Industry News
a major milestone
Kyocera reduces solar
for the company
cell thickness
and follows a suc-
Kyocera recently announced a new
cessful $50 million
achievement in its solar cell manufactur-
financing round led
ing process that allows Kyocera to manu-
by New Enterprise
facture solar cells with a thickness of 180
Associates and
micrometers, using the latest advances in
Advanced Equities,
silicon ingot slicing and wafer coating.
Inc.
The industry’s standard mass-production
Currently
methods for multicrystalline silicon solar
headquartered in
cells yield thicknesses between 200 to 260
Atlanta, Suniva
micrometers.
expects its new
Kyocera plans to more than double
facility to create
its global production capacity for solar
approximately 100
modules within the next three years while
additional jobs in
minimizing its consumption of silicon, ac-
the region within its
cording to Steve Hill, president of Kyocera
first year of opera-
Solar, Inc.
www.kyocerasolar.com
tion.
www.suniva.com
hybrid solar cell researchers order
Don’t make another PV cell
rapid growth
advanced spluttering tool
leads to new
Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) has
headquarters for
ordered an advanced sputtering tool from
until you visit this site:
sma america
Surrey NanoSystems to support funda-
SMA America,
mental research into the fabrication of
www.improvesolaryields.com the United States
hybrid solar cells. The tool will be used by
division of SMA
researchers in LMU’s Department of Phys-
and claim your FREE
Solar Technology
ics and Centre for NanoScience to develop
AG, moved its op-
production techniques that utilize precisely
contamination audit kit
erations from Grass
ordered nanowire structures as templates
Valley to Rocklin,
for organic material. The equipment is
Calif. The new
a configuration of Surrey NanoSystems’
25,000-square-foot
Gamma tool, an advanced PVD (plasma
vapour deposition) sputtering system that
technology. The new contract represents
U.S. headquarters is
is highly optimised for both performance
approximately $1.5 million in value over a
located at 4031 Alvis Court in the Del Mar
and versatility of use and is widely used in
48-month period.
www.ascentsolartech.com
Business Park.
SMA America’s relocation to a larger
R&D and pilot production applications.
siltronic samsung Wafer begins
facility mirrors the continued tremendous
The tool’s very high vacuum capability of
production
growth of its parent company. Last year,
5 x 10-9 Torr was a key selection factor as
it provides an exceptionally pure environ-
Siltronic Samsung Wafer Pte. Ltd., a joint
SMA Solar Technology AG reported
ment to aid uniform film deposition—a
venture of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
record-breaking success with a 70 percent
critical factor for the techniques being de-
and Siltronic AG—part of Wacker Chemie
increase in sales, while its staff grew by 50
veloped by LMU.
www.surreynanosystems.com
AG—has commissioned and started pro-
percent.
www.SMA-America.com
duction at a new silicon wafer production
governor Jim Douglas visits m.e.
plant in Singapore. By 2010, the joint ven-
hemlock semiconductor to supply
Baker company’s mei Division in
ture plans to reach a monthly production
polysilicon for solar projects
springfield, Vermont
capacity of 300,000 wafers with an overall
Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation has
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas joined
investment amounting to US $1 billion.
started production at its new polysilicon
M.E. Baker Company’s MEI Division for
Siltronic CEO Wilhelm Sittenthaler
facility. The new plant will nearly double
a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 28th
emphasized the strategic importance of the
the company’s output of polysilicon and
to officially announce Baker’s entrance
joint venture with Samsung, saying that
will be used in both the solar energy and
into the solar photovoltaic industry and
the commissioning “is a key milestone in
semiconductor industries. The new facility
to honor its 20th year of service to the
further expanding our presence on Asia’s
will produce approximately 9,000 metric
industry.
growth markets.”
tons of new polysilicon capacity, bringing
Governor Douglas praised Baker for
www.siltronic-samsung-wafer.com
the company’s annual production capacity
to approximately 19,000 metric tons by the
its dedication to the workers of Vermont,
suniva to locate solar cell mfg
end of 2008. Hemlock Semiconductor ex-
for bringing highly skilled jobs, and for its
facility in atlanta metro area
pects to complete an additional expansion
entrepreneurial spirit in tapping the fast
growth alternative energy market.
Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value
with operations and supply beginning in
crystalline silicon solar cells, plans to
2010. This expansion will increase the total
Headquartered in Framingham, Mas-
locate its first solar cell factory in Gwinnett
capacity from the Hemlock site to 36,000
sachusetts with operations in Springfield,
County, Georgia. The new facility, located
tons by the end of 2011.
www.hscpoly.com
Vermont, Baker manufactures wet process
equipment for a number of industries.
within the Atlanta metro area, represents
www.mebaker.com
34 – Global Solar Technology – September/October 2008
www.globalsolartechnology.com
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