Solar PV cell production output for 2009 reveals an ongoing segmentation in both crystalline silicon (c-Si) and thin-film manufacturing approaches, with clear distinctions emerging regarding low cost and high efficiency. Coherent's Finlay Colville explains these trends and the direct implications for production-line tooling down through the supply chain.
SolarVision consultants take a closer look at inverters and microinverters, and the challenges vs. benefits in integration, cost, and reliability.
One of the most critical stages of CPV module safety investigations is the construction review, which directly impacts and sets the tone for the entire investigation. Kenny Villegas from Solar Compliance describes the ins and outs of the construction review, and why it's important to understand both end product and internal component requirements.
Realizing increases in solar cell efficiency or production yield today requires the use of high-performance chemicals capable of optimizing multiple process steps. Mallinckrodt Baker's Johan Hoogboom, et al., discuss where such chemistry can help realize efficiency increases in the key steps in cell manufacturing, focusing mainly on texturing and emitter optimization.
Suntech Power Holdings has narrowed its planned first US manufacturing plant in Arizona to the town of Goodyear. The site will start with 30MW of initial production capacity, eventually ramping to >120MW.
Confluence Solar's decision to build a $200M manufacturing plant in Tennessee is the third major solar power manufacturing investment in the state, and puts it in the forefront of the burgeoning silicon-based solar power industry.
Despite an overall tough year for solar photovoltaics (and most other industries), new installations and shipments of PV modules actually "grew substantially" in 2009, thanks in part to a rush ahead of anticipated tariff adjustments in Germany, according to a recent analysis from IMS Research.
Origin Energy Ltd. and Micron Technology have formed a 50/50 joint venture targeting photovoltaic technology, a combination presumably aimed to help the Australian energy company achieve new levels of high-volume manufacturing efficiencies.
An evening panel discussion at a Jan. 12 Commonwealth Club event in San Francisco sought to find answers to barriers still facing California as it struggles to source a significant portion of its electricity from renewable energy.
Year-end rankings might not tell the whole story about who's most successful in an industry, but they give enough insight to who's figured out what the market needs, notes Navigant Consulting's Paula Mints.
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Tracking Solar Collectors: Simulating the Performance of Different Types of Solar Collection Systems
“Tracking Solar Collectors: Simulating the Performance of Different Types of Solar Collection Systems” discusses basic design issues for solar concentrating ... Sponsored By:
Optical Research Associates
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