First Solar and PNM Sign Contract for 22 Megawatts of Solar Power for New Mexico; First Solar Acquires Portion of Project Pipeline from EMG
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 20, 2010...PNM, New Mexico's largest electric utility, has signed a contract with First Solar to construct 22 megawatts (MW) AC of utility scale photovoltaic (PV) solar power plants in New Mexico. First Solar also recently announced the acquisition of a portion of Edison Mission Group's (EMG) solar project development pipeline. First Solar, based in Tempe, Arizona, says it will construct the facilities for PNM using its advanced PV panels at five separate sites within PNM's service territory. The sites will be chosen based on cost, availability and suitability of land; the quality of a site's solar potential; environmental and permitting considerations; and level of local support.
"We are proud to have a company with First Solar's internationally recognized expertise and reputation building these facilities to help us meet the growing energy needs of our customers," said Pat Vincent-Collawn, PNM president and CEO.
If approved by state regulators, the 22 MW AC of new solar capacity would be the first contracted under the terms of a previous agreement PNM reached two weeks ago with state environmental, renewable energy and governmental organizations. The plan is for First Solar to deliver 45 total MW of capacity by the end of 2011.
First Solar News Release.
First Solar indicated that EMG projects it acquired are largely on private land in California and the Southwest, range from 20 to 150MW, and are not yet contracted with utilities.
First Solar News Release
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Veeco Launches TurboDisc K465i GaN MOCVD System
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 20, 2010...Veeco has introduced the new TurboDisc K465i gallium nitride (GaN) Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) System for the production of high-brightness light- emitting diodes (HB LEDs). Veeco reports that its beta site customers rapidly qualified the K465i for volume production, and the Company has received orders for the system from multiple LED customers throughout the Asia Pacific region. According to the company the system is based on its production-proven K-Series platform and it combines high productivity with the capability to drive LED yields approaching 90 percent in a 5nm bin. Veeco says that the fully automated system requires only a short recovery period after maintenance and enables higher productivity and reduced cost of ownership compared to competitive tools.
According to Bill Miller, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, General Manager of Veeco’s MOCVD business, “With superior wavelength uniformity and excellent run-to-run repeatability, the K465i extends Veeco’s lead in capital efficiency – the number of good wafers per day for each capital dollar – for high volume LED manufacturers. We are extremely pleased that our beta site customers achieved world-class results in a very short period of time. Industry interest in the K465i is strong.”
John R. Peeler, Veeco’s Chief Executive Officer, added, “The K-Series is a robust, reliable, multi-generational MOCVD platform that is in production at more than 80% of the world’s key LED manufacturers.”
Company News Release January 20, 2010...Ordersun of Berlin, Germany reports that its copper indium selenide (CIS) solar modules have
achieved the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61646 and 61730 certifications for its standard CIS-based solar modules on first submittal and will start volume production. The company says that the certifications demonstrate that its modules meet the IEC’s strict norms regarding function, quality and safety. These certificates of compliance were awarded by the German Engineering Association VDE for the company’s 1 by 1.70m framed glass-foil modules built of Odersun's CIS-on-copper-tape cells.
Having now passed this important milestone, Odersun starts the ramp-up of its 20MW manufacturing facilities in Fürstenwalde (Spree), Germany.
“With starting production we are able to deliver Odersun's aesthetically appealing CIS solar modules to our customer base this quarter.” explained Hein van der Zeeuw, CEO of Odersun, “This is an excellent foundation for us to further expand our product portfolio with customized solar modules for architectural building integration. For this, we are cooperating with various partners from the building industry.”
Company News Release
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Magnolia Solar Corporation Completes Reverse Merger
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 18, 2010...Magnolia Solar Inc., a developer of nanotechnology-based thin-film solar cells with funding from the DOD, DARPA, and NASA, reports that on December 31, 2009 it completed a reverse merger with publicly traded Mobilis Relocation Service Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the Merger, Magnolia merged with Mobilis, a Nevada corporation, becoming Mobilis's principal operating business. Following the Merger, Mobilis changed its name to "Magnolia Solar Corporation."
Magnolia Solar Corporation is the surviving corporation and Magnolia became its wholly-owned subsidiary. Midtown Partners & Co., LLC ("Midtown") served as Magnolia's placement agents.
Dr. Ashok K. Sood, the President and CEO of Magnolia Solar Corporation, commented, "Becoming a publicly-traded corporation will help us gain access to the capital markets that we need to more aggressively grow our thin film solar business. We intend to continue to provide environmentally responsible and low cost solutions for the solar industry."
Magnolia Solar News Release Aixtron participating in National German OLED Research Project, "So-Light”
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 18, 2010...Germany has started a new national Research and development project focused on the development of OLED displays and lighting. MOCVD equipment maker Aixtron will be among the eleven partners taking part in the 14.7 million Euro R&D project. The project called So-Light (Special organic Light) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for three years. It will focus on specific OLED applications, such as special lighting systems and displays. The technological focus will be on novel materials (transport materials, triplet emitter, redox dopants and matrix materials), improved optical systems and on process technologies for small molecule based OLEDs. Aixtron says it will the lead in developing on process technologies for small molecule based OLEDs this area through the optimization of its proprietary OVPD (Organic Vapor Phase Deposition) technology. Other project will also produce application studies and demonstrator devices for specific applications such as automotive or architectural lighting and backlights for large displays.
Prof. Michael Heuken, Vice President R&D at Aixtron said, “OLEDs and its application for special lighting and signage purposes is one of our strategic research targets. The So-Light project partners share the vision that OLEDs will play an important role to provide environmentally friendly light sources combined with novel design opportunities.”
Novaled AG Dresden, Sensient Imaging Technologies GmbH, Westfälische Wilhelms University of Münster, Fraunhofer IPMS Dresden, Symboled GmbH, Fresnel Optics GmbH, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co, Siteco Beleuchtungstechnik GmbH, AEG-MIS mbH and the University of Paderborn are other partners in the project. Aixtron News Release Panasonic Develops A Gallium Nitride (Gan) Inverter Ic For Motor Drive With High Efficiency
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 18, 2010...Panasonic of Osaka, Japan has reportedly developed a gallium nitride (GaN)-based monolithic inverter integrated circuit (IC) on a single chip for motor drive. The integrated six GaN-based transistors can be independently driven in a single chip to convert direct current to alternating current. Panasonic says that the device enables successful motor drive with high efficiency. The new GaN inverter IC, which was made on a large diameter silicon substrate, is reportedly applicable to motor drive in a variety of consumer electronics.
Panasonic's proprietary Gate Injection Transistors (GITs) are integrated into a single chip taking advantages of its lateral device configuration. The company claims that it is the first ever GaN-based monolithic integrated inverter IC on a single chip. According to the company, the GIT serves normally-off operation with low on-state resistance and high breakdown voltage. Planar isolation using iron (Fe) ion implantation can allow independent operation of each GIT and can keeping high breakdown voltage around 900V between each transistor. This gives it stability even after high temperature fabrication process over 800ºC. The epitaxial structure is reportedly grown using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) with novel buffer structures which fully relax the strain in the film caused by the lattice and thermal mismatches between GaN and Si. Successful motor drive is confirmed using the new GaN-based monolithic inverter IC. The device's conversion loss is effectively reduced by 42% compared to conventional Si-based IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) at the output power of 20W.
Panasonic News Release Spire Gets NREL Approval to Begin Phase II of Concentrator Solar Cell Contract
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 13, 2010...Spire Corporation, a provider of turnkey solar production lines reports that its wholly owned subsidiary, Spire Semiconductor, LLC, has successfully completed Phase I of its High Efficiency Concentrator Solar Cell program with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The NREL reportedly authorized Spire Semiconductor to begin Phase II of the program. . Phase II involves an 18-month, $3.7 million cost share subcontract in which Spire Semiconductor is developing technology to cost-effectively manufacture 42% efficient, 500 sun, concentrator solar cells for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems.
Spire Semiconductor passed through the NREL Stage Gate Review, a go/no go decision point to validate the progression of the project and assure that progress meets contract objectives. Performance parameters such as competitive levelized cost of energy (LCOE); annual manufacturing capacity potential; direct manufacturing cost; and cell mean time between failure (MTBF) had to meet project objectives for Phase I. PV cell performances of greater than 39% efficiency was achieved during Phase I.
“We are very happy to be given the go ahead with our program,” said Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation. “It validates our efforts toward developing a proprietary gallium arsenide (GaAs) concentrator solar cell that exceeds anything commercially available.” Mr. Little added, “With Spire’s strong position in the solar industry, the availability of our custom GaAs concentrator will put us in a good position to help our customers meet this market demand.” Spire News Release Spectrum Microwave Awarded Contract for PAs Used in Joint Tactical Radio Systems
CompoundSemi News StaffJanuary 13, 2010...Thales Communications of Clarksburg, Maryland has reportedly selected the Spectrum Microwave Business Unit of Spectrum Control Inc. as the supplier for the RF power amplifier for the Extended Band Manpack, an accessory to the AN/PRC-148 JTRS Enhanced Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio. Production of the RF power amplifier will be performed at Spectrum Microwave's Palm Bay, Florida operation and is currently expected to commence in early 2010.
Dick Southworth, Spectrum Control's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "This is a major win for our Microwave Group. The selection by Thales for the development and production of the RF Power Amplifier for their Extended Band Manpack Radio highlights our technical design and production capability strengths for the military market. We look forward to a successful and continuing relationship with Thales on this and future projects." Spectrum Control News Release Our news features are reported
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