Bakersfield Refinery to be Converted to Chevron Solar Demonstration Facility
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 24, 2010...Chevron announced the start of its Project Brightfield to demonstrate next-generation solar energy technologies in Bakersfield, California. The project will be constructed on the site of a Chevron oil refinery. Chevron says the project will help to evaluate seven emerging photovoltaic technologies and determine the potential application of renewable power at other company-owned facilities.
Chevron says that the site has been repurposed to test the performance of six emerging thin-film technologies and one emerging crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology, which were provided by independent solar companies. Although similar tests have happened at independent laboratories run by universities or the government such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the test of many technologies from multiple independent companies is quite unique for a commercial company.
The site will have 7,700 solar panels on 8-acre to generate approximately 740 kW of electricity for the local utility grid as well as to Chevron's oil production operations at the Kern River Field.
The companies demonstrating thin-film technologies are Abound Solar of Colorado, MiaSole of Silicon Vally, Schuco of Germany, Solar Frontier (a subsidiary of Japan's Showa Shell Solar), Sharp Corp of Japan, and Solibro a division of solar module maker Q-Cells. Innovalight will provide the crystalline-silicon photovoltaic technology. Each solar company can access data about its technology, find out how well it performs in various conditions and compare it against a benchmark solar technology that is a brand of commercially available solar photovoltaic technology installed on the site.
Chevron News Release
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March 24, 2010...Aixtron reports that Tekcore, an LED maker in Taiwan has ordered the Aixtron G5 HT MOCVD system to expand it manufacturing capacity of high brightness LEDs.
Aixtron noted that the order was received, shortly after it announced the launch of its next generation MOCVD systems AIX G5 HT and CRIUS II. Aixtron says it is very pleased with the success of these new systems; the company already received multiple purchase orders for tools of both technologies.
The AIX G5 HT is reportedly based on Aixtron's proven Planetary Reactor design. Aixtron boasts that it features the largest wafer capacity available (56x2/14x4/8x6inch) in combination with revolutionary new reactor design which the company claims offers the highest productivity and layer quality by allowing very high growth rates at high process pressures. Aixtron points out that the G5 HT can be run with fully automated operation, and it can be integrated with advanced fabrication.
Dr. Rainer Beccard, Vice President Marketing at AIXTRON explained, “AIXTRON is committed to demonstrate its technological leadership. With the introduction of our new innovative technologies in our Next Generation Platform, the AIX G5 HT, we provide a revolutionary new reactor design to our customers that enables more than the doubling of productivity compared to the previous MOCVD generation."
Aixtron News Release Ascent Solar Signs Agreement With Indian Conglomerate Kirloskar
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 23, 2010...Ascent Solar Technologies Inc., of Thornton, Colorado USA, reported that it has signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Kirloskar Integrated Technologies Limited, India (Kirloskar). The multi-phase agreement calls for the two companies to commence integration, marketing, and distribution of Ascent Solar's flexible CIGS photovoltaic modules for use in products that will address market opportunities in India such as: defense, consumer portable power, off grid rural power solutions, hybrid solar, and diesel generation back up power systems. Phase two of the agreement is to establish a complete back-end module assembly plant in India. The third and final phase of the contact is to expand production in India to include complete end-to-end module manufacturing. Ascent Solar points out that this agreement results from the collaboration achieved thus far under a memorandum of understanding signed in September of 2009 between the two companies.
Mr. L.A. Joshi, CEO of Kirloskar, said, "Kirloskars's vision is to provide decentralized sustainable solutions based on renewable resources. Having successfully established energy solutions using technologies like anaerobic digestion of organic waste and non-edible vegetable oil and biodiesel, we were in search of appropriate partner for solar photovoltaics which can compliment Kirloskar's strength as a leader in distributed power generation. We are pleased to have Ascent as our partner in the endeavor to harness the very large solar energy potential related to off-grid and on-grid applications, by taking advantage of the favorable policies of the Indian government. "
Ascent Solar News Release
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TriQuint Begins Producing First 40 & 100 Gb/s SMT Amplifiers for Major Telecom Manufacturers
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 23, 2010...TriQuint Semiconductor announced that it has begun high-volume production for major optical network manufacturers of new driver amplifiers, including the market's first surface-mount technology (SMT) 40 and 100 Gb/s (gigabits per second) devices. TriQuint boasts that its products ease assembly and significantly reduce power consumption for 'greener' wideband high-speed optical networks.
TriQuint contends that the TGA4943-SL driver is industry's first 40 and 100 Gb/s surface mount driver that is 'green' since it operates using half the power of other devices, just 1.7 Watts. The TGA4943-SL is also available in an adaptive module for compatibility with legacy systems.
TriQuint's other new device, the TGA4826-SM, was selected as a key component of the fiber system that powers Europe's first 100 Gb/s link, which entered service in late 2009. TriQuint says that the TGA4826-SM driver is ideally suited for optical network applications that need high drive combined with high linearity. The TGA4826-SM wideband amplifier offers very low power consumption (dissipation) and is available in a standard 6x6mm package.
TriQuint reports that it is also ramping its new smaller, low-power driver amplifier, TGA4956-SM to offer enhanced performance for 10 Gb/s optical communications systems--a significant portion of today's deployed fiber networks.
Brian P. Balut, TriQuint Vice President commented, "Our drivers set standards, simplify RF connectivity and break new ground. We're pleased to be supplying SMT amplifiers for the first commercial 100G European system."
Company News Release GE Looks to CdTe Thin-Film Solar Technology
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 18, 2010...GE says it is focusing on cadmium telluride thin-film photovoltaic technology in conjunction with PrimeStar Solar Inc, the solar startup in which GE is a majority investor. GE indicated that its four global research operations will focus on improving device efficiency, reliability, production and installation costs, and manufacturability.
The GE/PrimeStar product is being developed with the help of PrimeStar technologists at PrimeStar's headquarters in Arvada, Colo.
A GE team in Munich will utilize world-class indoor and outdoor solar test facilities to study degradation and packaging issues and will help optimize the solar module level features.
In China, home of the much of the Earth's CdTe raw materials, researchers at GE's Technology Center in Shanghai are focused on the quality of CdTe materials and its impact on performance. The center will also develop advanced materials characterization techniques to help gauge CdTe quality.
At GE's John F. Welch Technology Centre in Bangalore, India, GE researchers hope to expand their understanding of the basic physics of the device and its materials.
Finally, GE's research team in Niskayuna, New York USA, is working on all facets of CdTe module development, including material growth, device development and robust process development. Researchers here draw from expertise in fields as diverse as surface chemistry, laser processing, and plasma physics. They reportedly also have product development experience from GE's healthcare, lighting, and batteries businesses.
Danielle Merfeld, GE's solar R&D leader commented, "Specifically, the CdTe technology from PrimeStar has great potential. "
GE News Release
Peregrine Semiconductor Expands European Operations and Opens New Facility
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 17, 2010...Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation of San Diego, California USA, a supplier of RF CMOS and mixed-signal ICs, has reportedly expanded its European design and manufacturing operations. Peregrine also announced the opening of a new facility in Aix-en-Provence, France. Peregrine Semiconductor Europe (PSE) operations include RF integrated circuit (RFIC) design and engineering at its design center in Aix-en-Provence, France; IC wafer manufacturing from wafer foundry Sapphicon in Australia and UMC in Taiwan; assembly and packaging from Hybritech Composants Microelectroniques (HCM) France; and back-end testing at partner Rood Microtec in Germany.
According to the company, PSE will focus on developing new RFIC products to better support specific European design requirements and provide design services for Peregrine’s next-generation UltraCMOS RFIC portfolio sold worldwide. The company points out that its UltraCMOS delivers significant performance advantages over competing processes such as GaAs, SiGe BiCMOS and bulk silicon CMOS.
Phase-locked loop frequency synthesizers (PLLs) are the first devices originating at the European facilities.
The European Space Agency has reportedly qualified Peregrine’s PLLs for adoption into their space satellite programs. The company's PLLs are already used in other satellite programs including: Globalstar, ExoMars, Glonass and Gallileo.
“We are extremely pleased to be expanding our commitment to a country, and a region, which have been instrumental to the worldwide adoption of UltraCMOS™ silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) as the IC process technology of choice for RF designs,” commented Jim Cable, CEO and president of parent-company Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation.
Company News Release EMPA orders Aixtron 2-inch Black Magic Carbon Nanotube Deposition Tool
CompoundSemi News StaffMarch 17, 2010...Aixtron reports that Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt (EMPA) of Switzerland has ordered its Black Magic carbon nanotube (CNT) deposition system. Aixtron says it received the order in the third quarter 2009 and the system will be delivered in the first quarter 2010 with the 1x2 inch wafer configuration. EMPA, the interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development, will reportedly employ the new system to produce several different nano-carbon materials.
Dr. Stefan Egger commented, “We were looking for a flexible system that could give us the means to reliably synthesize a range of different types of carbon nanomaterials. Furthermore, it was essential that it is easy to operate and reliable with good efficiency. Overall, the Aixtron Black Magic system ticks all the boxes and seems to be an ideal match to our requirements.”
“These applications require a system with great flexibility, which can easily be used by different researchers from several research groups,” added Dr. Egger. “These are needed for very different topics such as miniaturized X-ray sources which demand MWCNT field emitters. It will also be used to create single- and double-walled CNTs and graphene for sensors and other devices as well as composite materials incorporating carbon nanotubes and fibers.”
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