Intermolecular Testing the PV Wafer Limits

Here’s a (likely apocryphal) tale told in thethin-film solar manufacturing world: An unnamed CIGS solar startup was doing process development and ranout of the de-ionized water used as a cleaning agent in theirmanufacturing process. That particular day, they substituted straightCalifornia tap water in their process and rather than ruin theirexperiment – the efficiency of the [...]

Evolution Solar Signs Wafer Supply Agreement

Evolution Solar Corp. has executed an exclusive contract to supply 1 million wafers per month to Okaya & Co. Ltd. and Shinetsu Film of Japan. Thecontract provides a commission payment per wafer and is initiallytermed for a year, with provisions for possible extensions. The waferswill be manufactured in China. Source

Evolution Solar announces $36 million wafer supply agreement

Evolution Solar Corp. announced that Michael Franklin, Director ofAsian Operations, has executed an exclusive contract to supply onemillion Chinese manufactured wafers per month to Okaya & Co. Ltdand Shinetsu Film of Japan. The contract provides a commissionpayment per wafer and is initially termed for a year, with provisionsfor possible extensions. “Last year, we were working [...]

Comtec Solar, Neo Solar Power to supply ‘perfect wafer’ embedded in ‘perfect cell’

Comtec Solar Systems Group Ltd, a PRC-based leading manufacturer ofmonocrystalline solar wafers and Neo Solar Power Corp., a Taiwan-basedleading solar cell manufacturer, have jointly developed and launchednew products “Perfect Wafer” embedded in “Perfect Cell”. Solarmodules made of “Perfect Cells” were demonstrated by NSP during theexhibition at Anaheim, USA in October 2009 and were highly appreciatedby [...]

SANYO marks grand opening of Salem solar silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing plant

SANYO North America Corp. (SANYO), a subsidiary of and the NorthAmerican regional headquarters of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., based inSan Diego, announces that the newest manufacturing plant forphotovoltaic products, SANYO Solar of Oregon LLC, has officially openedin the Salem Energy and Technology Park, and production has officiallystarted. The plant, located in Salem, Oregon, will beproducing [...]

Solar Wafer Handling is Stressful

Ultra-thin wafer handling is a significant challenge for crystallinesilicon cell manufacturing. Charlie Gay, president of Applied’s SolarBusiness acknowledged this when Tom Cheyney of PhotovoltaicsInternational magazine asked him to comment on the extendibility ofcurrent mechanical handling techniques. The scale of the difficulty is apparent when the stringentrequirements are considered: wafers as thin as 180 to below 150 [...]

Wacker Turns Its Back On Solar Wafer Business

Wacker Chemie AG has announced that it will exit the solar wafer business and transfer its shares in its joint venture, WACKER SCHOTT Solar GmbH (WSS), to its former partner, SCHOTT Solar AG. Thecompany says the reason for this move is WACKER’s decision to focus itssolar activities exclusively on its core competency: the production ofhyperpure [...]

More details on China Sunergy’s REC Wafer injunction granted in Norway (CSUN)

NANJING, CHINA: China Sunergy Co. Ltd, a specialized solar cellmanufacturer based in Nanjing, China, has provided additional insightregarding the injunction granted by the Salten District Court in Norwayrelated to the ongoing proceedings with REC Wafer. On September11, 2009 the Norwegian court granted a preliminary injunction, based onChina Sunergy’s petition, prohibiting REC Wafer Norway AS from [...]

Q-Cells to cut 500 jobs, review investements

Under fire from nearly every angle, Q-Cells chief executive Anton Milner announced a dramatic shift in the company’s strategy which includes trimming nearly a fifth of its 2,600-strong workforce, only weeks after insisting that jobs in Germany would not be lost to its new manufacturing facility in Malaysia. The loss includes a write-down on the [...]

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