Manufacturing

Germany-based aleo solar AG has reported a revenue of €277.0 million in the first six months of this year, leading to a 134.5 percent increase compared to the first six months of last year. The main driver of this increase, it said, is due to the amendment of the German Renewable Energy Act. York zu Putlitz, CEO and CFO of aleo solar AG additionally told pv magazine that the company is looking to increase its production capacity by this September.

The semicondonductor industry, which has significant ties to photovolatics, due to the similarity of production processes, is experiencing strong market growth. Taiwan is projected to be the largest semiconductor market this year at USD$ 9.18 billion, while total semiconductor equipment sales worldwide will reach USD$32.5 billion, according to SEMI. It added that sales of global semiconductor equipment are up in all regions this year.

SolarWorld has said that group-wide shipments in the first half of this year have risen by 58 percent to 377 megawatts (MW), whilst revenue grew by 50.8 percent to €608.4 million in comparison to the same period last year.

?Phoenix Solar AG has sold a record 177 megawatts peak (MWp) of modules in the first half of this year and achieved total revenues of €364 million – an increase of 138.7 percent over the same period last year. The components and systems segment, says the company, contributed a share of 58.9 percent or €214.3 million, thus raising revenues by 170.2 percent in a year-on-year comparison.

Cogentrix Energy LLC has entered into a contract with Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), in the U.S. to develop what it says is expected to be the world’s largest concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) solar power generation facility at 30 megawatts (MW).

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is to contribute USD$15 million to Silicon Valley-based Nanosys, Inc. in the U.S. in order to “accelerate the development of commercial applications of nano-architected materials for the electronics and thin film solar”.?? ?

Solon Corporation has announced an agreement with Tucson Electric Power Company (TEP), under which the company will install a 1.6 megawatt (MW) turnkey solar power plant in Tucson, the U.S.

Conergy Italy has announced the completion of two more solar parks in Apulia, Italy, worth a total of 1.5 megawatts (MW). Combined, the company says its six solar parks, which are located in the region, produce over 6,600 megawatt hours of energy for more than 2,100 households, and save around 3,500 tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Germany-based Manz Automation AG has announced record revenues of €67.5 million for the first half of this year, which it says is largely due to new orders and an order backlog of around €100 million.

TerniEnergia has entered into an agreement with TRP PVE BV, an Italian-Chinese joint-venture company, and Milis Energy SPA to build two solar parks in Sardinia, with a total power output of 12 megawatts (MW). The deal is said to be worth €40 million.