FUNDINGNEWS
PV module set to receive up to $3m in funding
Four partnership projects have been and save consumers money. “By
launched to move solar cells and other partnering with NREL, these companies
related products to the commercial scale, will be able to gain from their expertise,
with one firm given up to $3 million (£1.9 accelerate the pace of innovation and
million) to develop a low-cost compound- help get technologies to market faster.”
semiconductor photovoltaic (PV) module.
The initiative - known as the photovoltaic
The US Department of Energy has Incubator Program - will see the four
revealed that its National Renewable companies work with the NREL to move
Energy Laboratory (NREL) will invest up from prototypes and pre-commercial PV
to $12 million, with $10 million coming technologies, including solar cells, into
from the American Recovery and full-scale manufacturing.
Reinvestment Act.
Payment will be given to the firms upon
Alta Devices has been given the grant to completion of project benchmarks.
develop a low-cost compound- Investment is also to be made by the
semiconductor PV module, while Solar government department to support the
Junction Corp will receive up to $3 million growth of grid-tied solar photovoltaic
to develop a manufacturing process to systems.
produce a high-performing junction cell
Solar cell
which will be used by concentrating PV “Hundreds” of solar cell and panel start-
manufacture in
manufacturers. ups have launched, backed by
government subsidy programmes, to
US to expand
Funding is set to be given to another two meet an increase in demand for
companies to support the development of alternative energy, Time recently reported.
with tax credits
solar energy technologies in their early
stage. US Department of Energy Rising oil prices have also pushed up the
11
secretary Steven Chu said: “Expanding need for alternative energy initiatives, A solar cell manufacturer has
the solar power industry in the US can which could include developing more received $5.7 million (£3.5 million) in
www
create new jobs, reduce carbon pollution efficient solar cells. Recovery Act Advanced Manufacturing
.solar
Tax Credits to expand a facility in
Norcross, Georgia to increase
-pv-management.com
Hawaiian FiT to
productivity capacity. Suniva produces
monocrystalline solar cells on two
move PV market
production lines with an annual
capacity of 100 megawatts and is set
to increase capacity by 75 per cent in
The expected feed-in-tariff in Hawaii, 2010 to produce more solar
along with financial backing of up to $50 technology to meet renewable energy
Issue I 2010
million, could see PV development in the demand.
state expand this year. Hawaii has a
“compelling, but unique PV market”, Chief executive officer of Suniva John
according to president of Yuanhong Baumstark said the tax credits allow
Venture Capital in Chengdu, China and a “With Hawaii’s feed-in-tariff expected to the firm to supply the American solar
director of Hoku Scientific Adam Zheng. go into effect this year, we believe that a market which is “rapidly growing”.
dedicated pool of project capital would
Mr Zheng stated that state-specific provide real competitive advantage in The solar cells developed in
financial incentive programmes are, Hawaii’s rapidly evolving PV market,” American laboratories are installed
however, impacting upon the ability of explained Dustin Shindo, chairman and globally, across the US, Asia and
Chinese manufactures to put capital into chief executive officer of Hoku. Europe, as well as India’s first large-
the US solar market. His comments scale solar project. Suniva’s
come after Hoku Scientific and Tianwei The US Department of Energy has technology was developed by Dr Ajeet
New Energy Holdings Co revealed that a reported that its National Renewable Rohatgi, from the Georgia Institute of
letter of intent has been signed to develop Energy Laboratory is going to invest up to Technology’s University Center of
the capitalisation of an investment fund $12 million on solar cell and other PV Excellence for photovoltaic Research,
for PV power systems in Hawaii. The two technology projects. One company, Solar funded by the Department of Energy.
organizations will structure a solar Junction, is to receive up to $3 million in
project fund which could reach up to $50 sunsidies to develop a manufacturing It claims to “dramatically” cut the cost
million, enabling industrial, commercial process to produce high-performing of the photovoltaic value chain.
and industry-scale PV initiatives. multi-junction cells.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61