Technology and R&D

A new report released by industry analyst firm NanoMarkets states that new materials for thin films will grow in importance.

U.S. states and utilities are likely to face a number of challenges in meeting aggressive solar energy targets, according to Ryan Wiser, co-author of a new study issued from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).

Spire Semiconductor, LLC, a subsidiary of Spire Corporation, has produced a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar cell, with a “world record” efficiency of 42.3 percent.

Photovoltaics (PV) module manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. has announced it is to undertake a number of new collaborations with other industry players, aimed at developing smart panel technology for PV installations.

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) and Germany-based Fraunhofer have officially signed an agreement to undertake a joint research project focusing on the development of a solar cracking reactor.

India’s Federal Minster for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Dr. Farooq Abdullah, has announced that the government is looking at running the country’s telecom towers on photovoltaic (PV) power.

Dow Corning has unveiled plans to establish a USD$13 million Solar Energy Exploration & Development Center (SEED) at its European headquarters in Seneffe, Belgium. Construction is expected to begin later this year.

Although China is developing its photovoltaics (PV) market rapidly, the country still has some major hurdles to overcome. As the 2010 Golden Sun PV Industry Summit, held this week in Beijing, China, clearly showed, not only do the prospects of a national feed-in tariff remain uncertain, but other key issues are proving to hinder a major ramp-up of the domestic market.

Annualized photovoltaics (PV) cell production capacity has again increased in the second quarter of this year, said IMS Research, reaching over 25 gigawatts (GW).

In its latest renewable energy attractiveness indices, Ernst & Young has announced the solar market is preparing for a shift from a “dominant” German market to other smaller hotspots. It added that Spain “remains largely in the doldrums”, with the wind industry largely thought to have won out over solar.