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Press Release
Source: Southern California Edison

ROSEMEAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Southern California Edison (SCE), the nation’s leading utility for renewable energy, has launched its annual call for more renewable contracts. Proposals for all renewable technologies in all locations are welcome. The utility is especially interested in solar generating facilities, which produce power on hot summer days when power is needed the most – that can connect to the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project in Kern County, Calif., and to the Sunrise Powerlink Project of Imperial and San Diego counties.

This solicitation will be SCE’s seventh open, competitive call for additional renewable power contracts since 2002. Previous solicitations have secured 48 renewable energy contracts with a maximum future annual power generation of 27.3 billion kilowatt-hours for SCE customers; enough electricity to serve approximately 4.1 million average homes for a year. Last year’s solicitation alone resulted in the signing of six contracts for a total of 6.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.

SCE’s solicitation seeks out short-term and long-term contracts for projects powered by solar, wind, biomass, biogas, oceanic, and geothermal fuels. SCE is particularly looking for viable projects that will begin prior to January 2014. By seeking contracts in the Tehachapi and Sunrise transmission regions, SCE hopes to utilize the most of the untapped renewable potential the areas have to offer.

“As a company that encourages progress and excellent value for our customers, we anticipate seeing several innovative projects as a result of this solicitation,” said Stuart Hemphill, SCE vice president, Renewable and Alternative Power. “Every contract we execute for renewable power is good for the industry, our customers, and the environment.”

Proposals are due in August 2009 and SCE expects to submit completed contracts to the California Public Utilities Commission for approval by April 30, 2010. Conferences for interested parties will be hosted by SCE on July 9, 2009. To learn more about the sessions and to find out details about the request for proposals, please visit www.sce.com/renewrfp.

Mark LaPedus
EE Times

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- SpectraWatt Inc.--the solar-cell spinoff of Intel Corp.--has moved its operations from Oregon and will establish the company's first factory and its new headquarters at the Hudson Valley Research Park in Hopewell Junction, N.Y.

SpectraWatt will also move into a plant that was owned by IBM Corp. The solar startup will reportedly retrofit IBM's Building 334 on the IBM campus in that area, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal.

The move would initially create over 100 jobs in the New York region within the first year of operation. The company, which is in the process of moving from their previous location in Oregon, reportedly had trouble finding and funding a suitable site in that state.

Instead, it will set up shop in New York. The company aims to be in production early in 2010. SpectraWatt's first factory line will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 60 megawatts (MW); additional lines are already being planned with site capacity exceeding 120-MW within the first two years of operation.

Last year, Intel said it was spinning off key assets of a start-up business effort inside its New Business Initiatives group to form an independent company called SpectraWatt. Intel Capital, Intel's investment organization, led a $50 million investment round in SpectraWatt and was joined by Cogentrix Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., PCG Clean Energy and Technology Fund and Solon AG.

Peter Clarke
EE Times Europe

LONDON — Sales of solar energy panels amounted to 5.6-Gwatts in 2008, up 48 percent on 2007, according to The Information Network market research company (New Tripoli, Pennsylvania). However, the global economic crisis will result in newly installed solar capacity reaching only 7.1-GW in 2009, equivalent to a global growth rate of 26 percent, before the strong growth resumes in 2010.

Production of those panels is predominantly done in Asia, the firm said. In 2008 3.3-GW or 60 percent was produced in Asia, 1.5-GW produced in Europe and just 750-MW produced in the United States.

However, while production has grown the downturn has affected the take up of alternative energy and manufacturing capacity utilization is below 50 percent, and similar to the semiconductor-for-IT industry.

Similarly polysilicon, which was in shortage for many years, is now in oversupply pushing prices of crystalline wafers below $5 which is impacting sales of much lower efficiency amorphous silicon panels

The solar panel market is expected to pick up again in 2010, growing 48 percent to 10.5-GW of newly installed photovoltaic systems. The thin-film sector, which includes amorphous silicon, CdTe, and CIGS, will represent less than 20 percent of the market in 2010. Plagued by low optical conversion efficiencies, in the region of 7 to 12 percent, this sector is still compensated by low manufacturing costs, the research firm said

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Applied Materials (Nasdaq: AMAT) and SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR) today announced completion of two SunPower solar power systems totaling 2.1 megawatts at Applied Materials' corporate facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif. The systems represent the largest solar power deployment at a corporate facility in the United States.

"This is another exciting milestone in the adoption of solar power in California," said Mike Splinter, president and chief executive officer of Applied Materials. "More companies are realizing the wisdom of integrating solar as a non-intrusive, clean, silent form of energy generation into our businesses and communities. We've converted our parking lots to power plants and we encourage others to join us in making solar power a meaningful part of the energy supply."

The system includes a 950 kilowatt SunPower PowerGuard(R) installation and a 1.2 megawatt SunPower(R) Tracker installation atop an elevated parking canopy. The SunPower Tracker follows the sun as it moves across the sky, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over conventional fixed-tilt systems. Both systems use SunPower solar panels, the most efficient panels available on the market today. SunPower uses Applied Materials' Baccini technology in its solar cell manufacturing process.

Since the first phase of installation in November 2007, Applied reports that its solar installation has generated 1,413 megawatt hours of power. The system is expected to replace more than 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions from approximately 450 passenger cars.

"Applied Materials has joined the ranks of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Air Force in recognizing the value of solar as a
mechanism for reducing exposure to volatile electric rates and promoting energy independence through the use of clean, renewable solar power," said Tom Werner, chief executive officer of SunPower.

Applied's investment is supported by the federal investment tax credit (ITC) that encourages deployment of renewable energy systems across the U.S. Due to expire at the end of 2008, Congress is now considering legislation to extend the ITC.

"Congratulations to the leadership in the U.S. Senate for their efforts to forge a bipartisan agreement on a long-term extension of the ITC," continued Werner. "According to a new study from Navigant Consulting, an eight-year extension of the ITC would result in the creation of more than 1.2 million job opportunities and $232 billion in investment in the solar energy sector."

Mark LaPedus
EE Times

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Seeking to replicate its success in semiconductors, Albany NanoTech and its parent organization are bringing its collaboration model over to clean technology.

As part of its major efforts in clean technology, Albany NanoTech is quietly putting together a solar-cell consortium that involves undisclosed panel, equipment and material vendors.

The Albany, N.Y.-based organization is also looking to launch at least two new and separate R&D initiatives in the arena, including a test farm and the so-called Zero-Energy Nano Building (ZEN). Both initiatives will conduct research in fuel cells, power management, solar cells, ultracapacitors and other technologies.

Slated to open in early 2009, the test farm will conduct the initial R&D in clean technology. The test farm will be situated within a new and larger $150 million facility in Albany, dubbed NanoFab 300 East. NanoFab 300 East will also house a new 300-mm R&D fab as well as the new headquarters of chip-making consortium International Sematech.

Gina Roos
Green SupplyLine
(09/18/2008 4:17 PM EDT)

Georgetown, Mass. — Worldwide solar cell production capacity is projected to reach 28.3 gigawatts (GW) by 2012, up from 6.5 GW at the end of 2007, according to IC Knowledge's latest Solar Watch database.

Other key findings in the Solar Watch database, revision 1, indicate that China has the largest production capacity in the world, with nearly twice the capacity of the nearest competitor, and thin-film solar cells are projected to grow from 15% of worldwide capacity at the end of 2007 to 28% by the end of 2012.

Mark LaPedus
EE Times

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. -- Following the IC slowdown, New York is turning its attention towards solar, especially in the Hudson Valley.

Several smaller solar startups have set up shop in Hudson Valley, which is just outside New York City. But the area may get a huge boost, as IBM Corp. is reportedly looking to enter the solar-cell fray.

Encompassing nine counties that stretch 150 miles from just outside New York City nearly to Albany, the Hudson Valley is the fastest growing part of New York State.

IBM may enter the market on its own or with a partner. The company has announced several solar technology breakthroughs, but has yet to enter the merchant solar market.

Frank Falatyn, vice chairman of the Solar Energy Consortium in Hudson Valley, said a ''very large company'' is interested in moving into the market, but he declined to elaborate. Many speculate about IBM's intent. Falatyn is also president of Fala Technologies Inc. (Kingston, N.Y.), which offers turnkey engineering and manufacturing services.

EE Times

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Korean display giants including Samsung and LG Electronics will join the global rush to make photovoltaic solar cells starting next year, accelerating a cost reduction drive that some say will look like the DRAM market on steroids.

Korea could deliver more than $8 billion in solar modules generating 2.6 Gigawatts by 2013, according to market watcher DisplayBank (Seoul) that sponsored a conference on the topic here. That led to projections of a coming boom/bust cycle.

"I think you will see a rush to commoditization faster than anything you have seen in electronics previously," said Martin Mesmer, a former solar industry manager who acted as a moderator for some conference sessions.

"We have abundant materials and a process that is rapidly becoming well understood. The differences will be in execution and understanding of the system to reduce costs," he added.

As many as 150 companies are pursuing the emerging market for microcrystalline-based thin film solar cells, said Sean Wang, president of ITRI International, a branch of Taiwan's government-backed technology research institute.

"It's not just the Koreans but the Taiwanese and others—everyone is looking at what sort of opportunities there are beyond flat-panel displays, and solar is one of the biggest," said Tak Tanaka, a senior director of the display group at Applied Materials which sells gear to make solar cells.

The Korean government has been rolling out a rising array of incentives and subsidies to create a domestic market for solar panels. Samsung and LG can address that market leveraging their experience with the large glass substrates used in their 8.5-generation display fabs.

"What we don't know is what solar cell technology they will choose," said Tanaka. "Certainly it will be thin film, but which one? I believe they are still doing feasibility studies," he added.

That leaves the Korean giants significantly behind some fast-moving startups such as Signet Solar (Menlo Park, Calif.) which has raised more than $150 million to outfit its first line in Dresden. It will ship its first 8.5-gen panels in October, is now raising cash for a second Dresden line and plans to start work on a facility in Chennai, India next year.

"This is one industry where scale does matter," said Keshav Prasad, vice president of business development for the company.

The company has already secured contracts for modules capable of generating 150 Megawatts. The startup hopes its modules can help drive the cost of installed solar systems down to $3.50/W by 2010 and $2.50/W by 2012, igniting mainstream markets.

Despite his company's ambitious goals, Prasad foresees tough times ahead as multiple companies strive to lower costs of solar cells. Tanaka of Applied said Signet is one of four customers currently producing cells with its equipment. Another dozen Applied customers are gearing up plans, he added.

"Coming from the silicon industry we know when there is a boom there will be a bust so we want to have long term partnerships," said Prasad.

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's Mitsubishi Electric Corp. said Wednesday it will spend 50 billion yen (458 million dollars) to boost solar power cell production four-fold by early 2012 amid growing interest in renewable energies.
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The group said it will build a new facility on the site of an existing plant in Nagano Prefecture to step up production of photovoltaic cells in response to a sharp increase in demand for solar power generation systems.

"This market is expected to grow globally by about 20 percent every year," said Aiji Suzuki, director of Mitsubishi Electric's main solar panel plant. "The demand for solar power will likely reach 5,550 megawatts by 2012."

The company aims to increase its solar power cell production to 600 megawatts by early 2012 from the current 150 megawatts level, he said.

Mitsubishi Electric, which exports about 80 percent of its solar power cells, mainly to Europe, said demand in the United States was expected to expand significantly over the coming years.

Mitsubishi Electric shares closed up 1.5 percent at 937 yen.

Japan, which has virtually no natural energy resources of its own, aims to take the lead in environmentally friendly energy.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has set a target to raise the use of solar cells 10-fold from present levels by 2020, with the government considering subsidies and tax breaks for households turning to solar power.

Baltimore, Maryland – General Motors announced today it will add a 1.2 megawatt solar power installation to the roof of its transmission assembly plant in White Marsh, Maryland.

The system will be deployed under an agreement with SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider. Under the agreement, SunEdison will finance, install, operate and maintain the system.

When fully operational in the third quarter of 2009, the system will be one of the largest rooftop solar installations on the East Coast. The system will consist of more than 8,700 solar panels and will sit on approximately 300,000 square feet of roof space.

The installation will generate about 1.4 million kWh of clean renewable solar energy, which is equivalent to the demand of about 140-150 U.S. households with an average annual consumption of 10,000 kWh. Additionally, the installation will enable GM to displace about 20 percent of the plant’s current power purchased from the local utility with a renewable energy resource, while reducing the plant’s utility bill.

“This project will help GM reduce costs while serving as a clean, renewable energy source,” said John R. Buttermore, GM Powertrain Vice President of Global Manufacturing. “Through innovation and commitment, GM is making a significant, positive impact on the environmental issues facing our world.”

The White Marsh plant reached landfill-free status in 2007, because it no longer sends any production waste to local landfills. All the waste generated at the facility is entirely recycled or reused. The Baltimore plant is GM’s first global manufacturing facility to operate landfill-free and have a solar power installation.

The State of Maryland has made an aggressive commitment to developing and promoting renewable energy sources and the GM project has support from the highest levels of the state government.

“Maryland is quickly becoming a national leader in sustainable energy alternatives,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “We’re proud that GM is making this clean energy pledge at their Baltimore County plant, demonstrating their commitment as responsible corporate citizens to the long-term future of the environment we share as Marylanders.”

GM currently has two of the largest solar power installations in the United States on the roofs of its Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, California parts warehouses. Upon completion later this year, GM also will have the world’s largest rooftop solar power installation at its Zaragoza, Spain car assembly plant.

“GM is making significant progress in reducing the impact our facilities have on the environment,” said Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM vice president, Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. “Our expanding commitment to renewable energy sources, like solar power, is part of our coordinated global effort to reduce energy use, water consumption, waste and CO2 emissions.”

Additionally, GM is one of the largest corporate users of landfill gas in the U.S. Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills. GM is one of the largest users of renewable energy as well. Last August General Motors received the Corporate Energy Management of the Year Award from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). The award recognizes the company’s worldwide leadership in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The GM Powertrain Baltimore transmission plant builds the Allison A1000 six-speed automatic transmissions which are featured in the award-winning Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups. The plant built 189,000 of Allison A1000 six-speed transmissions in 2007. It also builds the Hybrid 2 mode transmission currently used in the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.