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June 28, 2010...The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected Ascent Solar for an award under the Low-Cost Lightweight Portable Photovoltaics (PoP) solicitation.
The Ascent Solar-led program, entitled "Flexible High-performance Tandem-junction PV Array", consists of three gated phases. The 18-month first phase of the 54-month program has an contract value of about $3.8M. The goal of PoP program is to demonstrate low-cost, lightweight photovoltaics (PV) that can stand up to battle conditions and environmental extremes while offering 20 percent or greater power conversion by the end of the program.
Other small business program participants include: ITN Energy Systems of Littleton, Colorado; Cambrios Technologies Company of Sunnyvale, California; Brewer Science of Rolla, Missouri. A large business, QinetiQ North America-TSG based in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC) of Newark, Deleware are also participating. These partners hope to leverage their collective expertise with dedicated funding from DARPA to meet the highly aggressive goals of the PoP program.
Farhad Moghadam, President and CEO of Ascent Solar commented, "In order to meet the aggressive goals of performance, capacity, and military toughness, our team has put together a definitive plan that combines our flexible CIGS production experience and existing MILSTD 810G military product, advanced high-temperature substrates from QinetiQ, the combined expertise in multijunction thin film technology from Ascent Solar and IEC, films for optical and electrical enhancement from Brewer and Cambrios, and enhanced packaging technologies being developed by ITN and Ascent Solar. "
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Veeco Awarded $800K In Matching Funds from Minnesota for Solar Technology
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 28, 2010...Veeco Intruments Inc. of St. Paul Minnesota USA, reports that its St. Paul operation was awarded $800,000 in matching funds by the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Office of Energy Security. The money comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support emerging renewable energy technology. The matching funds were awarded for a 1.5 year project that will expedite Veeco’s CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, selenium) deposition equipment technology to market. This technology helps solar panel manufacturers to reduce their production costs and increase the feasibility of solar panels as an alternative energy.
While much investiment and money has gone into thin-film solar companies, relatively little has been given to MOCVD equipment makers such as Veeco, which will likely be one of the keys to making thin-film solar economical.
In total, the state of Minnesota awarded just over $4 million dollars in funding for the Emerging Renewable Energy Industries Grant Program.
According to David Bruns, Senior Vice President of Veeco’s Solar Operations, “Veeco will facilitate the development of this critical technology, creating green energy jobs. We would like to acknowledge the integral support of MN District 53B House Representative Carol McFarlane, in addition to MN District 53 Senator Sandy Rummel, MN 4th District Congresswoman Betty McCollum, and other various high-ranking elected government officials. Through visits to Veeco and encouragement of our efforts, they clearly demonstrated their strong support of green energy technology and its advancement in the state of Minnesota.” Sulfurcell Begins to Offer CIS Solar Modules in the U.S.
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 28, 2010...Sulfurcell, a CIS/CIGSe thin-film solar modules manufacturer based in Germany, has commenced operations in the U.S. The company reports that its copper-indium-sulfide (CIS) thin-film modules that are made in Germany are now available in the U.S. for numerous building and rooftop integrated applications. The company ,which is partially funded by Intel Capital, reportedly plans to establish a network of system installers and integrators across the U.S. over the coming months.
The company's CIS thin-film solar modules are black in color and compact in size. Sulfurcell contends that the quality, size and color of its CIS modules make them an ideal option for building integrated photovoltaics for property owners and architects. The module products include frameless, framed and roof-integrated modules.
The company first introduced the CIS modules in 2005 in Europe. Sulfurcell contends that the modules significantly surpass the standards of their IEC certification. The company says that the same performance registered at an operating-life of 1,000 hours at 85 percent humidity and 85°C can be witnessed after 2,000 hours.
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EpiWorks Demonstrates 6-Inch CS-based PV Solar Production
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 21, 2010...EpiWorks, a developer and producer of compound semi epitaxial wafers based in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, reportedly demonstrated its ability to produce 6-inch compound semi-based PV wafers. The company points out that the demonstration is the first step in establishing the infrastructure and capability to produce low-cost solar cells with the highest conversion efficiency.
“We are a high-tech manufacturer with an established track record supporting the wireless industry with volume production, but over the past several years we have also established a strong solar cell capability. As we have done with our wireless customers, EpiWorks is excited to push the industry technology roadmap while establishing this critical part of the PV wafer production supply chain," said David Ahmari, EVP of Business Development at EpiWorks.
Skyworks Unveils Small and Cost-Effective CMOS Front-End Module
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 21, 2010...Skyworks Solutions of Woburn, Massachusetts USA announced what it claims is the most cost-effective complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) front-end module (FEM) for general packet radio service (GPRS) handsets. The SKY77555 is a transmit and receive FEM based on CMOS PAs for dual-band cellular handsets comprising GSM900 and DCS1800 operation.
According to Skyworks, the SKY77555, offers handset OEMs high-performance solutions for entry-level phones in an ultra-small 5 x 6 millimeter (mm) package. Skyworks says that the front-end module eliminates the need to optimize matching between the amplifier and the switch. In this way the company says it reduces customers’ time-to-market relative to other more traditional architectures, and simplifies the supply chain for high-volume, cost-sensitive phones.
To date, Skyworks says it has shipped of tens of millions of CMOS-based PAs for mobile phones, which it claims is more than all other suppliers combined.
Gregory L. Waters, Skyworks’ executive vice president and general manager for front-end solutions commented, “Our technology-agnostic approach provides our customers with a unique advantage in meeting their platform, geographic and cost needs. Looking ahead, we will continue to leverage both silicon and GaAs technology across a variety of new products, ranging from entry-phone devices to industry-leading, low-cost smart phones and 3G/4G solutions.” Solyndra Offers $175 Million in Promissory Notes to Investors and Forgoes IPO
CompoundSemi News StaffJune 21, 2010...Solyndra, a maker cylinder-shaped copper indium gallium diselenide solar modules, has chosen to offer up to $175 million in promissory notes for sale to certain of its investors to raise money. The company chose not to go ahead with its initial public offering (IPO), and withdrew its registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Solyndra also reports that it expects first production from its Fab 2 manufacturing complex to occur in the fourth quarter of 2010, approximately two months ahead of schedule.
“Given the ongoing uncertainties in the public capital markets, we elected to pursue alternative funding from our existing investor base. This funding allows us to address strong customer demand by maintaining our aggressive growth plans,” commented Dr. Chris Gronet, CEO of Solyndra.
“Fab 2 can’t come on line a minute too soon,” according to Dr. Gronet. “We’ve now sold over 300,000 panels for deployment on commercial rooftop sites in a dozen countries. By the fourth quarter of 2011, we expect our annualized production to exceed 300MW, enabling economies of scale that will substantially reduce our manufacturing costs.”
Earlier in the month Solyndra achieved microgeneration product certificatin from BRE Global Limited for sales of its solar modules in the UK Market. Also during June, LPS industries completed the largest installation of Solyndra solar cells on its specially designed "cool roof." Our news features are reported
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