Applied Materials in 2008 to occupy solar equipment suppliers of the location of the first

VLSI Research Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) Announced the 2008 annual ranking of solar energy equipment supplier, Applied Materials Inc. Occupied the first position, in the PV-related income reached nearly 800 million U.S. dollars. Application materials include the income of crystalline silicon solar cell equipment and integrated production line of thin-film solar. The main suppliers in 2008 were the rapid growth of sales revenue.

According to VLSI Research's director of European Operations Manager, John West, the top 10 equipment suppliers in the seven from Europe, "European governments as a result of stimulation of areas in the photovoltaic effect, the European equipment supplier of photovoltaic manufacturing equipment in the market starting to occupy a priority position and occupy a considerable part of the global market share. "

Oerlikon Solar is the world's largest in 2008 thin film silicon-based components of a one-stop supplier of turnkey production lines in the entire photovoltaic equipment suppliers in the second. Polysilicon, silicon wafers, cells and components manufacturing equipment supplier GT Solar International ranked third.

VLSI Research said that the rankings include polysilicon materials, silicon ingots, silicon, battery box assembly manufacturing equipment of all income, as well as service and support revenue.

Jul. 11, 2009

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