Solar San Diego

CIGS = Benjamins: Thin Film Firm Miasolé Gets Infusion of Cash

What is CIGS?
 

CIGS is a compound of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (Cu(In,Ga)Se2). When combined in the proper ratios, these materials form a semiconductor that can be applied as a thin film to create photovoltaic cells on many carrier substrates. The CIGS ("absorber") layer absorbs photons, the first step in the transformation of solar energy to electricity.                                                                                                                                                                                    (Courtesy:  Miasolé)

CIGS is the compound used by Santa Clara solar  company Miasolé in its thin-film solar cells.  The company announced last Friday that it had received $35 million in venture capital financing.   This financing will allow Miasolé to perhaps begin mass producing their panels CIGS, a promising technology, is also used by another company mentioned in these pages, Nanosolar, as well as other cutting edge solar companies including HelioVolt and DayStar Technologies. 

 

Deutschland über der Sonne

On the heels of the Q-Cells, and PowerLight deal, mentioned here, United Press International has an article about the large German solar company presence at Solar Power 2006 in San Jose. 

"(German) companies like Q-Cells and Solar World are coming to the U.S. ... they see the U.S. as the next big thing," Rhone Resch, the president of the American Solar Energy Industries Association, told United Press International this week at the Solar Power 2006 conference in San Jose, Calif.

A fairly large German delegation is present at the conference this year -- in addition to Q-Cells and Solar World, SCHOTT and Steca have individual booths, and Aeroline Tube Systems, Baumann GmbH, IMO Antriebseinheit GmbH and Wurth Solar GmbH & Co. KG are represented at a German Pavilion at the confab.

According to Resch, whose organization is one of the conference co-sponsors, the booming solar energy market in Germany will go flat in the coming year, and may even decrease.

Germany and Japan are the world leaders in solar energy.

"The German parliament is decreasing incentives" for homeowners who install photovoltaic panels on their rooftops, Resch said. This is part of the reason he sees the growth there leveling out.

Thus the attention on the United States, a market that Australian solar energy expert Martin A. Green from the University of New South Wales on Wednesday called "a sleeping giant that is waking up."

Read the entire article here.  SolarSanDiego.Net applauds the entry of German solar companies into the US as a way to make US companies more competive and lead to quicker breakthroughs in solar technology!

Solar Hot Spot: Mercury News Spotlight on Solar Power 2006

Solar Power 2006 is the centerpiece of an article in today's San Jose Mercury News.  The Conference and Expo, which takes place in San Jose, is explored along with a portion about local companies, in the article.

PowerLight Goes Across the Atlantic For Cells

            

PowerLight, a leading provider of large scale solar project systems has entered into a long term agreement with Q-Cells, a German company that is the world's largest independent manufacturer of high-performance solar cells, to supply the Berkely based company with $150 million in solar cells with an option that can be exercised by PowerLight to buy an additional $60 million in cells.   Recently the Red Herring wrote about  the Top 3 Solar Trends, one of which was "A focus on silicon:" pointing out a shortage of solar-grade silicon.  It appears that PowerLight has gone a long way in insuring that it's supplies do not dry up even as demand for solar arrays heats up. 

Red Herring's Top 3 Solar Trends; Solar Power 2006

In anticipation of Solar Power 2006, the Red Herring points out the Top 3 Solar Trends in an article.  The three trends are identified as "1) A focus on silicon...2) More Funding...3) Advances in supporting technologies...."  Read the entire article by clicking the above link.

The Solar Power Conference and Expo 2006 is taking place in San Jose beginning on Monday October 16.  The Conference will be streaming live video featuring "Interviews, product demonstrations and small segments of conference general sessions..."  California Clean Tech Open renewable energy finalists GreenVolts and CoolEarth Solar, will be among the presenters at the conference. 

EUREKA! Going Solar in Humbolt County

The Times-Standard in Eureka has an interesting Q&A with Redwood Coast Energy Authority  Executive Director David Boyd.   Boyd talks about his authority and the process of going solar in Humbolt County.  Read the entire interview here. 

Yes on Propostion 87

10News in San Diego aired a "Guest Perspective" editorial recently.  The speaker is Elizabeth Studebaker of the Apollo Alliance, the text of her speech (courtesy of 10News.com) follows:

Californians need to harness the same American spirit that responded to John F. Kennedy’s call to our nation, the spirit that put a man on the moon in just 8 years.

Today, the call to our nation is a different one, but equally important and challenging; to find a solution to our oil dependence which has resulted in increasing economic, environmental and national security concerns.

Prop 87 is an opportunity for California to start moving in a new direction.

If we continue our dependence on foreign oil, we’ll be stuck with the nation’s highest fuel costs and dirtiest air, which contributes to asthma, lung disease and cancer.

Prop 87 will help California replace oil with alternatives like wind, solar and biofuels which are cleaner, cheaper and made right here.

In fact, big oil companies are bankrolling the "No" on 87 campaign to protect their bank accounts, not yours.

Let’s move forward, vote yes on Prop 87 and give our kids clean air to breathe, sustainable energy sources and a safer nation.

More in support of 87:

UCLA Bruin: Tax state oil production

San Jose Mercury News: Vote Yes: It will end dependence on foreign oil