Industry NewsIndustry news
new Microscreen facility to manu- solar cell prices may bottom out at
facture screens up to 70” x 102” for end of 1Q09
solar cell printing While the global supply chain of solar
MicroScreen completed its new state-of-the- energy products has witnessed fast shrink-
art facility dedicated to the manufacture of ing demand since the beginning of the
screens for solar cell printing. Contiguous fourth quarter of 2008, with prices of
to the current screen-making location, products generally having dropped to
this new area quadruples the company’s historical lows, prices of polycrystalline
capacity. The climate-controlled facility is silicon (poly-Si) solar cells stand a chance
Appointments
equipped with totally automated stretch of rebound around the end of the first
tables, coating machines, drying ovens, and quarter of 2009 when inventories become
3M
exposure equipment. It includes a separate low, according to Taiwan industry sources
3M appointed Michael Roman VP and
inspection room, along with a photo lab reported Digitimes. While the first quarter
general manager of its new Renewable
for plotting of film artwork. www.micro- is traditionally a slow period for the solar
Energy Division.
screen.org energy industry, producers in the supply
chain, from solar-grade poly-Si down to
applied Materials
csg holding begins official produc- solar modules, are expected to clean out
Applied Materials, Inc., appointed
tion in 1,500-ton polysilicon project
inventories in the meantime, the sources
Michael Sullivan VP, investor relations.
Chinese conglomerate CSG Holding
indicated. When inventory levels have
Sullivan joins Applied after 16 years
officially began producing high-purity
decreased and a peak-sale period is coming
with Intel Corporation.
polysilicon products in the first phase of
around the end of March 2009, prices of
its Yichang, Hubei province project on
poly-Si solar cells are likely to bottom out,
apollo solar energy
January 9, reports Xinhua News Agency.
the sources pointed out.
Apollo Solar Energy, Inc., appointed
The first phase targets annual production
Dexter Fong CFO. He will also serve
capacity of 1,500 tons, began construction Dow corning names solar cell sci-
as a member of the company’s board of
in June 2007 and began producing quali- ence and technology manager
directors.
fied high-purity polysilicon products on Dow Corning named Dr. Guy Beaucarne
December 30, 2008, said the report. The as solar cell science and technology man- entech solar
entire three-phase project will receive total ager for its Solar Market Business Unit, Sean Rooney, VP of Entech Solar’s
investment of roughly RMB 6 billion, said which provides silicon-based solutions EPC (engineering, procurement and
the report.
www.csgholding.com throughout the entire photovoltaic value construction) operations, has been
chain. Dr. Beaucarne, who comes to Dow named CEO.
solFocus raises $47.5 million Corning with more than a decade of expe-
SolFocus, a developer of concentrator rience in solar photovoltaics, will be based
general plasma
photovoltaic (CPV) systems, raised $47.5 at Dow Corning’s European headquarters
Jerry Martin has joined General Plasma
million in the first close of its Series C in Belgium.
www.dowcorning.com
as VP. Jerry was most recently employed
financing. The company will use the new
as senior director, product sales, with
funding to accelerate expansion of its man- 1366 Technologies signs solar
Veeco Solar Equipment.
ufacturing operations and extend its early america initiative agreement with
base of commercial CPV deployments. The u.s. Department of energy
Ja solar
company aims to grow deployments from 1366 Technologies, an MIT spin-off
JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd., appointed
500 kilowatts in 2008 to approximately focused on engineering and manufac-
Mr. Ming Yang as VP of business
100MW by the end of 2010. www.solfocus. turing advanced silicon solar cells, has
development and corporate communi-
com been awarded a cost-shared, 18-month
cations.
subcontract with the National Renewable
china finalizes action plan for solar Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S.
solar stik, inc.
energy Department of Energy (DOE) for the “Self-
Solar Stik, Inc. appointed Colonel
Albert M. Zaccor, U.S. Army, Retired,
The Action Plan for Solar Energy was Aligned Cell: Scaling up manufacture of a
as CEO.
www.solarstik.com
approved for implementation, according cost effective cell architecture for multi-
to the 2009 Annual Work Conference of crystalline silicon photovoltaics” Project.
solFocus
the Chinese Academy of Sciences held The total potential funding from the
SolFocus appointed Mark Crowley
on January 12. The plan is divided into DOE under the Solar America Initiative
CEO. The previous CEO and founder,
three phases: distributed utilization of (SAI) is up to $3.0 million for the project.
Gary D. Conley, will continue as chair-
solar energy by 2015, substitution utiliza-
www.1366tech.com
man of the board.
tion by 2025 and extensive utilization by
2035, aiming to make solar energy one of asys solar triples revenue in 2008
yingli green energy
China’s important energy sources around Due to the substantial order entry in
Yingli Green Energy’s CTO Dr.
2050. The Solar Action Plan is expected the second half of 2008, ASYS Solar has
Guoxiao Yao has resigned and will be
to foster a scientific and innovative system tripled its annual revenues for the fourth
replaced by Dr. Dengyuan Song.
to support the development of the solar time in a row. Until December 2008 ASYS
energy industry in China, according to the installed metallization lines with a capacity
People’s Daily Online. of more than 5GW. In order to accommo-
continued on page 31
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