Barclays Capital: Solar industry growth than expected

Barclays Capital research report pointed out that with U.S. power companies finance the construction of large-scale solar power plants an opportunity to the next few years, solar industry growth rate will be higher than expected.
Barkley analyst Vishal Shah said that the world's urgent need for sufficient large-scale solar power plants, over time, therefore the volume of solar power generation might be the highest in the entire half of the electricity market. Optimistic about the prospects of solar energy, he pointed out that the next three years, several major U.S. power company may finance the construction of power generation capacity of 5GW of solar power plants.

U.S. Solar Industry Association data show that the current level of U.S. public utility to provide only 444MW solar power plant generating capacity, can supply 2.8 million domestic electricity consumption, but only near Phoenix, Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station a fraction of generating capacity 1.

The next few years, solar power generation may be up to 12 times, mainly the United States more and more into solar cities program, including California, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii and other states, is expected to more than 10 solar power plant construction.

Vishal Shah pointed out that, SunPower, First Solar, Suntech Power, Yingli Green Energy and other companies in the next few years solar power generation market, a key driver.

Jul. 7, 2009

PV installed capacity of China in 2011 will increase to 2GW

July 3, China National Energy has identified the PV installed capacity in 2011 to 2GW, is the end of last year's 15 times the installed capacity.

China's Energy Bureau determined electricity price 1.09 yuan / degrees, taken a 10MW power plant in Dunhuang, Gansu project tender price.

Over the past few years, China's production of photovoltaic components to maintain high economic growth. Beginning in 2007, China has become the largest supplier of photovoltaic components are, however, China's domestic PV market is very small, to reach the end of 2008 to 140MW, 98% more than rely on the export of photovoltaic products.

China will soon be published in the new plan will revitalize the energy industry in 2020 by the photovoltaic planning 1.8GW planning in 2007 to 20GW, is 12.5 times the original plan.

Jul. 3, 2009

China is the largest grid-connected PV Solar Project

26 China Ningxia Hongsibao Development Zone, with a total investment of 3.0 billion large-scale solar photovoltaic grid-connected power generation project started, this is by far the largest solar photovoltaic grid-connected power generation projects.

China's Ningxia Autonomous Region is rich in resources-ray, the annual sunshine hours for 2250 hours -3000 hours of sunshine percentage of 50% -69% of China's resources are more abundant sunshine in the world. At the same time, Ningxia relative concentration of the population, can make use of the desert, more land for the development of photovoltaic industry has provided good conditions for the land. Ningxia Autonomous Regional People's Government in accordance with the planning, by 2015, Ningxia will build a solar photovoltaic grid-connected projects 600,000 kilowatts, while the formation of silicon materials - solar panels - photovoltaic power station complete photovoltaic industry chain. The focus starts, including seven of the 10 enterprises to invest in solar photovoltaic grid-connected power generation projects with a total size of 150MW.

Jun. 29, 2009

Japan 80μm silicon solar cell conversion efficiency reached 15.9%

Japan Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Research Center, solar power generation solar cell technology in meeting "the outcome of the 5th report" (June 22, 2009 ~ 23) announced that the use of 80 ~ 100μm thickness of the thin silicon wafer manufacturing monocrystalline silicon solar cell energy conversion efficiency reached 15.9 ~ 17.3%.

The electrode unit using screen printing as well as the "sintering process on both sides at the same time," produced. 2cm square, 100μm thick silicon unit generating capacity, the efficiency of 17.3%, open voltage of 0.617V, short-circuit current for 35.5mA/cm2, FF was 0.789. 2cm square, 80μm thick, the efficiency of units 15.9%, open voltage of 0.614V, short-circuit current for 32.8mA/cm2, FF was 0.792.

The view was expressed that the original, if the thickness of silicon wafers to the current level of conversion efficiency will be significantly decreased, but the center by improving the processing based on the convex surface of the light sealing technology and processes, to ensure a high conversion efficiency. Which, 100μm thick solar cell conversion efficiency and capacity of the Research Institute for 180μm thick compared the conversion efficiency of solar cells very little.

Research Institute of the middle class also, 100μm thick polysilicon-based modules to achieve the initial conversion efficiency of the numerical prediction, that is, about 15%. The crystalline silicon Sakata team Gong said, "As the poly-silicon wafer, such as containing the grain boundary, so in comparison with single crystal silicon, thin and more difficult to achieve."

Tens of μm of the silicon wafer under normal circumstances easily broken, inappropriate handling. In order to solve this problem, Nissan Research Institute "in Germany has also developed a 30μm thick wafer handling device, so there is no problem handling."

Jun. 25, 2009

U.S. Department of Energy announces investment in clean energy

News June 19, the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary-General said Steven Chu, the U.S. government millions of dollars of investment for energy efficiency and solar technology. This week, said Steven Chu, the investment will focus on energy-efficient vehicles, solar energy projects and personnel training in three specific areas. First of all, energy-efficient vehicles, to focus on trucks and passenger cars, 50 percent focus on improving the efficiency of the truck and the vehicle efficiency of 25%.

"There is great potential for new employment opportunities, and use existing technology to reduce carbon pollution, such as improving energy efficiency and wind, but we also need to change the development of new solutions." He said. These funds will also benefit from 24 solar energy projects, focusing on photovoltaic research and to reduce costs, as well as carbon capture of the nine research projects. Carbon capture technologies have the potential for future pollution-free power generation. Another aspect of the plan calls for 27 million U.S. dollars for the training of technical personnel to install solar and other green posts talents, such as marketing and manufacturing.

Jun. 21, 2009