Kyocera just broke ground on a new PV module plant in Tianjin City, China. Construction will begin in April on the plant, which will be adjacent to Kyocera’s current plant and eventually replace it. Once the plant is complete, Kyocera will be able to boost its PV production from 60 MW to 240 MW by 2011.
According to PV-tech.org, here’s how the expansion fits into Kyocera’s overall plan for the future:
The company said the … Read the rest
Ener1 (HEV), maker of lithium ion batteries has signed a memorandum of understanding with ITOCHU of Japan to outline a partnership that would introduce HEV products into the Japanese automotive marketplace. ITOCHU will serve as Ener1’s sales, marketing and development partner for both Japanese auto OEM’s and Tier One suppliers. The agreement also sets the stage for ITOCHU to introduce HEV batteries as an energy storage solution for the solar power market.
“Today’s announcement marks … Read the rest
Akeena Solar (AKNS) and Enphase Energy have announced a partnership to develop and market the Andalay solar panel systems using ordinary AC house current output instead of high voltage DC output which are expected to cost less to install and provide higher performance than DC panels. Under the agreement, AKNS will purchase a minimum of 5000 microinverters in 2009 & 2010 which will be built into Akeena’s award winning Andalay solar panels.
AKNS estimates that … Read the rest
Toyota Motor (TM) and Sunpower (SPWR) have announced the completion of the largest single room solar power installation (2.3MW) in North America at Toyota’s North America Parts Center in Ontario, California.
The installation is expected to provide 60% of the total electricity needs for the 760K sq foot building and includes 10417 T10 Solar Roof Tiles, the most efficient in the industry. The company expects to avoid 6.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every … Read the rest
Applied Materials announced on Friday that it has completed a 2.1 MW solar power installation over its corporate headquarters, the largest corporate solar power installation in the country. To create the installation, Applied Materials used technology from SunPower- a 950-kilowatt SunPower PowerGuard installation and a 1.2-megawatt SunPower Tracker setup, which are manufactured using technology from Applied Materials. These solar panels form canopy over the Applied Materials parking lot, generating power and shading employees cars. Parking … Read the rest
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc announced a deal between Asola, the company’s German partner, and Q&Tech/Yongsan Inc, a South Korean manufacturing company. Under the agreement, Asola and Q&Tech will enter into a joint venture to build a manufacturing plant in South Korea. Q&Tech will then produce and distribute Asola’s German-designed solar components.
South Korea is a fast-growing solar market, and this deal allows Asola to market its parts there. The plant will conform to … Read the rest
Trina Solar announced that it has signed a 2-year sales agreement with Invictus NV, a Belgian company. Under the agreement, Trina Solar, a prominent manufacturer of solar photovoltaics, will supply Invictus with 20 MW in 2009 and 30 MW in 2010, with an additional 10 MW option for each of those years.
Arturo Herrero, Trina Solar’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, commented on the deal, saying:
… Read the rest"We look forward to continue working with Invictus,
Suntech Power Holdings Co announced today that it has been selected to provide solar panels for a 1 MW solar power system that will supply the North Face’s West Coast distribution center in Visalia, California with electricity. EI Solutions will handle the installation itself, using RayTracker(TM) GC single-axis solar trackers.
According to the EPA, this will reduce North Face’s carbon emissions by 1,300 metric tons each year, the equivalent of taking 250 cars off the … Read the rest
A press release from EMCORE Corporation, announces that the company has entered into two new agreements to deliver solar cells and receivers with a total value of over $40 million. The larger of the two purchase contracts is a multi-year supply agreement for solar cells. The customers placing these orders are targeting CPV (concentrating photovoltaics) use in the United States with a particular focus on the California market. The EMCORE products will be used in … Read the rest