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Editorial: Investigating Environmental "Offset" Opportunities
... Is there a role for compound semi industry companies and labs that are working on "renewable energy" projects in the relatively new CO2 offset program? What??? You don't know about CO2 Offsets, sometimes known as Renewable Energy Offsets? While this unique international monetary scheme has its polarized fans and...
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AWR and TriQuint Announce New Program to Help Designers Bring Wireless Prototypes to Market
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 9, 2008...AWR, a maker of electronic design automation (EDA) software located in El Segundo, California and TriQuint, announced a program which TriQuint says offers designers an affordable and low-risk method of bringing wireless design prototypes to market. It is designed to give first-time AWR and TriQuint customers a low-cost introduction to the benefits of design and fabrication of gallium arsenide (GaAs) microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs). The limited time offer comes with 90 days of free access to AWR’s EDA software, a free process design kit, Microwave Office® design suite, and a reduced-rate prototype development quickturn (PDQ) shared-wafer foundry run using TriQuint’s TQPED 0.5-µm pHEMT process.
AWR’s Microwave Office software reportedly encompasses essential tools for high-frequency design: linear and non-linear circuit simulators, electromagnetic (EM) analysis tools, integrated schematic and layout, statistical design capabilities, and parametric cell libraries with built-in design-rule check (DRC). TriQuint’s well-established TQPED is a 0.5-µm optical gate enhancement and depletion pHEMT process that features three thick global metal interconnect layers and is well-suited for building switches, low-noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, and integrated transceivers.
Mike Peters, Director of Marketing for TriQuint’s Commercial Foundry commented, “This joint AWR/TriQuint program offers companies with limitless ideas but limited resources an opportunity to bring an idea to life. We are excited to provide new customers with the opportunity to explore the value proposition GaAs offers for the development of wireless applications.”
TriQuint News Release QPC Lasers Issued 9th Patent
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 9, 2008...QPC Lasers, Inc. a developer and manufacturer of high brightness, high power semiconductor lasers, announced that it was granted its ninth patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The company reports that it is the third new patent that the company announced 2008; QPC now holds nine issued patents and seven patents pending.
The newly issued patent, number US 349453, titled “Direct Impingement Cooling of a Laser Diode Array,” is for a unique thermal management technique for extremely high brightness arrays. The company noted that the technology could be useful in military and industrial applications.
“QPC’s unique surface emitting array technology is an excellent match to this new technique for laser cooling,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ungar, President and CEO of QPC Lasers, Inc. “By eliminating temperature rise inherent in conventional heat removal technology, this new technique provides greater power output in a smaller package, which is of critical significance for high performance military and industrial lasers,” Ungar said.
Company News Release
April 9, 2008...China Nuvo Solar Energy Inc. of West Palm Beach, Florida USA, announced that it will be developing a low-cost solar cell based on thin-film CIGS technology with its collaboration partner, Pioneer Materials, Inc. ("PMI"), at its pilot production facility in Chengdu, China. China Nuvo points out that with thin-film manufacturing techniques, CIGS thin-film solar cells can be made with 1/100th of the materials used in crystalline based silicon solar cells.
As the company previously announced, it is collaborating with PMI to develop a single junction solar cell with commercial efficiency. The solar cell will utilize materials provided by PMI and incorporated into the China Nuvo Solar’s ceramic sleeve solar technology. China Nuvo Solar expects the solar cell to provide the baseline for development of a multi-stacked solar cell capable of higher degree of efficiency.
The company contends that thin film CIGS represent second generation solar technology when compared to traditional poly-Si manufacturing technology. China Nuvo Solar says that CIGS allows for significantly reduced wafer thicknesses with a significant increase in per kilogram wattage production when compared to poly-Si material. Additionally the company says that CIGS avoids the cadmium toxicity issues of other thin-film technology, CdTe or cadmium telluride. The company also says that thin-film CIGS solar cells require less energy to be manufactured. Company News Release
TDI Begins Production of 3-Inch GaN Epi Products
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 9, 2008...Technologies and Devices International Inc. (TDI), a developer and supplier of compound nitride semiconductor materials, announced that it began production of its 3-inch 20-130 Micron thick GaN wafers. TDI uses its patented hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) process and multi-wafer equipment at the company's facility in Silver Spring, Maryland facility.
The GaN wafers consist of a 20-130 micron thick GaN layer deposited on (0001) c-plane 3-inch sapphire substrates. TDI points out that new product broadens its family of GaN, AlN, AlGaN, InN, and InGaN templates manufactured on 2-inch Sapphire and AlN templates on 2-, 3-, 4-inch SiC. These thick GaN templates are targeted for applications such as quasi-bulk low-defect GaN substrates for MOCVD, MBE homoepitaxial growth of advanced blue, green and white GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs) as well as laser diodes. The company contends that use of the wafer lowers the cost of epitaxy, substantially simplifies the growth process, and improves final device performance.
"There is a clear trend in the industry to develop and commercialize GaN-based devices on larger substrates. TDI 's customers are rapidly moving from the industry standard 2-inch epitaxial wafer used for fabrication of light emitters, to 3-inch wafers," said Alexander Usikov, TDI's Technical Director. “This production breakthrough of large area low-cost GaN wafers will benefit our customers in terms of higher device throughput, improved material yields and reduced production costs," he added. Company News Release Emcore Makes Executive Changes; Authorizes Preparation of Photovoltaic/Fiber Optic Split Plan
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 7, 2008...Emcore Corporation, a company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA,
announced that its board had elected a new chairman and CEO, and also authorized planning for a separation of its two business lines. The company noted that its leadership succession will take place as it was announced two years ago. As part of the succession plan, Reuben Richards was elected to the newly-created position of Executive Chairman. Dr. Thomas Russell, who was previously chairman of the board of directors, will reportedly remain on the board as chairman emeritus. Also pursuant to that succession plan, Dr. Hong Hou, currently the Company's president and chief operating officer, will become chief executive officer and will continue to report to Mr. Richards. The company noted that both Mr. Richards and Dr. Hou will take active roles in various aspects of running the company. The company also announced that Thomas Werthan, one of the members of its board of directors, had tendered his resignation.
Emcore also reported that its board authorized the company’s management to prepare a operational and strategic plan for the separation of the Company's Fiber Optics and Photovoltaic businesses into separate corporations. Mr. Richards stated, "We are excited to be taking the first steps in this process, which we believe allows us to maximize the potential of both our business segments. We will be working closely with investment, accounting and legal advisors over the coming months to develop a structure for this separation that will maximize operating efficiencies as well as maximizing shareholder value." Company News Release II-VI to Sell Sensor Division
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 7, 2008...II-VI Inc. has announced plans to sell its x-ray and gamma-ray radiation sensor division, eV Products Inc., a unit in its Compound Semiconductor Group. A sale price for the division was not disclosed. The division manufactures solid-state room temperature x-ray and gamma-ray detectors for industrial, medical, homeland security and laboratory applications. II-VI said eV Products generated $8.5 million in revenue for fiscal year 2007.
II-VI, makes laser optic materials, optics, and opto electronics components and products. The company said selling eV Products will allow it to "concentrate on its core strengths" such as lasers and other optoelectronics products and its recently acquired businesses. In January 2008, II-VI completed the purchase of 75 percent of HighYAG Lasertechnologie GmbH. (Ref: Coverage).
http://www.compoundsemi.com/documents/articles/news/9466.html#top
In May 2007 the company acquired Pacific Rare Specialty Metals & Chemicals Inc.
"II-VI has made significant investments in eV Products during the past 15 years that have enabled eV to become the industry leader in cadmium zinc telluride radiation detection systems," said Francis J. Kramer, president and CEO of II-VI. "We believe the time is right for eV Products to be owned by a company which can achieve significant competitive advantages by maximizing the value of eV's differentiated capabilities in medical and homeland security imaging, and in industrial, scientific and space applications." Company News Release
EDF Energies Nouvelles Enters Partnership with Nanosolar
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 7, 2008...EDF Energies Nouvelles of Paris, has announced the signing of a photovoltaic panel master supply agreement with Nanosolar and a $50 million investment in the company via EDF Energies Nouvelles Réparties.
Silicon Valley based Nanosolar uses copper indium gallium selenide technology to manufacture thin-film photovoltaic cells using a printing deposition process. Under the the terms of the agreement, EDF Energies Nouvelles will gain access to part of Nanosolar’s production of solar panels from 2009 onwards.
EDF Energies Nouvelles indicated that it is using the agreement to secure its supply of CIGS solar panels at competitive prices. EDF said that the panels will particularly help with its North American expansion. EDF Energies Nouvelles Réparties a subsidiary of the Group, invested $50 million investment (€31 million) in an equity financing completed by Nanosolar to further accelerate EDF’s production ramp. Company News Release Last Section of Regensburg Opto-semiconductor Plant Finished, Opened for Business
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 7, 2008...After years of construction and hundreds of millions of Euros in investment, Osram proudly announced the opening of the last section of its Regensburg site on April 4, 2008. Osram boasts that the world's most advanced optical chip factory is ready for business. Osram CEO Martin Goetzeler and Dr. Rüdiger Müller, CEO of Osram Opto Semiconductors, together with Mayor Hans Schaidinger were on-hand at the official opening.
"Since the start of construction seven years ago we have invested hundreds of millions of euros. In this period the number of employees has increased by a good 500 to 1500," said Rüdiger Müller. This expansion has boosted capacity by almost 50%. Today, Osram Opto Semiconductors in Regensburg covers an area of more than 55,000m2.
Osram Opto Semiconductors touts itself as a market leader in opto semiconductors, which includes optoelectronics and lighting. The company expects rapid growth especially in lighting industry for the next few years. Osram says that 12 percent of its revenues come from sales of products based upon the company’s lighting technology. Martin Goetzeler added: "LEDs are the light sources of the future so we have every intention of expanding in this field, which is why we have invested heavily in expanding the sites in Regensburg and Penang (Malaysia)." The company also boasted that 13 percent of the sales revenue from of opto semiconductors products was invested in research and development. Company News Release
Emcore Corporation Receives $4.6 Million Follow-on Order for Concentrator Solar Cell Receiver Assemblies
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 2, 2008...Emcore Corporation, a pioneer in solar power markets located in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, was awarded a $4.6 million follow-on production order for solar cell receiver assemblies (essentially solar cells with packaging) from Concentration Solar la Mancha of Manzanares (Ciudad Real), Spain. The receivers will be incorporated into CS la Mancha's 500X concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system (which houses the optics and electrical connections that will attach to separate packaged solar cells), and they will be deployed throughout Spain and other locations in fully licensed and funded projects. Shipments are scheduled to begin in the September quarter and complete in early 2009. CS la Mancha, part of Renovalia Energy, a renewable energy company in Spain, has been developing the CPV system for almost two years, and has recently started volume production and deployment.
David Danzilio, Vice President and General Manager of Emcore's Photovoltaics Division stated, "Our CPV receiver assembly continues to penetrate the market and we see increasing global demand for this product line. This order diversifies our customer base, a trend we expect will continue, as they transition their CPV systems from development to full-scale production.” He added, “We are currently expanding our production capacity for both solar cells and receiver assemblies at our Albuquerque facility and expect our second receiver production line to be operational in the June quarter. Emcore's continued technology and capacity investments will provide customers with an assured supply of this critical PV engine." Emcore News Release Ascent Solar Gains Cooperative Development Agreement After Production Line Meets Initial Operating Capability
CompoundSemi News StaffApril 2, 2008...Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. of Littleton, Colorado USA, reported reaching a definitive cooperative development agreement with ICP Solar soon after announcing that its production line met capacity and performance expectations. Under the terms of the agreement, Ascent Solar will provide ICP Solar with thin-firm photovoltaic (PV) material from its existing 1.5 MW production line in 2008 and 2009, and ICP Solar will at the same time develop, test, and integrate Ascent Solar's PV materials into ICP Solar's portable power and other electronic integrated PV products.
In addition to reaching initial operating capacity with its roll-to-roll manufacturing line, the company reported better-than-expected average efficiencies of 9.5 percent from the solar cells made on the production line. The company also indicated that production met its targeted uniformity standards of plus or minus approximately 3 percent across the width of the roll and plus or minus approximately 2 percent along its length. Ascent Solar says it plans to begin limited commercial production by the end of the second quarter of 2008, supplying development and test modules to customers in support of joint product development efforts currently underway. The company also will initiate product certification activities in the that time frame. Ascent Solar News Release.
ICP Solar CEO and Chairman Sass Peress stated, "Placing the PV material and modules on flexible, lightweight, plastic substrate materials allows for manufacturing of similarly lightweight and flexible solar panels, which will expand our new product development opportunities.” Ascent Solar News Release Our news features are reported
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The
McDonald Report
Commentary & Perspective...
Investigating Environmental "Offset" Opportunities
Jo Ann McDonald, founding editorApril 2, 2008...Is there a role for compound semi
industry companies and labs that are working on "renewable energy"
projects in the relatively new CO2 offset program? What??? You don't know about
CO2 Offsets, sometimes known as Renewable Energy Offsets? While this unique
international monetary scheme has its polarized fans and critics, it is undeniably
real and growing in popularity throughout the world. And, it just might present
an opportunity for CS companies and labs to tap into a totally new source of
funding and sales.
Not having much knowledge about CO2
offsets--other than jokes about hypocritical politicians who fly around emitting
carbons on their way to hug another tree--I became intrigued to learn more about
the topic after chatting with a loyal reader of The McDonald Report who
called to my attention that... "There's an entire industry
out there now all built around carbon offsets!"
Having been one of the early catalysts in unilaterally declaring the compounds (or
"CS" for short) a stand-alone industry, I looked forward to
seeing what the polluters of old came up with now to ease their guilt. Granted,
if I listened to the world news more, I'd probably be better informed, but the
news these days is generally so depressing, it isn't hard to tune it all out.
But Googling is the way to go these days, anyway. I found there are even trade
shows for offsetters, so I guess it has indeed expanded to become a stand-alone
industry. The first thing I found, of course, was that popular interactive online
encyclopedia that readers can input and update. In this case, the explanation
turned out to be fairly objective and definitely thorough, thus providing a
good start.
The whole thing evidently got started
with the United Nations Kyoto Protocol. It turns out that a carbon offset is
actually a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions, of which there are six, but the one this instrument focuses
on the metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) emitted. One
carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide,
or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. According to the overview:
"Offsets are typically generated from emissions-reducing projects. The
most common project type is renewable energy, such as wind farms, biomass energy,
or hydroelectric dams." It goes on to explain:
"Carbon offsetting as part of
a 'carbon neutral' lifestyle has gained some appeal and momentum mainly among
consumers in western countries who have become aware and concerned about the
potentially negative environmental effects of energy-intensive lifestyles and
economies. The Kyoto Protocol has sanctioned offsets as a way for governments
and private companies to earn carbon credits which can be traded on a marketplace.
The protocol established the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which validates
and measures projects to ensure they produce authentic benefits and are genuinely
"additional" activities that would not otherwise have been undertaken.
Organizations that have difficulty meeting their emissions quota are able to
offset by buying CDM-approved Certified Emissions Reductions. The CDM encourages
projects that involve, for example, sustainable power generation, changes in
land use, and forestry, although not all trading countries allow their companies
to buy all types of credit."
There's much more on that resource
document, which you can read should you want more, but from there I found
myself instinctively going to the main source, which apparently is the official
United Nation's CDM site. As
the CDM
backgrounder points out, the so-called Clean Development Mechanism
is loaded with complicated details and acronyms (but hey, we're used to that)
but in simplified form it works this way: Industrialized countries pay for projects
that cut or avoid emissions in poorer nations -- and are awarded credits that
can be applied to meeting their own emissions targets. The recipient countries
benefit from free infusions of advanced technology that allow their factories
or electrical generating plants to operate more efficiently -- and hence at
lower costs and higher profits. And the atmosphere benefits because future emissions
are lower than they would have been otherwise." The bold type is my doing,
because at firs pass, that phrase seemed to support my thesis, which is that
CS companies and labs may have a chance of getting in on the action, at one
or more levels of involvement.
The CDM backgrounder went on to explain
that the system also appeals to private companies and investors, pointing out
that the mechanism is meant to work bottom-up -- to proceed from individual
proposals to approval by donor and recipient governments to the allocation of
"certified emissions reduction" credits. Countries earning the credits
may apply them to meeting their emissions limits, may "bank" them
for use later, or may sell them to other industrialized countries under the
Protocol's emissions-trading system. Check out this part: "Private firms
are interested in the mechanism because they may earn profits from proposing
and carrying out such work and because they may develop good reputations for
their technology which will lead to further sales. A possible benefit for everyone
is that the potential for profits may lead these businesses to develop even
more useful technologies."
If that isn't an invitation to go
hat in hand knocking on a CO2 offset door, I don't know what is. And there's
more (much more), but given that the companies and labs I have in mind are working
on CS solar and/or solid state lighting (SSL), and that the now catchy buzz
term "renewable energy" is all over the place these days (huzzah!)
the following, which is noted above, caught my attention in that the phrase
seems key to the point of this column: "Renewable energy offsets commonly
include wind power, solar power, hydroelectric power and biofuel. Some of these
offsets are used to reduce the cost differential between renewable and conventional
energy production, increasing the commercial viability of a choice to use renewable
energy sources." From that I deduce that you should stamp "Renewable
Energy Offsets" to the foot you stick in the door rather than simply "carbon
offsets." Somebody should also make sure SSL gets added to the list of
"common renewable energy offsets."
I don't have a clue how to get started
tracking down the actual money and getting in the queue to enjoy the benefits,
but it sounds to me like something a good in-house or out-house market research
person could handle. And if you either already know about how our CS world fits
in with the offset scheme, please clue me in further. If you too are new to
the notion and go off and do the due diligence, please include me in the update.
My instinct tells me there is indeed money of some sort on the table for the
good guys in all this, and falls into the realm of revenue creation in a manner
not unlike government contracts. Lots of red tape, but possibly lucrative in
the longrun, especially when it comes to opening doors in new markets within
developing countries. For sure your supporters, investors and/or shareholders
will be impressed that you're at least looking into it. Good luck if you do,
and let me know how it turns out.
If you have questions about the
solid state lighting and compound semiconductor industries or have news
or views to share, I'm Jo Ann McDonald, Editor of LIGHTimes and CompoundSemi News.
Feel free to contact me directly, anytime. 
My direct tel at the ranch is
+1-325-463-5345
From time to time Jo Ann may comment on companies in which she holds a
modest investment - be sure to read
her disclosure at some point in time... |
