Industry of photovoltaic Solar Cells

" BP Solar is a global company with over 30 years of experience and over 2000 employees focused on harnessing the sun's energy to produce electricity.
BP Solar manufactures, designs, markets and installs quality solar electric systems for a wide range of applications in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.
With over 30 years of experience and installations in over 160 countries, BP Solar is one of the world's largest solar companies and has manufacturing facilities in the US, Spain, India and Australia... " more

"Kyocera
is one of the world's largest vertically-integrated producers and suppliers of solar energy products. Our American solar division is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with regional sales affiliates in the Americas and Australia. Kyocera Solar, Inc. (KSI), our North American solar products subsidiary, serves thousands of customers in both the developed and developing worlds. Around the globe people are enjoying a better lifestyle because of solar electric systems provided by Kyocera. These systems make it possible for families to light their homes and utilize a telephone or experience a broadcast program for the first time. Solar electric solutions provided by Kyocera enable people to drink clean, uncontaminated water where sources were unsanitary, hard to access, or nonexistent. Systems designed and integrated by Kyocera allow industry to expand their capabilities beyond the constraints of the traditional electric grid. ... " more

"SCHOTT Solar - a tradition of quality
Our company has a strong shareholder: SCHOTT AG, Mainz. SCHOTT AG is a world leader in the manufacture of glass for special applications. Our shareholder has already been in the market for over 100 years and has established a solid international presence. We tap into the forty years plus of experience acquired by our predecessor firms: AEG Telefunken began researching and producing sophisticated solar cells for use in space as long ago as 1960. Over 300 satellites have been equipped with those products. Research, development and innovation have played a primordial role in our operations for over 40 years." more

"ARISE Technologies Corporation, based in Waterloo, Ontario, is dedicated to becoming a leader in high-performance, cost-effective solar technology.

The company operates through three divisions.

• The PV Cell Division manufactures PV (photovoltaic) cells at its first manufacturing plant opened in April 2008 in Bischofswerda, Germany. The division is developing proprietary technology with a target of achieving a step-by-step progression to a high-efficiency level of greater than 20 percent.
• The PV Silicon Division is using a proprietary method to produce silicon at 7N+ high-purity (99.99999 percent purity) for PV cell applications, based on a simplified chemical vapor deposition process. The division is focusing on scaling up its process to provide ARISE with control over its supply, costs, and quality.
• The PV Systems Division provides complete turnkey PV solutions for solar farms and rooftop installations under the Ontario Standard Offer Program."

Day Star Tech

DayStar is positioned to become the world's leading manufacturer of low-cost, high performance, CIGS thin film photovoltaic products for converting electricity from the sun. Founded and staffed by a team of leading scientists, experienced thin film equipment and solar cell manufacturers, photovoltaic industry experts, and top management from the semiconductor industry, DayStar was formed to:

• Capture proven photovoltaic science
• Create proprietary manufacturing processes & tool sets
• Manufacture CIGS solar cells and modules
• Commercialize new and emerging photovoltaic products
• Access markets through strategic relationships

Our first 25 Megawatt manufacturing line, producing CIGS on glass modules, is being designed and built around our unique and proprietary one-step sputtering deposition process. This process is highly scaleable and will achieve cost and performance metrics that, when operating at commercial volumes, will position our CIGS products as the thin film photovoltaics leader in the race toward cost parity with fossil fuel electricity generation. " more

" Power Solutions using EMCORE Concentrator Photovoltaic Arrays (CPV)
Using optical lenses and mirrors we concentrate the sunlight onto a very small, highly efficient Multi-Junction solar cell. For example, under 500-sun concentration, 1 cm2 of solar cell area produces the same electricity as 500 cm2 would, without concentration. This is particularly significant when considering the inherent efficiency advantage of the Multi-Junction technology over Silicon solar cells The use of concentration, therefore, allows substitution of cost-effective materials such as lenses and mirrors for the more costly semiconductor PV cell material.

" HelioVolt's FASST^TM technology produces high-performance solar thin-film with pioneering time and materials efficiencies. 10 to 100 times faster than current processes. 100 times thinner than traditional silicon. Factor in the flexibility of custom shapes and sizes. Plus easy adaptability to multiple construction materials ' glass, steel, metal, composites and some polymers. The result? Another industry revolution is born.
HelioVolt's FASST^TM technology produces high-performance solar thin-film with pioneering time and materials efficiencies. 10 to 100 times faster than current processes. 100 times thinner than traditional silicon. Factor in the flexibility of custom shapes and sizes. Plus easy adaptability to multiple construction materials ' glass, steel, metal, composites and some polymers. The result? Another industry revolution is born.
Rapid and revolutionary:

• Our patented solar 'printing' process is a high-speed, large-area method for manufacturing silicon-free thin-film photovoltaics for commercial-scale production. Many times faster than other thin-film technologies, the real advantage of FASST^TM is its unique ability to nano-engineer solar thin films.
• Flexible and customizable: HelioVolt can print directly onto multiple construction materials ' glass, steel, metal, composites and some polymers. Mindful of architectural aesthetics, our method enables customization in a range of shapes and sizes. The market opportunity: a new breed of seamlessly solarized building materials, architectural modules and building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products ' what we call PV 'power buildings. " more CIGS

"Honda is a leader in developing innovative new approaches to creating sustainable energy, including solar cells that convert energy from the sun into electricity.

It's a technology whose time has come - thanks to next-generation solar cells developed by Honda that use thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS).

So we started a whole new company, Honda Soltec Co., Ltd., headquartered in Kumamoto, Japan, to produce and market the next-generation thin film solar cells developed by Honda.

Honda's next-generation thin film solar cells achieve approximately a 50 percent reduction in the amount of energy consumed during the manufacturing process. This makes the new solar cell more environmentally responsible by reducing the amount of CO2 generated even from the production stage." more

"International Solar Electric Technology (ISET) is a private California Corporation with a wide range of expertise in next generation thin film solar electric products and systems. ISET has carried out extensive R&D work in the area of photovoltaic's (PV) - the technology for direct conversion of sunlight into electricity. Major research breakthroughs involve development of novel, low-cost manufacturing alternatives for fabrication of "printable" high efficiency solar cells which are unique to the entire solar energy industry.

ISET has developed an ink-based process for manufacturing thin-film CIGS solar cells and modules on both rigid and flexible lightweight substrates. This patented technology offers fundamental improvements over existing solutions for both terrestrial and space power applications. Current development efforts deliver a prospect for commercial application that will produce thin-film PV modules for a cost of less than $1.00/watt.

ISET offers technology transfer, customized PV products, PV system design services for both stand-alone and grid-connected systems and general consulting services relating to PV technologies. " more

"MEMC

At MEMC, our goal is to drive innovation at every step of the value chain to reduce manufacturing costs, deliver superior value for customers, and achieve grid parity by lowering cost per watt.

To extend our leadership in the solar photovoltaic (PV) market, we are building on decades of silicon and manufacturing expertise in technologies such as polysilicon, semiconductor wafers, and solar wafer solutions.

With our advanced manufacturing capabilities, industry-leading technology, and clear understanding of customers’ business objectives, MEMC helps customers chart a clear path to success now and in the future." ... more

"Our unique cell multiplication technology leverages semiconductor- and optics-industry expertise to multiply the energy yield of silicon material

Using a proprietary singulation and packaging process, we deliver the high-efficiency, improved system performance, and kW/h cost reduction crucial to market growth.
As solar markets evolve, we are harnessing our unique packaging technology to push the limits of cell and module architecture for further gains. Our partnership with the industry's largest cell manufacturer, Q-Cells, provides us with access to new cell technology as we continue to pursue these innovations on an industry scale.

Our Manufacturing Process
We start with standard crystalline silicon solar cells. Using advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes, the cells are singulated into strips, packaged, and attached to an optical front cover.

Innovation at the Cell Level
Our front cover captures and guides incoming light, maximizing the energy output of the singulated silicon strips. Each new cell matches the form, fit, and electrical performance of a standard silicon cell." more

"The SoloPower Advantage lies in a unique approach to manufacturing technology. SoloPower's proprietary electrochemical process for CIGS solar cell formation is uniquely differentiated from Si-based PV and alternate thin film PV technologies. SoloPower technology enables the cost-effective fabrication of devices that yield high voltage, good carrier collection and high conversion efficiency

The SoloPower electroplating method provides near 100% materials utilization in a low cost, roll-to-roll process. High materials utilization and low cost equipment coupled with high efficiency cells with extremely thin active layers result in substantial competitive advantage to SoloPower technology over alternative materials and techniques.
Some of the key advantages of the SoloPower approach are:

• Capability to deposit films on large areas as well as a variety of shapes and forms
• Continuous processing with high throughput using low cost equipment
• Excellent compositional control
• High material utilization
• Minimal waste generation

SoloPower's unique and proprietary technology is a major break-through in low-cost, high-quality, high-volume manufacturing and commercialization of CIGS-based photovoltaics. " more

" Zomeworks Corporation Incorporating over two decades of experience with tracker design and more than three decades of innovation of new products, Zomeworks has introduced the F-Series Track Rack^TM Passive Solar Tracker to our line of UTR Universal Trackers. This tracker is our most popular design. It features an integral early morning rapid return system, is shipped partially assembled, is easy to install, and is module specific.

Simplicity and Elegance
The sun's heat moves liquid from side to side, allowing gravity to turn the Track Rack^TM and follow the sun - no motors, no gears and no controls to fail.

Universal
Six standard UTR and UTR-F Track Racks^TM fit all common photovoltaic modules.

Easy to Transport
The Universal Track Rack^TM is "knocked down" and packaged in one to four (depending on the size of the rack) easy-to-handle boxes that fit conveniently into a pickup truck." more

" Pacific SolarTech is the world leader in developing and manufacturing concentrator photovoltaic (PV) modules, for applications from utility-scale solar power plants to remote-power and grid-connected power systems. PST offers a line of products with the MicroPVTM moniker. The concentrator PV module (MicroPVTM made by PST) is a milestone in the concentrator PV industry. This successful breakthrough in concentrator PV module manufacturing makes the dream of affordable solar power a reality.

The affordable solar power era is coming. PST uses advanced dome-shaped lenses to concentrate sunlight 10 times onto small area solar cells (only one tenth of the lens size). For every 7 watts produced the solar cell consumes only 1 watt. This technique greatly reduces the requisite amount of silicon. It offers needed relief in today's high-priced, silicone-short environment. PST is able to use semiconductor-level silicon, which is highly competitive with that of the semiconductor industry

Pacific SolarTech is working relentlessly to develop highly productive, environmentally friendly, and energy-efficient processes and protocols, which should result in more technologically refined, lower-cost products in the future... " more

"Suntech
After six years of intensive R&D, the world record holding PERL solar cell design from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has been successfully commercialized to Suntech's production lines as Pluto^TM solar cells and HiPerforma^TM solar modules. Well exceeding efficiencies achieved by conventional screen-printing processes, Pluto technology has been independently verified to reach efficiencies of greater than 19% in mass production.

Pluto cells feature a unique texturing process that improves sunlight absorption, even in conditions of low and indirect light. Our innovative Pluto cell design and ultra-fine top contact gridlines combine to boost power output, delivering a 10-15% performance advantage using the same materials, wafers, and module line equipment as a standard cell." more

"solar technology does not employ silicon, and the material used is only 1/200th of the thickness of crystalline silicon solar cells.We have more than 40 years of experience in adapting crystal growth in electrodeposition manufacturing technique.

Our process doesn't require high vacuum and high temperature. Hence we can manufacture solar cells much faster. On top of that, we can deposit solar cells in different substrate material. It allows us to make flexible and rigid solar cells using the same set up.Our technology is completely modular and scalable. We can make solar cells custom to the voltage and amperage as required by different applications.

Current photovoltaic technology is based on crystalline silicon. In the near future, CIS thin film is an excellent alternative.

Advantages of CIS thin film:

• uses less than 1/200 active material vs crystalline silicon, making it potentially cheaper
• absorbs a wider spectrum of light thus providing stabler power delivery all through the day
• has the highest transformation efficiency among different thin film material ... " more

Nova Solar
"Silicon thin film solar panels will achieve the lowest cost per watt in the long term.

Nova Solar's thin film silicon solar modules are made with a single sheet of glass, several very, very thin layers of common materials (silicon, aluminum, zinc, etc) and then a thin polymer backcoat

In high volumes, the cost of the solar module will approach the cost of the materials. The cost of materials for NovaSolar's thin-film silicon solar modules is the lowest in the industry.

Our thin-film silicon solar modules also benefit from many other important advantages:
Material Availability
The materials in our solar modules are among the most abundant and low cost materials on earth.
Reliability
Silicon thin-films are more resistant to corrosion than some other thin film materials, such as Cadium Telluride (CdTe) or CIGS.
Better Performance
Up to 15% better kWh output per Watt installed compared to c-Si and 5-10% better than other thin film technologies.
Improving Efficiency
Multi-junction thin-film silicon technology provide a solid path for significant efficiency improvement and cost reduction.
Most "Green", sustainable, and responsible
Most clean, safe, with zero toxicity, and lowest energy payback time (carbon footprint). " more

CIS Technology The second solar cell generation

CIS stands for the elements copper (Cu), indium (In), and selenium (Se). In coating processes borrowed from glass production, AVANCIS applies these materials in a layer construction of around 2 &

mu;m. Two thousandths of a millimeter is all it takes to absorb sunlight. That's an outstanding performance that defies comparison. EFFICIENCY - OUR OBLIGATION.



Studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) show that CIS is the most efficient thin film technology. CIS has already attained efficiency levels of around 20% in the lab, comparable to the efficiency of multi-crystalline silicon cells.CIS IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS.

Because CIS modules use a relatively broad spectrum of light, and because we make extremely low-defect layers in our production process, we achieve a high energy yield even in poor weather conditions and with low light levels. So even when the light is low, the technology is still very cost-effective... more

"Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) is one of the world's largest solar module producers. As a leading vertically integrated provider of ingots, wafers, solar cells, solar modules, solar power systems and specialized solar products, Canadian Solar delivers uncompromising value to its customers across the globe

Canadian Solar was founded in Ontario, Canada in 2001 and was successfully listed on NASDAQ Exchange in 2006. Today, we operate across three continents, delivering solar modules to customers over 30 countries.

A few facts
-Seven wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiaries with a total combined facility space of close to 260,000 sqm and a module capacity of 2.05 GW.
-Total revenue in 2010 was $1.5 billion, Shipments of 803 MW in 2010.
-Canadian Solar operates in 9 countries: Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain,Australia,and the United States.
-Our products adhere to the strictest international quality standards, backed by IEC, TUV, UL, certifications. In fact, we were the first solar PV manufacturer to achieve registration with ISO: TS16949, an automotive quality management system much stricter than ISO 9001. Canadian Solar operates its own ISO 17025 accredited testing lab." more

"The quality of solar has improved dramatically in recent years due to the growth of technological innovation within manufacturing. These advancements have made the next generation of solar more efficient and durable compared to older technology. Today, solar panels generate far more power in a given day and will last a minimum of 25 years. These benefits are the result of better formulations used in making the cells as well as improvements to the manufacturing process itself. Even though the basics of how solar panels work have changed very little over the years, the developments throughout manufacturing have made solar power systems a better investment than ever before.

ecoSolargy strives to be the worldwide leading manufacturer and innovative provider of solar energy solutions. ecoSolargy has successfully grown to become one of the leading solar panel manufacturers in the PV industry based on its strong vertically integrated manufacturing business model, producing ingots, wafers, cells and modules in-house. As a vertically integrated manufacturer, ecoSolargy provides a full line of photovoltaic modules and solutions that have proven to be outstanding in both performance and quality. ecoSolargy strives to deliver solution driven results for the residential, commercial and utility scale markets.

With an annual capacity of 500MW, our mission is to promote the progress and technological breakthroughs in the photovoltaic industry. The research and development team at ecoSolargy is devoted to improving the quality of our products by lowering the production cost and pushing forward technological innovation. ecoSolargy's goal is to provide customers from all around the world with elite product quality that delivers industry leading performance." more

"Founded in 1997, Trina Solar is one of the world's foremost PV companies. Fully vertically integrated from the production of ingots to modules into both mono and multicrystalline technologies, Trina Solar offers high quality modules and solar solutions. With more than 12 offices worldwide, Trina Solar has partnerships with leading installers, distributors, utilities and developers in all major PV markets and is listed on the NYSE. Trina Solar's mission is to make the world a better place by providing affordable and reliable solar energy.

Since its founding in 1997, Trina Solar has maintained an unwavering commitment to producing dependable, high performing solar modules. As the company takes lead in the solar industry, it has never strayed from its dedication to delivering the best value for customers.

This commitment shapes every aspect of Trina Solar's business. Trina Solar's workmanship warranty offers twice the protection of the industry standard. Both its world-class manufacturing facility and its cutting-edge laboratory have been internationally recognized respectively for their production processes and for their reliability, as well as for their commitment to environmental standards. Three different independent parties have ranked Trina Solar modules among the best performing panels in the world over the past three years.

As a testament to Trina Solar's commitment to quality, the Chinese government selected Trina Solar to establish a State Key Laboratory to develop PV technologies through researching PV related materials, cell and module technologies and system level performance. The laboratory will advance technological innovations to support the burgeoning industry." more

"UNI-SOLAR® is the world's largest producer of flexible solar panels with a light, durable product that provides more total energy production than any other solar panel on the planet. And, thanks to the combined technological know-how of UNI-SOLAR and our parent company Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), our product line just keeps getting better. Another ECD company, Solar Integrated, gives us the expertise to install UNI-SOLAR products globally, on any roof under the sun, which means a full-circle solar solution for you.

UNI-SOLAR VISION
To be the leader in driving wide-scale acceptance of solar by integrating our solutions seamlessly and cost effectively into everyday applications. We will lead by offering the lowest cost of energy for rooftops enabled by solar, developing a platform for providing building and homeowner energy savings.

UNI-SOLAR MISSION
To be the leading provider of integrated solarbased solutions by complementing the unique attributes of our thin-film laminates to develop and market innovative solar applications that reduce our customers' energy costs and carbon emissions.

UNI-SOLAR VALUE PROPOSITION
- Low-impact solar roof solutions
- Lowest cost of energy provider" more