The new OPDE Group Centre will be located in Turin Italy · The Spanish solar photovoltaic multinational, The OPDE Group – comprising the companies OPDE, MECASOLAR, PROINSO and RIOS- will sign next Friday, October 8th, an agreement with the regional government of Piedmont (Italy) for: The construction of 17 solar facilities in the period 2009-2010;… Read more »
Biel , 23. September 2009. Today in Hemau, in the district of Regensburg, will see the commissioning of the first megawatt station built by Sputnik Engineering, a Swiss inverter manufacturer. The 632 photovoltaic (PV) plant was installed on open land by SolaStrom Systems GmbH, a system integrator based in Augsburg. At this site the usual… Read more »
Air Products has more than 35 years’ experience of supplying essential gases and chemicals to the semiconductor industry. PES spoke to Jeff Handelman. General Manager, Photovoltaics about the company’s success story and about its commitment to the environment. Welcome to PES magazine. Can you first explain a little about the background of your company and… Read more »
The Carl Zeiss brand is well known in a variety of global consumer sectors, and yet it is also one of the PV industry’s leading lights. Here, Jürgen Gobel tells PES about the company, its future goals and its broad spectrum of applications within the sector.Can you tell us a little bit about the history… Read more »
A vertically-integrated manufacturer of ingots, wafers, cells, solar modules and custom-designed solar power applications, Canadian Solar delivers solar power products of uncompromising quality to customers worldwide. We talk to President Gregory E. Spanoudakis about the firm’s meteoric rise and its plans for future expansion. {pagebreak} PES: Welcome to PES. Can you explain a little about… Read more »
The Grenzebach group is a global PV player with production facilities in Germany, the USA and China. Its staff of 1500 designs, manufactures and delivers fabrication lines and components for the production and processing of flat glass and thin film photovoltaic modules. The company is also a specialist in equipment for display glass production. Here,… Read more »
A leading manufacturer of high-performance solar cells, JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. is one of the industry’s leading lights. The company sells its products to solar manufacturers worldwide, who assemble and integrate solar cells into modules and systems that convert sunlight into electricity for residential, commercial, and utility-scale power generation. PES spoke to Ming Yang,… Read more »
Luvata is a world-leader in metal fabrication, component manufacturing and related engineering and design services. The now-global company prides itself on its ability to partner its customers – through its Partnerships Beyond Metals philosophy – to help them increase their competitiveness. PES spoke to Justin Roux, Senior Vice-President of Communications, about the company and its… Read more »
ABB is a market leader in power and automation technologies, enabling utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. {pagebreak} ABB robots for solar cell and solar module production ABB uses all the latest technology to… Read more »
Flanked by wind and solar thermal energy, photovoltaic is the source to give developing regions access to clean energy. In order to compete with traditional and new energy sources, the photovoltaic industry follows one goal – cost reduction. To address this need, the Meyer Burger Technology Group has come up with a whole range of… Read more »
Black Forest-based Robert Bürkle GmbH succeeded in making a breakthrough in solar module production with its Ypsator, the world’s first and largest multi-opening laminator. Here Managing Director, Ralf Spindler, tells us about the company and its ambitious plans for the future. {pagebreak} With the Ypsator, Robert Bürkle GmbH succeeded in making a breakthrough in solar… Read more »
There are very few industries that have grown as quickly as the photovoltaic industry over the last 10 years. Its image as a fancy technology is long gone and it is now on the way to becoming one of the 21st century’s sources of energy. Lapp Group’s Michael Collet explains… {pagebreak} The industry has not… Read more »
Alternative energy resources continue to be high in demand, and the photovoltaic industry is still leading the field. In order to ensure availability and short lead times, Swiss based PV connector specialist Multi-Contact largely increased their global manufacturing capacities and invested in state-of-the-art production facilities. {pagebreak} In 1996, Multi-Contact pioneered with the introduction of the… Read more »
Prediktor is a Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) company with its HQ in Norway and subsidiaries in Singapore, Germany and China. Prediktor is partnering with the PV industry to optimise manufacturing processes and reduce the cost of solar power. The Prediktor Solar Manufacturing Execution System helps realise a plant’s full potential, based on in-depth solar industry… Read more »
In a country which often generates adverse publicity as a result of its fluctuating economy and ever-changing political system, one area of consistently good news lies with its renewables industry, which is seen as one of the most up-and-coming in the world. In fact, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association. {pagebreak} investments in photovoltaics… Read more »
In recent years, the interest for renewable energy has grown dramatically, not only from the research and academic world and from the policy makers, but also from the industry, that has reckoned renewable energy as a new growth market. As a result, the PV industry has grown with more that 30% yearly over the last… Read more »
Last year, PES met Bryan Ekus of the newly-formed International Photovoltaic Equipment Association, a major trade group aiming to meet the needs of PV manufacturers and suppliers. We caught up with the busy Managing Director 12 months later to see how things have progressed and whether establishing a trade association where none existed previously was… Read more »
Has the PV industry finally come of age? The statistics certainly look good, even if the economic downturn has – temporarily, perhaps – slightly dented the industry’s image as one which seemed to offer unlimited growthAnd, credit crunch aside, there is still much to celebrate, particularly in Europe. {pagebreak} The continent accounted for no less… Read more »
SEMI is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries, and member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Here, Steve Buehler, Sr. Director, Communications, puts forward a future vision for the industry that is built… Read more »
As a critical part of the photovoltaic manufacturing process, metallization is applicable to both crystalline silicon and thin-film technologies. As such, it’s not only important that manufacturers get it right, but also, that they do so while driving down cost-per-watt and increasing cell efficiency. Then and only then will we arrive at that coveted milestone… Read more »
San Diego – August 2009 – KIC, the leader of thermal process development and control products, and winner of multiple industry awards, announces the SunKIC version 1.1.0, a thermal profiler that is specifically designed for the unique needs and challenges of the PV industry. {pagebreak} The SunKIC benefits from several hardware and software innovations that… Read more »
The team at Rehm Thermal Systems are preparing to showcase the company’s best-in-class capabilities for solar cell metallization at the 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference & Exhibition. Being held from September 21st – 25th in Hamburg, Germany, EUPVSEC 2009 will introduce visitors to the thermal specialist’s recently updated line of fast-firing systems and drying… Read more »
This is the first in a series of projects in the United States in which the company will participate, with approximately 30 MW expected to be installed between 2009-2010 · The project, in which MECASOLAR is involved, aims to reduce energy costs for pumping water in Reclamation District 108 located in Yola in the state… Read more »
Products Ideal for Residential/Commercial PV Applications Ronkonkoma- September 2, 2009. Island Technology announces the launch of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Direct Grid Technologies, LLC. The new company will manufacture leading-edge solar micro-inverters for residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) applications. {pagebreak} Island Technology is a leading manufacturer of electric utility products and services. Direct Grid is a… Read more »
MAN Solar Millennium GmbH, a joint venture of MAN Ferrostaal AG and Solar Millennium AG, is developing into an autonomous technology engineering service provider in the solar thermal power sector. Solar Millennium will incorporate its subsidiary Flagsol GmbH, with around 60 employees and comprehensive know-how, in the joint venture. {pagebreak} The company transfer will result… Read more »
• Market comes under price pressure in the first half-year • Sharp growth in revenues and volume in the German market Sulzemoos 13 August 2009 / Phoenix Solar AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU93), a leadingphotovoltaic system integrator listed on the TecDAX, {pagebreak} is today releasing thefigures as per 30 June 2009. The first half-year was impacted by… Read more »
In a solar PV system, by measuring solar radiation, we can determine whether, at a given moment, the facility is operating correctly or underperforming. As it yields with “feed in tariff” this check is unquestionably important during the testing phase and also during normal operation, if the facility is of a certain size. {pagebreak} “Soluzione… Read more »
DEK Solar will use this year’s EU PVSEC exhibition to reveal how standard print processes can be developed to yield dramatic efficiency gains. Being held over September 21st – 25th in Hamburg, Germany, the show will see DEK Senior Process Development Specialist Tom Falcon present a new paper on aspect ratio improvements for printed frontside… Read more »
The PVE300 system has been developed in response to a growing demand for an integrated solution for PV device and material characterization. It provides direct determination of device spectral response (SR, A W-1), external quantum efficiency (EQE/IPCE, %) as well as internal quantum efficiency (IQE, %). {pagebreak} The system comprises a light-tight measurement chamber, chopped… Read more »
Trina Solar, a leading integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic products from the production of ingots, wafers and cells to the assembly of PV modules, today announced that it has commenced shipment under a long-term supplier agreement with PROINSO (”Proyectos Integrales Solares S.L.”), a leading distributor for solar photovoltaic equipments and a specialist in engineering services… Read more »
In this illuminating despatch from the front line of the solar energy sector, Dr. Petri Konttinen, renewable energy expert for Luvata, argues that while President Obama’s green stimulus measures are indeed a step in the right direction, there is still some way to go. President Obama’s plans for a green stimulus in the US have… Read more »
San Diego – July 2009 – KIC announces the release of the e-Clipse, a solar cell thermocouple (TC) attachment fixture. The e-Clipse promises fast and convenient TC attachment, as well as repeatable profile readings. It features four spring loaded TCs within a lightweight fixture that also holds the solar wafer. {pagebreak} The TCs have disk-shaped… Read more »
Freiberg/Neckar, 15 July, 2009 – teamtechnik has selected Hamburg for the debut of its TT 1200 stringer, one of the world’s fastest stringers for the production of high-quality solar cell strings. teamtechnik will be hosting live production displays at their exhibition stand. Being an international company, teamtechnik has specialized on high-throughput stringer machines for the… Read more »
DEK Solar continues its commitment to illuminating the solar energy sector following the announcement that Robin Bancroft has joined its team. Newly appointed as Alternative Energies Business Development Manager for Western Europe, Robin’s extensive experience will reinforce DEK’s proven photovoltaic expertise as it meets the fast-growing demand for its services in this region. {pagebreak} Robin… Read more »
Biel, 16 July 2009. The Swiss manufacturer of solar inverters, Sputnik Engineering AG, is launching a new central inverter in October. The device with the name SolarMax 330C-SV (SV stands for special voltage) has a rated capacity of 330 kilowatts and works in the MPP range between 450 and 800 volts. As many as three… Read more »
Rehm Thermal Systems recently announced the launch of an advanced new series of drying systems for solar cell metallization. The RDS 2100 and RDS 3000 offer a variety of advanced process features and thermal control that enable PV manufacturers to move their processes to an entirely new level of efficiency and yield. {pagebreak} The drying… Read more »