U.S. CdTe (cadmium telluride) thin film solar module manufacturer First Solar Inc. President Bruce Sohn 24 held at the Las Vegas conference that is expected in 2014 the company's thin-film solar cell production costs is expected by 2009 Q1 of 0.93 U.S. dollars per watt down to 0.52-0.63 dollars, and energy conversion efficiency is expected from the current 10.9% to 12.5%.
According to reports, CdTe thin film solar cells of the highest conversion efficiency was 16.5%, from the United States reached a National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In addition, SunPower Corp. Just recently introduced a 19.3 percent conversion efficiency of the polysilicon solar cells.
Well-known U.S. financial weekly Barron `s previously reported, First Solar thin film solar cell conversion efficiency of 11% only, which is lower than silicon solar cells 20%, while the company also said that if the polysilicon price around 50 U.S. dollars per kilogram , its cost advantage will disappear. As the supply of the serious oversupply of polysilicon by the end of March from a year ago the price of 450 U.S. dollars per kg down to about 100 dollars.
Jun. 26, 2009
First Solar: 5 years, the cost of production is expected to drop 1/3
First Solar is likely to exceed this year the performance of Q-Cells
The world's leading management consulting firm Navigant Consulting in the Paula Mints, principal analyst in London last week at the Economic Forum pointed out that solar energy, solar power in 2009 the U.S. film giant First Solar will exceed China's Suntech Power and Japan's Sharp to become the world's largest photovoltaic component manufacturers. In the production of solar cells, First Solar is also expected to more than Germany's Q-Cells, the world's largest manufacturer of solar cells.
2008 global production of thin-film solar cells of 892MW, an increase of 123%. As the industry leader, First Solar 2008 solar years, production capacity reached 503MW, to reach the location of the second industry. In addition, fourth quarter 2008 average production of First Solar's cost has been reduced to 0.98 U.S. dollars per watt, is the world's first production cost is lower than 1 U.S. dollars per watt of solar energy manufacturers, which makes the company's products are highly competitive in the market . In the global photovoltaic substantial losses giant, First Solar net income for the quarter reached 132.8 million U.S. dollars, and full-year 2008 revenue of First Solar from the 2007 growth of 504 million U.S. dollars to 1.2463 billion U.S. dollars.
In the first quarter of 2009, as European countries, especially in the field of solar energy in Spain in the event of a major policy change, the global PV market caused a sharp contraction, most photovoltaic enterprises operating conditions of the first quarter is generally not an ideal situation, First Solar is very good performance. The first quarter of the company's revenues reached 418.2 million U.S. dollars, an increase of 112%.
Jun. 22, 2009
China may become a solar energy consuming country
Lazard Capital Markets is expected that China will become a solar energy consuming country, and recommend areas of bargain stocks to buy China's solar energy.
Analyst Sanjay Shrestha said: "China is no longer merely a manufacturing power, but also become a strong growth market." He believed that before 2011, the size of China's solar industry can achieve 10-1500000000 watts. He also estimated that by 2012 the industry will reach 2000 million watts in 2020 to reach 20 billion watts.
The analysts believe that the infrastructure, financing and access issues will not become a development bottleneck. In a report he wrote: "We believe that the necessary infrastructure will be build up very fast, state-owned enterprises and banks will provide financial support." Until the end of last year, the field of solar energy are not affected by the economic crisis. Due to exchange rate fluctuations, revenue polysilicon contract, China's solar energy equipment manufacturers were hit, but China's newly announced incentives will help boost demand.
Jun. 18, 2009
Ascent Solar to create five meters long flexible CIGS photovoltaic components
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTI), a developer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules, announced that the company has manufactured a monolithically interconnected 5 meter long flexible light weight module on a polyimide substrate .
Ascent Solar Sr. Vice President for Production Operations Dr. Prem Nath stated, "This is the largest monolithically interconnected CIGS module on polyimide and may be the largest of any CIGS module regardless of construction. The size and efficiency of this module make it a breakthrough for the emerging opportunities of flexible CIGS photovoltaic modules. "
The CIGS based thin film material used in this module was manufactured using the company's unique 1.5 MW roll-to-roll manufacturing line. The module was encapsulated during the testing and qualification of equipment that will be used for its 30 MW plant under construction. Based on internal test and evaluation, this 5M long module weighs 2 kilograms and produces 123 watts (under standard test conditions) with an aperture area efficiency of 9.1%. This length is a baseline for the company's development of large area flexible building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV ) products with our strategic BIPV partners.
Source: www.ascentsolar.com Jun. 16, 2009
TSMC will be involved in solar
According to Taiwan media reports, TSMC Chairman Zhang Zhongmou, general manager of joint Cai Lixing 11 held a press conference announcing the development of TSMC will be LED, solar and other new industries; Zhang Zhongmou conservative estimate, a new business in 2018 will reach more than two billion U.S. dollars, can be brought on behalf of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company contributions to revenue growth of 1.5%.
Zhang Zhongmou said TSMC foundry professionals over the years, so in other areas there is no plan, but now there is a direction, that is, to build one or more is not the cause of the competition for new customers and new business also more than one, the future plans to be in charge of Cai Lixing.
Zhang Zhongmou that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in 2008 revenue 10 billion U.S. dollars, estimated in 2012 to 10 billion U.S. dollars will be returned, followed by the annual growth rate of 6%. This model is estimated that in 2018 the foundry TSMC's revenue size, should be between 140-150 billion dollars, while between 2008-2018 the 10-year compound annual growth rate of only 3%.
However, after the establishment of new businesses, new businesses in 2018 is expected to be 2 billion yuan U.S. dollars, will be for the annual compound growth rate of more than 1.5 percentage point increase is the growth of 4.5 percent.
Source: windosi.com Jun. 14, 2009
