Ontario: Canadian Solar obtains Bank of China loan facility; Sanmina-SCI to manufacture Satcons inverters
Canadian Solar Inc. and the Bank of China, New York Branch have signed a construction financing agreement worth CAD$120 million for the establishment of solar power plants in Ontario, Canada. In related news, Sanmina-SCI will manufacture Satcons inverters in Ottawa.
DSC PV market poised for significant expansion
Key technical breakthroughs in the past year have pushed the dye sensitized cell (DSC) photovoltaic market out of the research and development stage, making it a technology with solid growth potential in the near future.
Heliatek achieves 10.7 percent OPV efficiency; to begin module production this year
Heliatek GmbH has achieved what it says is a world record efficiency of 10.7 percent on a 1.1 cm squared organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell. The results have been measured by Germany-based testing facility, SGS. Heliatek will begin production of its modules this year.
US to invest up to $25 million in plug-and-play PV systems
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has said US$5 million will be made available for the development of plug-and-play photovoltaic systems in 2012, under the SunShot initiative. Over the next four years, it hopes to invest an additional $20 million.
HHI achieves 19.7 percent copper-contact cell efficiency
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has achieved a conversion efficiency of 19.7 percent on its copper-contact selective-emitter solar cell. This, it says, is a new world record.
Thin film: Potential remains for those who survive
In a week when major restructuring at the worlds largest thin film producer, First Solar, has been the focus, the industry has gathered to discuss prospects for the technology and market in the future.
Georgia PV project targets 1.5 GW of PV projects
A new joint venture, Georgia PV Project, is targeting over 1.5 gigawatts (GW) worth of photovoltaic installations across the world. It will also set up a module production facility in Georgia.
Ethiopia to get its first PV assembly plant
Ethiopia is to have its first ever photovoltaic module assembly plant after two global solar firms struck a deal with a local company to set the facility up.
Polysilicon prices forecast to fall further
IHS iSuppli predicts that polysilicon prices will fall to US$22 per kilogram by the end of the year, due to the continuing production surplus. The company adds that prices vary, depending on both contract type and purity level. These changes, it says, will change the way polysilicon is bought and sold in the future.
Thin film fights for survival
Just a day after First Solar announced the closure of its Frankfurt (Oder) facility in Germany and the loss of 2,000 jobs, GTM Research has released a report which asks “Is the window closing for thin film PV?”
