MONTREAL, CANADA: ICP Solar Technologies Inc., a developer and marketer of innovative, proprietary solar panels and products, announced that the company has received positive feedback from two of its largest customers and several new retail prospects regarding the launch of its upcoming Energizer branded solar chargers.
These well-known retail channel partners plan to help market the new products and provide significant exposure on shelves. Initial shipments are still anticipated for the fourth quarter.
“Strong brands build strong bonds with their customers, and our retail partners know this is the case with Energizer branded products,” said Sass Peress, Chairman and CEO. “Our retailers expect high demand for Energizer solar chargers – anticipated to out sell all other brands in the category – and we will likely have firm orders in place before the end of the third quarter.
"In addition to traditional retail channels, the upcoming November launch of the e-Commerce focused Energizersolar.com website, as well as several social media initiatives, are expected to increase overall consumer awareness, visibility and sales of Energizer branded solar solutions. Our products will form part of the Energizer ‘Complete Solution’ for portable, rechargeable energy storage worldwide, and we are excited to move forward with this rollout as soon as possible.”
Showing posts with label solar panels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar panels. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Evergreen Solar's new line of solar panels for off-grid market
MARLBORO, USA: Evergreen Solar Inc., a manufacturer of STRING RIBBON solar power products with its proprietary, low-cost silicon wafer manufacturing technology, introduced its new ES-C Series solar panels, designed to substantially expand the company’s offering for the global off-grid market.
This new line of 80, 120 and 125 W panels will be manufactured by Evergreen Solar’s contract manufacturing partner, Jiawei Solarchina Co. Ltd, using cells supplied by Evergreen Solar.
The ES-C Series of panels are suitable for direct 12, 24 or 48V battery charging in a wide variety of off-grid applications. The panels provide higher voltages for superior battery charging performance, particularly in hotter climates. Similar to the current line of Evergreen Solar panels serving on-grid markets, the ES-C line of panels deliver more electricity with the least environmental impact of any silicon based solar panel currently available.
“The ES-C Series enables Evergreen Solar to capitalize on the expanding off-grid solar market and further positions the company as a leader in the global solar industry,” said Dr. Terry Bailey, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales.
“Like all Evergreen Solar products this product line has been designed with differentiating performance characteristics to distinguish them from commodity-like competitors and provides better battery charging capability than other major brands. At the same time, we are proud to lead the industry in environmental credentials with the smallest carbon footprint and the quickest energy payback of any silicon-based panel available today.”
The ES-C Series panels are constructed with conduit-ready, multi-configuration junction boxes for easy, flexible installation. The panel’s double-walled, high-strength frame allows it to withstand the harshest of wind or snow conditions.
The panels are also designed to fully comply with UL 1703 (for US and Canada) and IEC standards (approval pending) and carry with them a five-year workmanship and 25-year power warranty. Evergreen is accepting orders now for initial shipments beginning in October.
This new line of 80, 120 and 125 W panels will be manufactured by Evergreen Solar’s contract manufacturing partner, Jiawei Solarchina Co. Ltd, using cells supplied by Evergreen Solar.
The ES-C Series of panels are suitable for direct 12, 24 or 48V battery charging in a wide variety of off-grid applications. The panels provide higher voltages for superior battery charging performance, particularly in hotter climates. Similar to the current line of Evergreen Solar panels serving on-grid markets, the ES-C line of panels deliver more electricity with the least environmental impact of any silicon based solar panel currently available.
“The ES-C Series enables Evergreen Solar to capitalize on the expanding off-grid solar market and further positions the company as a leader in the global solar industry,” said Dr. Terry Bailey, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales.
“Like all Evergreen Solar products this product line has been designed with differentiating performance characteristics to distinguish them from commodity-like competitors and provides better battery charging capability than other major brands. At the same time, we are proud to lead the industry in environmental credentials with the smallest carbon footprint and the quickest energy payback of any silicon-based panel available today.”
The ES-C Series panels are constructed with conduit-ready, multi-configuration junction boxes for easy, flexible installation. The panel’s double-walled, high-strength frame allows it to withstand the harshest of wind or snow conditions.
The panels are also designed to fully comply with UL 1703 (for US and Canada) and IEC standards (approval pending) and carry with them a five-year workmanship and 25-year power warranty. Evergreen is accepting orders now for initial shipments beginning in October.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
BHEL, BEL to float joint venture for solar panels facility
BANGALORE, INDIA (IANS): State-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) will form a Rs.20 billion (Rs.2000 crore) joint venture by March 2010 to manufacture 250mw solar photovoltaic (PV) production facility for processing silicon wafers, solar cells and PV modules, a top company official said Tuesday.
'The joint venture with 50:50 equity holding will be set up where abundant power will be available. We will also rope in an overseas technology partner, which will be given a proportionate stake subsequently,' BHEL chairman and managing director K. Ravi Kumar told reporters here on the margins of a function.
Though the location to set up the facility has not been identified, Ravi Kumar hinted Karnataka could be considered, provided the required quality of power was made available to the venture.
As part of the government's green energy initiative, BHEL has upgraded its solar PV module manufacturing facility at its electronics division on the outskirts of the city to 8mw from 3mw per annum at a cost of Rs.160 million (Rs.16 crore). The initial investment in the facility was Rs.150 million (Rs.15 crore).
Dedicating the state-of-the-art facility to the nation, Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh directed BHEL to reduce the cost of the cells through extensive research and greater indigenisation.
'At the present cost of Rs.19 per unit, solar energy from photovoltaic cells is not only cost prohibitive, but also economically unviable. There is an urgent need to indigenise the green technology and lower the production cost to make it affordable to institutional and retail users,' Deshmukh said.
The cost of power generation from conventional sources such as hydel is Rs.2-3 per unit, thermal Rs.4-5 and gas Rs.5-6.
Currently, BHEL is importing the raw material (silica) from the US to manufacture the solar-grade mono/multi-crystalline silicon wafers.
'We have been contributing to the application of solar PVs in remote and rural parts of the country over the last three decades. Our grid interactive and standalone solar power plants have been providing energy in Lakshadweep, Sagar islands in West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar islands and tribal areas of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,' Ravi Kumar said.
In a bid to reduce greenhouse emissions and dependency on fossil fuels for power generation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has advocated increasing use of renewable energy sources such as solar. He has also set a target of generating about 20,000mw or 20gw (gigawatts) from solar power by 2020 under the national solar mission at an estimated cost of $19 billion.
Source: Indo Asian News Service
'The joint venture with 50:50 equity holding will be set up where abundant power will be available. We will also rope in an overseas technology partner, which will be given a proportionate stake subsequently,' BHEL chairman and managing director K. Ravi Kumar told reporters here on the margins of a function.
Though the location to set up the facility has not been identified, Ravi Kumar hinted Karnataka could be considered, provided the required quality of power was made available to the venture.
As part of the government's green energy initiative, BHEL has upgraded its solar PV module manufacturing facility at its electronics division on the outskirts of the city to 8mw from 3mw per annum at a cost of Rs.160 million (Rs.16 crore). The initial investment in the facility was Rs.150 million (Rs.15 crore).
Dedicating the state-of-the-art facility to the nation, Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh directed BHEL to reduce the cost of the cells through extensive research and greater indigenisation.
'At the present cost of Rs.19 per unit, solar energy from photovoltaic cells is not only cost prohibitive, but also economically unviable. There is an urgent need to indigenise the green technology and lower the production cost to make it affordable to institutional and retail users,' Deshmukh said.
The cost of power generation from conventional sources such as hydel is Rs.2-3 per unit, thermal Rs.4-5 and gas Rs.5-6.
Currently, BHEL is importing the raw material (silica) from the US to manufacture the solar-grade mono/multi-crystalline silicon wafers.
'We have been contributing to the application of solar PVs in remote and rural parts of the country over the last three decades. Our grid interactive and standalone solar power plants have been providing energy in Lakshadweep, Sagar islands in West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar islands and tribal areas of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand,' Ravi Kumar said.
In a bid to reduce greenhouse emissions and dependency on fossil fuels for power generation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has advocated increasing use of renewable energy sources such as solar. He has also set a target of generating about 20,000mw or 20gw (gigawatts) from solar power by 2020 under the national solar mission at an estimated cost of $19 billion.
Source: Indo Asian News Service
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Indian government, solar industry interact on MNRE’s solar PV program
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had recently announced a unified solar photovoltaic (SPV) program to promote the use of decentralised SPV systems for various applications in rural/ urban areas and SPV roof top systems for diesel saving in urban areas.
To promote this program, the MNRE organized a one-day seminar today, in New Delhi, along with the India Semiconductor Association (ISA), and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA), to share the modalities for the implementation of the program with the concerned stakeholders such as manufacturers of solar PV modules and equipment, system integrators, service providers, consultants, banks and financial institutions, and reputed NGOs. A government-industry interaction on the MNRE’s program was also intiated during the event.
Welcoming the delegates, Poornima Shenoy, president, ISA, stressed on the very strong partnership between the MNRE and the ISA. She added that this workshop was a first in a series of such workshops that will be held across the country. She requested the delegates to add as much value as possible to this edition, adding, “We look forward to your feedback, so that we can improve on our future programs.”
Source: ISA
Industry-government interaction step in right direction
B.V. Naidu, chairman, ISA said that it was good to be part of a new revolution taking place in India. He added: “We have seen the success of the Indian IT industry and the Indian semiconductor design sector. That the MNRE is organizing an industry interaction on solar photovoltaics is a step in the right direction.” Naidu noted that India has all the features required for becoming a successful solar country.
Incidentally, the current installed capacity of solar PV is said to be over 400-500MW, but about 90 percent of that capacity is exported. As a case, in Germany, 4 percent of the overall power generation capacity has been generated out of solar. A lot of emphasis on solar PV also been happening in the USA and Chima.
Naidu added: “The Government of India has set an ambitious target of reaching 20GW by 2020. A lot of things need to be done in the country, and by the Indian solar PV industry. We are also looking at an equal amount of participation from the academia, so that we can look at ways of reducing costs and improving the efficiency of solar PV.
The ISA has already created the roadmap for the FabCity in Hyderabad. It is also organizing a solar conference in Hyderabad this November.
Solar to assure green technology in India
Dr B.M.S. Bist, Advisor, MNRE, said that solar PV is going to play a big role in assuring green technology in the country. A date of Nov. 14 has been set for Solar Mission Program, as already mentioned.
The MNRE’s focus has been at decentralized programs. Today, there are said to be 75MW of systems across the country. Dr. Bist added that significant targets have been set for the SPV systems. The ministry has now tried to make new schemes. These will be presented to the delegates and their views welcomed. Those views will be compiled and the ministry will revert to the industry, so both of them can march together.
Massive potential for solar PV in India
Addressing the delegates, Debashish Majumdar, chairman and managing director, IREDA, said the reason for the gathering today was very clear – what exists on the MNRE website is potential for renewable energy. However, it does not really highlight the potential for solar PV, which is massive!
He added: “When solar PV started about 15 years ago in India, we had small manufacturers starting in garages, etc., and who have now grown to become very large companies. It gives us a lot of hope that things can be done very well here as well. Any new technology, to begin with, is expensive. Therefore, it is the prerogative of the rich to adopt it. We all hope that we will have the volumes and the technologies that can be replicated in India.
“We look at solar from two aspects — off-grid and on-grid. We would like to see what kind of demand can we convert in the off-grid applications. In the subsequent session, we will see the steps that the ministry has taken. The policy has been made keeping the best interests of the industry. We would like to get your feedback and see how best to get the market going.”
Huge opportunity in off-grid applications
Ms Gauri Singh, IAS, joint secretary, MNRE said that the purpose of this interaction between the government and the industry is to give a loud and clear message to ind that “we would like to work with you as partners.”
She added: “A large portion of the solar mission target will come from grid connected solar power. However, the off-grid opportunity is also huge. We have tried to open up our policy slightly — and take the whole process forward by taking inputs from you — and open up the policy for suggestions. One part of the scenario is — we already have large manufacturers who can provide us solar modules. The other part — is our policy encouraging innovation.
“Now, the time is ripe where we can do only the broad technical specifications, etc., but leave the innovation and configuration of the off-grid solutions to the industry, and make it an enabling flavor.” She also called for a need to put out a third party monitoring system.
She further added that the MNRE was also working to see whether it could get the IREDA into a refinance operation with banks.
There are schemes in place, where if anyone wants to work with a bank, a lot of incentives are available to the banks. Now, the ministry would like to see incentives being given to the manufacturers.
This is an honest attempt on part of the MNRE to work closely with the industry. Hopefully, everything will go well, following this interaction as it will sow the right seeds toward reaping a full harvest — in shape of achieving the very ambitious target of the national solar mission plan!
There were presentations on the following topics as well:
* Details of the solar PV off-grid program (rooftop systems) — Dr. AK Varshney, MNRE
* Details of the solar PV off-grid program (other applications) — Dr. A. Raza, MNRE
* Financing of IREDA schemes for solar — BV Rao, IREDA
These presentations were followed by a marathon discussion between the MNRE and IREDA officials on behalf of the government of India and the members of the Indian solar photovoltaics industry.
To promote this program, the MNRE organized a one-day seminar today, in New Delhi, along with the India Semiconductor Association (ISA), and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA), to share the modalities for the implementation of the program with the concerned stakeholders such as manufacturers of solar PV modules and equipment, system integrators, service providers, consultants, banks and financial institutions, and reputed NGOs. A government-industry interaction on the MNRE’s program was also intiated during the event.
Welcoming the delegates, Poornima Shenoy, president, ISA, stressed on the very strong partnership between the MNRE and the ISA. She added that this workshop was a first in a series of such workshops that will be held across the country. She requested the delegates to add as much value as possible to this edition, adding, “We look forward to your feedback, so that we can improve on our future programs.”
Source: ISAIndustry-government interaction step in right direction
B.V. Naidu, chairman, ISA said that it was good to be part of a new revolution taking place in India. He added: “We have seen the success of the Indian IT industry and the Indian semiconductor design sector. That the MNRE is organizing an industry interaction on solar photovoltaics is a step in the right direction.” Naidu noted that India has all the features required for becoming a successful solar country.
Incidentally, the current installed capacity of solar PV is said to be over 400-500MW, but about 90 percent of that capacity is exported. As a case, in Germany, 4 percent of the overall power generation capacity has been generated out of solar. A lot of emphasis on solar PV also been happening in the USA and Chima.
Naidu added: “The Government of India has set an ambitious target of reaching 20GW by 2020. A lot of things need to be done in the country, and by the Indian solar PV industry. We are also looking at an equal amount of participation from the academia, so that we can look at ways of reducing costs and improving the efficiency of solar PV.
The ISA has already created the roadmap for the FabCity in Hyderabad. It is also organizing a solar conference in Hyderabad this November.
Solar to assure green technology in India
Dr B.M.S. Bist, Advisor, MNRE, said that solar PV is going to play a big role in assuring green technology in the country. A date of Nov. 14 has been set for Solar Mission Program, as already mentioned.
The MNRE’s focus has been at decentralized programs. Today, there are said to be 75MW of systems across the country. Dr. Bist added that significant targets have been set for the SPV systems. The ministry has now tried to make new schemes. These will be presented to the delegates and their views welcomed. Those views will be compiled and the ministry will revert to the industry, so both of them can march together.
Massive potential for solar PV in India
Addressing the delegates, Debashish Majumdar, chairman and managing director, IREDA, said the reason for the gathering today was very clear – what exists on the MNRE website is potential for renewable energy. However, it does not really highlight the potential for solar PV, which is massive!
He added: “When solar PV started about 15 years ago in India, we had small manufacturers starting in garages, etc., and who have now grown to become very large companies. It gives us a lot of hope that things can be done very well here as well. Any new technology, to begin with, is expensive. Therefore, it is the prerogative of the rich to adopt it. We all hope that we will have the volumes and the technologies that can be replicated in India.
“We look at solar from two aspects — off-grid and on-grid. We would like to see what kind of demand can we convert in the off-grid applications. In the subsequent session, we will see the steps that the ministry has taken. The policy has been made keeping the best interests of the industry. We would like to get your feedback and see how best to get the market going.”
Huge opportunity in off-grid applications
Ms Gauri Singh, IAS, joint secretary, MNRE said that the purpose of this interaction between the government and the industry is to give a loud and clear message to ind that “we would like to work with you as partners.”
She added: “A large portion of the solar mission target will come from grid connected solar power. However, the off-grid opportunity is also huge. We have tried to open up our policy slightly — and take the whole process forward by taking inputs from you — and open up the policy for suggestions. One part of the scenario is — we already have large manufacturers who can provide us solar modules. The other part — is our policy encouraging innovation.
“Now, the time is ripe where we can do only the broad technical specifications, etc., but leave the innovation and configuration of the off-grid solutions to the industry, and make it an enabling flavor.” She also called for a need to put out a third party monitoring system.
She further added that the MNRE was also working to see whether it could get the IREDA into a refinance operation with banks.
There are schemes in place, where if anyone wants to work with a bank, a lot of incentives are available to the banks. Now, the ministry would like to see incentives being given to the manufacturers.
This is an honest attempt on part of the MNRE to work closely with the industry. Hopefully, everything will go well, following this interaction as it will sow the right seeds toward reaping a full harvest — in shape of achieving the very ambitious target of the national solar mission plan!
There were presentations on the following topics as well:
* Details of the solar PV off-grid program (rooftop systems) — Dr. AK Varshney, MNRE
* Details of the solar PV off-grid program (other applications) — Dr. A. Raza, MNRE
* Financing of IREDA schemes for solar — BV Rao, IREDA
These presentations were followed by a marathon discussion between the MNRE and IREDA officials on behalf of the government of India and the members of the Indian solar photovoltaics industry.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Half of all solar panels made this year won’t be installed in 2009!
EL SEGUNDO, USA: How bad is the solar panel glut?
* So bad that nearly half of all panels made this year won’t be sold in 2009.
* So bad that the present massive oversupply of panels will persist until 2012.
* So bad that iSuppli Corp. is now reducing its forecast for solar panel production out to the year 2013.
“The solar industry in 2009 has been undermined by collapse in demand due to the decision by Spain—which accounted for 50 percent of worldwide installations in 2008—to change its feed-in-tariff policies,” said Henning Wicht, senior director and principal analyst for photovoltaics at iSuppli.
“This demand drop led to a massive buildup of inventory throughout the supply chain, from the raw material polysilicon, to PV cells, to complete solar systems. Despite this, solar panel makers have continued to increase capacity and production, exacerbating the inventory buildup.”
Total solar panel production in 2009 will grow by 14.3 percent to 7.5 Gigawatts (GW), up from 6.5GW in 2008. However, only 3.9 GW worth of installations will take place this year. That means that almost one out of every two panels produced in 2009 will not be installed but stored in inventory.
“This inventory glut will have a long-term impact on the solar business, with panels set to remain in a state of oversupply until 2012,” Wicht said. “After that year, fast-growing demand for solar installations will be able to absorb global panel production and inventory.
iSuppli’s updated forecast now shows supplier production flattening for the years from 2011 through 2013 compared to the old forecast.”
The figure presents iSuppli’s previous and updated forecasts for solar panel production in terms of GW.
iSuppli: Previous and Current Global Solar Panel Production Forecasts in Gigawatts (Crystalline and Thin Film)
Source: iSuppli Aug. 2009
Still ramping?
Despite the global economic recession, most of the leading producers of solar panels -— such as Suntech, Sharp and JA Solar -— will continue to grow in concert with the overall PV industry, although they have no intention of slowing production of cells and panels.
“Even in the face of the downturn, many panel and cell producers have continued to ramp up their capacities as if a recession had never occurred,” Wicht said. “Most companies are doing this in order to maintain their share in the market.”
As a result, Suntech will push Q-Cells aside and become the No.-1 producer of crystalline cells in 2009, iSuppli predicts. Sharp, Yingli and JA Solar also will defend their Top-5 positions this year by not reducing their solar-cell production increases.
Those suppliers that have reduced or made adjustments to their production of cells and panels as a result of the softening demand have seen their short- and mid-term strategies falter. These suppliers include Q-Cells, SunPower and BP Solar.
Q-Cells, in particular, slowed down cell and panel expansion at its plant in Malaysia and has significantly reduced production targets in 2009. Likewise, SunPower has cut back its plans for expansion, while BP Solar has closed its panel production operations in Malaysia and Spain.
So, while some companies are hiking up production in order to maintain their positions in the market, others are forced to undertake short-term production cuts and delay or even cancel long-term expansion projects.
* So bad that nearly half of all panels made this year won’t be sold in 2009.
* So bad that the present massive oversupply of panels will persist until 2012.
* So bad that iSuppli Corp. is now reducing its forecast for solar panel production out to the year 2013.
“The solar industry in 2009 has been undermined by collapse in demand due to the decision by Spain—which accounted for 50 percent of worldwide installations in 2008—to change its feed-in-tariff policies,” said Henning Wicht, senior director and principal analyst for photovoltaics at iSuppli.
“This demand drop led to a massive buildup of inventory throughout the supply chain, from the raw material polysilicon, to PV cells, to complete solar systems. Despite this, solar panel makers have continued to increase capacity and production, exacerbating the inventory buildup.”
Total solar panel production in 2009 will grow by 14.3 percent to 7.5 Gigawatts (GW), up from 6.5GW in 2008. However, only 3.9 GW worth of installations will take place this year. That means that almost one out of every two panels produced in 2009 will not be installed but stored in inventory.
“This inventory glut will have a long-term impact on the solar business, with panels set to remain in a state of oversupply until 2012,” Wicht said. “After that year, fast-growing demand for solar installations will be able to absorb global panel production and inventory.
iSuppli’s updated forecast now shows supplier production flattening for the years from 2011 through 2013 compared to the old forecast.”
The figure presents iSuppli’s previous and updated forecasts for solar panel production in terms of GW.
iSuppli: Previous and Current Global Solar Panel Production Forecasts in Gigawatts (Crystalline and Thin Film)
Source: iSuppli Aug. 2009Still ramping?
Despite the global economic recession, most of the leading producers of solar panels -— such as Suntech, Sharp and JA Solar -— will continue to grow in concert with the overall PV industry, although they have no intention of slowing production of cells and panels.
“Even in the face of the downturn, many panel and cell producers have continued to ramp up their capacities as if a recession had never occurred,” Wicht said. “Most companies are doing this in order to maintain their share in the market.”
As a result, Suntech will push Q-Cells aside and become the No.-1 producer of crystalline cells in 2009, iSuppli predicts. Sharp, Yingli and JA Solar also will defend their Top-5 positions this year by not reducing their solar-cell production increases.
Those suppliers that have reduced or made adjustments to their production of cells and panels as a result of the softening demand have seen their short- and mid-term strategies falter. These suppliers include Q-Cells, SunPower and BP Solar.
Q-Cells, in particular, slowed down cell and panel expansion at its plant in Malaysia and has significantly reduced production targets in 2009. Likewise, SunPower has cut back its plans for expansion, while BP Solar has closed its panel production operations in Malaysia and Spain.
So, while some companies are hiking up production in order to maintain their positions in the market, others are forced to undertake short-term production cuts and delay or even cancel long-term expansion projects.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Cannae Group seeks investments, strategic partnerships with solar panel recyclers
NEW YORK, USA: Cannae Group, a specialist advisory firm headquartered in New York City, announced that it will be seeking strategic investments and partnerships with solar panel recyclers over the next 12 months due to unprecedented increases in the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector.
The PV sector is working to create truly sustainable energy solutions that take into consideration the environmental impacts of all stages of the product life cycle, from raw material sourcing through end-of-life collection and recycling.
By addressing future recycling needs now, through strategic investments, truly sustainable energy solutions can be offered today to help prevent environmental problems in the future.
"It's an excellent time to do this considering that solar is an emerging industry," said David McGovern, executive director of Cannae Group. "It will be an environmental advantage if you have panels that not only contribute to sustainability and reduce carbon emissions, but also use renewable and sustainable materials."
"We want to be part of the solution," said Nikita Sutton, Cannae Group analyst. "We have a great opportunity through our investments to continue to improve the environmental processes of the industry."
McGovern summed up by saying, "People have become far more conscious about recycling, so the new corporate mandate is to think beyond just getting a product into a customer's hands. It is now about how do we do our part so that years down the road our products are not part of the problem."
The PV sector is working to create truly sustainable energy solutions that take into consideration the environmental impacts of all stages of the product life cycle, from raw material sourcing through end-of-life collection and recycling.
By addressing future recycling needs now, through strategic investments, truly sustainable energy solutions can be offered today to help prevent environmental problems in the future.
"It's an excellent time to do this considering that solar is an emerging industry," said David McGovern, executive director of Cannae Group. "It will be an environmental advantage if you have panels that not only contribute to sustainability and reduce carbon emissions, but also use renewable and sustainable materials."
"We want to be part of the solution," said Nikita Sutton, Cannae Group analyst. "We have a great opportunity through our investments to continue to improve the environmental processes of the industry."
McGovern summed up by saying, "People have become far more conscious about recycling, so the new corporate mandate is to think beyond just getting a product into a customer's hands. It is now about how do we do our part so that years down the road our products are not part of the problem."
ICP Solar launches European sunsei e-commerce site
MONTREAL, USA: ICP Solar Technologies Inc., a developer and marketer of innovative, proprietary solar panels and products, announced the launch of its European e-commerce website for innovative solar lifestyle products.
The European platform follows the successful introduction of an upgraded sunsei website for North America in June, 2008.
Both sunsei sites serve as online retail stores for sunsei-branded solar products and accessories. The sunsei product line consists of superior portable solar chargers, battery maintainers, lights, vents, and GreenMeters. sunsei applications are designed for recreational and residential use, including marine, RV, camping, and many other outdoor activities.
“The launch of our European sunsei® website is an important development in our efforts to enable consumers to embrace the solar revolution,” said Sass Peress, CEO.
“Our expanded platform provides a greater means to educate our audience while offering easy access to the entire sunsei® product line. With a direct link to European consumers, we will be able to ensure complete customer satisfaction and assess how to best broaden our pipeline of solar powered applications going forward.”
The new European website is modeled after the site serving North America. The website includes an innovative energy portal with monitoring services dedicated to industrial and home applications.
When combined with ICP Solar’s sunsei Greenmeter, it allows users to manage their Greenmeter data storage and keep track of carbon credits remotely and in real-time.
The site facilitates a customer’s integration of solar power into their lives, highlighting the savings that can accrue while helping the environment.
The European platform follows the successful introduction of an upgraded sunsei website for North America in June, 2008.
Both sunsei sites serve as online retail stores for sunsei-branded solar products and accessories. The sunsei product line consists of superior portable solar chargers, battery maintainers, lights, vents, and GreenMeters. sunsei applications are designed for recreational and residential use, including marine, RV, camping, and many other outdoor activities.
“The launch of our European sunsei® website is an important development in our efforts to enable consumers to embrace the solar revolution,” said Sass Peress, CEO.
“Our expanded platform provides a greater means to educate our audience while offering easy access to the entire sunsei® product line. With a direct link to European consumers, we will be able to ensure complete customer satisfaction and assess how to best broaden our pipeline of solar powered applications going forward.”
The new European website is modeled after the site serving North America. The website includes an innovative energy portal with monitoring services dedicated to industrial and home applications.
When combined with ICP Solar’s sunsei Greenmeter, it allows users to manage their Greenmeter data storage and keep track of carbon credits remotely and in real-time.
The site facilitates a customer’s integration of solar power into their lives, highlighting the savings that can accrue while helping the environment.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Magma, Orion to improve manufacturing yields, efficiency of PV solar panels
SAN JOSE, USA: Magma Design Automation today announced a partnership with Orion Metrology, a manufacturer of inline process monitoring and control tools for photovoltaic (PV) solar cell manufacturers, to integrate Magma's YieldManager Solar with Orion Metrology inline inspection technology.
Through this partnership, Magma expands the capabilities of its yield analysis platform, enabling PV solar panel manufacturers to speed defect identification and improve process control.
The integration of YieldManager Solar, a yield enhancement software system customized for solar fabs, with Orion Metrology inline inspection technology enables PV solar cell manufacturers to monitor random and parametric inline defects and instantaneously feed this information back to manufacturing to minimize the impact and severity of defects, improving yield and product efficiencies.
Additionally, Orion Metrology has adopted YieldManager as the central data analysis solution for its inline process and parametric measurement applications.
"The key to improving product efficiencies and manufacturing productivity is to identify how carrier lifetimes are being affected by process layer over a large area -- from the surface to the bulk of the material -- on 100 percent of the production throughput," said Joe Foster, chief executive officer of Orion Metrology. "Our inline approach ensures a more accurate characterization of process variation. If monitored and corrected quickly, even small changes can yield dramatic improvements in product yield and efficiency, significantly increasing the value of the solar panels. Magma's YieldManager Solar enables the inline and metrology data to be reported, managed and understood in real time."
"YieldManager Solar was developed to reduce solar fab inefficiencies and help accelerate the growth of the alternative energy market," said Ankush Oberai, vice president of Magma's Fab Analysis Business Unit. "Partnering with Orion Metrology will enable us to offer an enhanced product portfolio for PV solar cell manufacturers."
YieldManager Solar
As with semiconductors, solar cells are produced using a variety of manufacturing tools and equipment, each of which presents data in a unique format. With such a complex process and varying data, identifying the root cause of problems requires a holistic approach. YieldManager Solar is the only analysis tool that can collect and organize current and historic manufacturing data from all the process equipment.
It allows fab engineers to easily filter data by lot, ingot, substrate, wafer and other parameters, and to generate customized reports and dashboards. With this comprehensive analysis system, problems can be identified quickly and easily. For example, a non-uniform doping level on a process step could cause a drop in sheet resistance that can reduce the energy conversion efficiency of a solar cell.
By monitoring, reporting and sending alarms about these types of out-of-control conditions, YieldManager Solar helps engineers identify and correct problems quickly. Additional analysis can then be performed as needed.
Through this partnership, Magma expands the capabilities of its yield analysis platform, enabling PV solar panel manufacturers to speed defect identification and improve process control.
The integration of YieldManager Solar, a yield enhancement software system customized for solar fabs, with Orion Metrology inline inspection technology enables PV solar cell manufacturers to monitor random and parametric inline defects and instantaneously feed this information back to manufacturing to minimize the impact and severity of defects, improving yield and product efficiencies.
Additionally, Orion Metrology has adopted YieldManager as the central data analysis solution for its inline process and parametric measurement applications.
"The key to improving product efficiencies and manufacturing productivity is to identify how carrier lifetimes are being affected by process layer over a large area -- from the surface to the bulk of the material -- on 100 percent of the production throughput," said Joe Foster, chief executive officer of Orion Metrology. "Our inline approach ensures a more accurate characterization of process variation. If monitored and corrected quickly, even small changes can yield dramatic improvements in product yield and efficiency, significantly increasing the value of the solar panels. Magma's YieldManager Solar enables the inline and metrology data to be reported, managed and understood in real time."
"YieldManager Solar was developed to reduce solar fab inefficiencies and help accelerate the growth of the alternative energy market," said Ankush Oberai, vice president of Magma's Fab Analysis Business Unit. "Partnering with Orion Metrology will enable us to offer an enhanced product portfolio for PV solar cell manufacturers."
YieldManager Solar
As with semiconductors, solar cells are produced using a variety of manufacturing tools and equipment, each of which presents data in a unique format. With such a complex process and varying data, identifying the root cause of problems requires a holistic approach. YieldManager Solar is the only analysis tool that can collect and organize current and historic manufacturing data from all the process equipment.
It allows fab engineers to easily filter data by lot, ingot, substrate, wafer and other parameters, and to generate customized reports and dashboards. With this comprehensive analysis system, problems can be identified quickly and easily. For example, a non-uniform doping level on a process step could cause a drop in sheet resistance that can reduce the energy conversion efficiency of a solar cell.
By monitoring, reporting and sending alarms about these types of out-of-control conditions, YieldManager Solar helps engineers identify and correct problems quickly. Additional analysis can then be performed as needed.
Friday, July 3, 2009
ICP Solar secures licensing agreement with Energizer
MONTREAL, CANADA: ICP Solar Technologies Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of proprietary solar panels and products, has signed a global licensing agreement with Energizer.
Under the terms of this agreement, Energizer, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries and flashlights, will grant ICP Solar the global rights to its trade name for solar-powered chargers and related products. The agreement, to run three (3) years, takes effect immediately.
“Teaming with Energizer is a very significant achievement for ICP Solar and speaks to both the high quality of our products as well as our reputation for technology innovation,” said Sass Peress, CEO.
“Energizer is a leader in providing portable power for numerous applications worldwide, and we are proud to be working with such an esteemed organization going forward. We will begin rolling out products in North America as soon as the third quarter and anticipate these sales will further bolster our financial performance heading into 2010. We plan to launch two dedicated websites – www.energizersolar.com and www.energizersolar.eu – later this year, as the international nature of this agreement is expected to provide immediate access to a host of new geographic markets. Energizer-branded solar chargers will be sold in tandem with rechargeable batteries, serving the growing demand for renewable, portable power.”
“We are pleased to enter into such an important strategic relationship with ICP Solar,” said Danielle Kyriakos, Director of New Business Development of Energizer. “Energizer is committed to providing innovative solutions to power people’s lives and we know that solar is a power application that consumers are looking for to help them Keep Going. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with ICP Solar.”
Under the terms of this agreement, Energizer, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries and flashlights, will grant ICP Solar the global rights to its trade name for solar-powered chargers and related products. The agreement, to run three (3) years, takes effect immediately.
“Teaming with Energizer is a very significant achievement for ICP Solar and speaks to both the high quality of our products as well as our reputation for technology innovation,” said Sass Peress, CEO.
“Energizer is a leader in providing portable power for numerous applications worldwide, and we are proud to be working with such an esteemed organization going forward. We will begin rolling out products in North America as soon as the third quarter and anticipate these sales will further bolster our financial performance heading into 2010. We plan to launch two dedicated websites – www.energizersolar.com and www.energizersolar.eu – later this year, as the international nature of this agreement is expected to provide immediate access to a host of new geographic markets. Energizer-branded solar chargers will be sold in tandem with rechargeable batteries, serving the growing demand for renewable, portable power.”
“We are pleased to enter into such an important strategic relationship with ICP Solar,” said Danielle Kyriakos, Director of New Business Development of Energizer. “Energizer is committed to providing innovative solutions to power people’s lives and we know that solar is a power application that consumers are looking for to help them Keep Going. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with ICP Solar.”
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Akeena Solar named SEIA industry innovator
PHILADELPHIA, USA: Akeena Solar, a leading installer and distributor of solar systems, was honored with the Solar Energy Industries Association ("SEIA") Industry Innovator Award for its new Andalay AC solar panel system in a ceremony during the organization's PV America conference.
The award recognizes companies who have made key contributions to the industry through continual technological innovation and coincided with the release of a white paper detailing the technical advantages of Akeena's new Andalay AC solar panels, the first plug-and-play solar system.
"Barry Cinnamon founded Akeena Solar with a goal to improve solar, and his company's dedication to improving PV solar system architecture resulted in the introduction of a truly game-changing, grid-ready solar system," said Rhone Resch, CEO of SEIA.
"Their innovative Andalay AC solar power system-and its shortened training and installation times-breaks down the barriers to entry for small businesses and entrepreneurs eager to join the green economy, while providing a high performing, good looking system to homeowners."
"Andalay AC panels mark a fundamental industry shift and underscore our commitment to products that expand the solar market," said Barry Cinnamon, Akeena Solar CEO and founder. "We are honored to be recognized by SEIA for our efforts to streamline the installation process and for developing a solar panel system that meets the changing needs of both installers and homeowners."
Building on Akeena's award-winning racking and framing technology of their Andalay system, Andalay AC integrates Enphase micro-inverters into the panels themselves, eliminating 80 percent of the parts needed to install an ordinary solar system as well as its complicated and dangerous DC wiring.
The resulting simplified installation process requires less training, and the fully integrated inverters allow for greater flexibility in system design and decreased engineering costs while providing a sleek, jet black attractive design. The overall energy production of Andalay AC solar panels can be 5 to 25 percent higher than ordinary panels.
With the simplified installation process, Andalay installers can ramp up quickly to meet demand. Shipments of the Andalay AC panels have recently begun to installers in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Washington. Additionally, Akeena Solar and Morgan Stanley Solar Solutions completed its first pilot project using the AC panels. Local community groups that were new to solar installed the Andalay AC panels on a Habitat for Humanity development in California.
The white paper, "A Solar Power Shift--Andalay AC: Revolutionizing Rooftop Solar Implementation," breaks down the benefits as relevant to the three key market segments in the solar industry: residential solar installers, potential solar customers, and the industry as a whole. The paper can be found on the product website at www.andalaysolar.com/cm/resources
Andalay AC system was also recently named the best renewable energy solution by the Green Log Awards, which spotlights innovative green building solutions.
The award recognizes companies who have made key contributions to the industry through continual technological innovation and coincided with the release of a white paper detailing the technical advantages of Akeena's new Andalay AC solar panels, the first plug-and-play solar system.
"Barry Cinnamon founded Akeena Solar with a goal to improve solar, and his company's dedication to improving PV solar system architecture resulted in the introduction of a truly game-changing, grid-ready solar system," said Rhone Resch, CEO of SEIA.
"Their innovative Andalay AC solar power system-and its shortened training and installation times-breaks down the barriers to entry for small businesses and entrepreneurs eager to join the green economy, while providing a high performing, good looking system to homeowners."
"Andalay AC panels mark a fundamental industry shift and underscore our commitment to products that expand the solar market," said Barry Cinnamon, Akeena Solar CEO and founder. "We are honored to be recognized by SEIA for our efforts to streamline the installation process and for developing a solar panel system that meets the changing needs of both installers and homeowners."
Building on Akeena's award-winning racking and framing technology of their Andalay system, Andalay AC integrates Enphase micro-inverters into the panels themselves, eliminating 80 percent of the parts needed to install an ordinary solar system as well as its complicated and dangerous DC wiring.
The resulting simplified installation process requires less training, and the fully integrated inverters allow for greater flexibility in system design and decreased engineering costs while providing a sleek, jet black attractive design. The overall energy production of Andalay AC solar panels can be 5 to 25 percent higher than ordinary panels.
With the simplified installation process, Andalay installers can ramp up quickly to meet demand. Shipments of the Andalay AC panels have recently begun to installers in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Washington. Additionally, Akeena Solar and Morgan Stanley Solar Solutions completed its first pilot project using the AC panels. Local community groups that were new to solar installed the Andalay AC panels on a Habitat for Humanity development in California.
The white paper, "A Solar Power Shift--Andalay AC: Revolutionizing Rooftop Solar Implementation," breaks down the benefits as relevant to the three key market segments in the solar industry: residential solar installers, potential solar customers, and the industry as a whole. The paper can be found on the product website at www.andalaysolar.com/cm/resources
Andalay AC system was also recently named the best renewable energy solution by the Green Log Awards, which spotlights innovative green building solutions.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Solar PV forecast -- industry will bounce back with adjusted priorities
SCOTTSDALE, USA: IC Insights recently released a new report, its first to examine and analyze the solar photovoltaic industry from the perspective of semiconductor industry participants.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry starts with the market for high-purity silicon shared with the chip industry, a market where the rapidly changing balance between supply and demand is contributing to a rethinking of priorities in the solar PV sector.
For some time, PV device makers have concentrated on reducing the amount of silicon required per watt of energy output, in part because silicon represented a large portion of the cost of a solar cell, but also because the supply of solar-grade silicon was limited. With new polysilicon plants coming on line, the supply constraint has evaporated and the cost of silicon is coming down significantly.
At the same time, demand for solar installations has plummeted due to the recession and credit crunch, as well as government incentive cutbacks in Europe. Solar panel inventories have built up, and competition has intensified for the reduced available business, driving prices down across the solar PV supply chain.
IC Insights forecasts that on a megawatt basis, global installations will drop 22 percent this year. Average selling prices for solar panels is expected to drop 28 percent.
IC Insights expects demand for solar installations to come charging back in 2010 as new government incentives in the US, Europe, and China gain traction. Installations are forecast to rise 37 percent to 6.7 gigawatts, with continued growth achieving a CAGR of 25 percent over the 2008-2013 forecast period.
The price drop of 2009, while not forecast to repeat in 2010-2013, will make solar systems more attractive in more markets even as government incentives supporting installations start to taper off starting four or five years down the road, IC Insights believes.
With the cost of silicon dropping, R&D investments in solar device design and manufacturing technology will back off the years-long push to minimize silicon consumption and center on new ways to reduce costs and boost device efficiency. For example, several solar cell makers are coming out with new back-contact cell designs, as described in the report.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry provides a detailed forecast of the solar cell and panel market, including thin-film panels, as well as a system-level forecast and a country-by-country demand forecast.
The forecast includes a unique look at the semiconductor content of solar systems, a small but very fast-growing segment, and predicts global capital spending for solar cell manufacturers over five years. The report also reviews the numerous technology approaches challenging mainstream silicon wafer PV cells.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry comes with a full-color three-ring binder for easy off-the shelf reference and an electronic copy on CD-ROM that includes image files of the charts and tables. The report is available for purchase at $2,975 for individual users and $5,880 for multi-user corporate situations.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry starts with the market for high-purity silicon shared with the chip industry, a market where the rapidly changing balance between supply and demand is contributing to a rethinking of priorities in the solar PV sector.
For some time, PV device makers have concentrated on reducing the amount of silicon required per watt of energy output, in part because silicon represented a large portion of the cost of a solar cell, but also because the supply of solar-grade silicon was limited. With new polysilicon plants coming on line, the supply constraint has evaporated and the cost of silicon is coming down significantly.
At the same time, demand for solar installations has plummeted due to the recession and credit crunch, as well as government incentive cutbacks in Europe. Solar panel inventories have built up, and competition has intensified for the reduced available business, driving prices down across the solar PV supply chain.
IC Insights forecasts that on a megawatt basis, global installations will drop 22 percent this year. Average selling prices for solar panels is expected to drop 28 percent.
IC Insights expects demand for solar installations to come charging back in 2010 as new government incentives in the US, Europe, and China gain traction. Installations are forecast to rise 37 percent to 6.7 gigawatts, with continued growth achieving a CAGR of 25 percent over the 2008-2013 forecast period.
The price drop of 2009, while not forecast to repeat in 2010-2013, will make solar systems more attractive in more markets even as government incentives supporting installations start to taper off starting four or five years down the road, IC Insights believes.
With the cost of silicon dropping, R&D investments in solar device design and manufacturing technology will back off the years-long push to minimize silicon consumption and center on new ways to reduce costs and boost device efficiency. For example, several solar cell makers are coming out with new back-contact cell designs, as described in the report.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry provides a detailed forecast of the solar cell and panel market, including thin-film panels, as well as a system-level forecast and a country-by-country demand forecast.
The forecast includes a unique look at the semiconductor content of solar systems, a small but very fast-growing segment, and predicts global capital spending for solar cell manufacturers over five years. The report also reviews the numerous technology approaches challenging mainstream silicon wafer PV cells.
Solar Energy: Growth Opportunities for the Semiconductor Industry comes with a full-color three-ring binder for easy off-the shelf reference and an electronic copy on CD-ROM that includes image files of the charts and tables. The report is available for purchase at $2,975 for individual users and $5,880 for multi-user corporate situations.
Friday, May 29, 2009
IEC certification for Applied's world’s largest solar panels
SANTA CLARA, USA: Applied Materials, Inc. announced that the 5.7m2 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules produced by its SunFab Thin Film Line, using both single and more advanced tandem junction technologies, were awarded International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) certification, validating their exceptional performance under extended outdoor exposure.
Certification of these SunFab modules, which are the world’s largest available solar PV panels, unleashes an opportunity for the widespread incorporation of SunFab panels in utility-scale, thin film solar farms to further drive down the price of clean electricity.
“We expect 5.7m2 modules to become the standard for utility-scale PV power,” said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general manager of Applied Materials’ Display and SunFab Solar Business Group. “Applying SunFab technology to ultra-large modules creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce both manufacturing and installation costs, transforming solar PV into a long-term solution to provide the world with affordable energy from a renewable source.”
Certification was awarded by TÜV InterCert, confirming that the SunFab modules meet IEC standards 61646 and 61730. “Applied’s 5.7m2 modules are four times bigger than anything we’ve ever tested,” said Sergizzarea, president and CEO of TÜV InterCert.
“We made modifications to the laboratory and added equipment to enable us to test modules this large. Creating a PV product of this size that can pass all of the IEC tests while maintaining mechanical and electrical integrity is an impressive feat of engineering.”
The quarter-sized 1.4m2 modules produced on the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line received IEC certification earlier this year. However, a full-size 5.7m2 panel designed to maintain high power output while subjected to years of exposure to sunlight, extreme temperatures, wind and precipitation was a new challenge.
Applied’s technology and engineering expertise in flat-panel display and architectural glass systems enabled it to deliver the critical uniform conversion properties required across large areas. An innovative, integrated bonded rail support structure strengthens the module, allowing it to withstand wind and seismic loads while enabling the reduction of installation costs by greatly simplifying the mounting structure.
Certification of these SunFab modules, which are the world’s largest available solar PV panels, unleashes an opportunity for the widespread incorporation of SunFab panels in utility-scale, thin film solar farms to further drive down the price of clean electricity.
“We expect 5.7m2 modules to become the standard for utility-scale PV power,” said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general manager of Applied Materials’ Display and SunFab Solar Business Group. “Applying SunFab technology to ultra-large modules creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce both manufacturing and installation costs, transforming solar PV into a long-term solution to provide the world with affordable energy from a renewable source.”
Certification was awarded by TÜV InterCert, confirming that the SunFab modules meet IEC standards 61646 and 61730. “Applied’s 5.7m2 modules are four times bigger than anything we’ve ever tested,” said Sergizzarea, president and CEO of TÜV InterCert.
“We made modifications to the laboratory and added equipment to enable us to test modules this large. Creating a PV product of this size that can pass all of the IEC tests while maintaining mechanical and electrical integrity is an impressive feat of engineering.”
The quarter-sized 1.4m2 modules produced on the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line received IEC certification earlier this year. However, a full-size 5.7m2 panel designed to maintain high power output while subjected to years of exposure to sunlight, extreme temperatures, wind and precipitation was a new challenge.
Applied’s technology and engineering expertise in flat-panel display and architectural glass systems enabled it to deliver the critical uniform conversion properties required across large areas. An innovative, integrated bonded rail support structure strengthens the module, allowing it to withstand wind and seismic loads while enabling the reduction of installation costs by greatly simplifying the mounting structure.
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.
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