds of greenhouse gas that would otherwise have been emitted by coal or fossil-fuel-generated electricity.
This would be the equivalent of taking 21.5 cars off the road for 25 years, or planting 35 acres of trees. Intel is currently the largest voluntary purchaser of “green power” in the US, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
“We’re honored to offer clean, affordable, renewable energy to an innovation and sustainability leader like Intel,” said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive. “In addition to contributing science, technology and educational resources to local communities, Intel has provided strong corporate leadership on sustainability issues.”
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