Solar San Diego

Solar EnerTech Goes in with Shanghai University on Joint R&D Lab

Solar EnerTech Corp., the Shanghai China company with a marketing arm in Silicon Valley, annonuced a joint research and development laboratory with Shanghai University on Thursday.  The company also reviewed its successful 2006 with a look forward to 2007.

Solar EnerTech Inaugurates Joint R&D Lab With Shanghai University -- Reviews 2006 Year End
            
            Solar EnerTech Corp. (OTCBB: SOEN) (the Company) is pleased to announce the inauguration of the much anticipated Joint R&D Lab facilities to be operated conjointly by both Solar EnerTech and Shanghai University during opening ceremonies held just prior to the Holiday Season.

A number of invited guests including Shanghai government officials, US Embassy Commercial Section officials, US and Canadian investment groups and media attended the opening ceremony. During the event Prof. Wang, Deputy President of Shanghai University, and Leo S. Young, president and CEO of Solar EnerTech, unveiled a nickel-plated plaque inscribed with the Joint R&D Lab's name in both English and Chinese.

The Joint Lab consists of three integrated research facilities located at the university's College of Science and Physics, as well as another at the College of Material Sciences, and lastly, at Solar EnerTech's production plant at Jinqiao Technology Park.

The planned areas of study include; (1) PV (photovoltaic) theory, thermo-physics, physics of materials and chemistry. (2) Research on efficient and ultra-efficient PV cells with high light-electricity conversion rates up to 20%-35%. (3) Environmentally friendly and high conversion-rate manufacturing technology of chemical compound film PV cell materials. (4) High-reliability, low-cost manufacturing technologies and equipment for thin film PV cells. (5) Key material development of new low-cost flexible film PV cells and non-vacuum technology. (6) Key technology and fundamental theory for third-generation PV cells.

The Joint Labs initiative comes as a direct outgrowth of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's trade mission to Shanghai this past November. That mission focused on energy cooperation and provided the impetus that introduced Solar Enertech, a Silicon Valley-based company, towards founding its solar cell manufacturing plant in Shanghai. Management further determined to undertake a strategic R&D leadership role, aiming to increase its position in the development of future technologies and to develop a platform that could foster the participation of California-based Universities at some point in the future.

During the opening ceremonies, Solar EnerTech's CEO, Leo S. Young, emphasized the importance of the Joint Lab as a major attractant of qualified scientists and skilled technicians leading to the building of a human resource base of specialists for the solar industry. Professors are able to design their curriculum using advanced PV technology and equipment so that students can translate their first-hand knowledge on Solar EnerTech's experimental and production facilities towards the acquisition of valuable post-graduate experience. The joint initiative has already engaged, through an application and qualification process, eight Professors and more than twenty post-graduate students along with a large number of graduate students.

After guests and media observed Prof. Wang and Mr. Young conclude the contract-signing segment of the ceremonies, the visitors toured the Joint Lab's newly completed facilities. Many state-of-the-art items were on display including China's first 3DAP&TEM JEM-200CX analyzer, which examines nano particle components with its 3-D atomic probe and further analyzes how a given material's atomic arrangement can affect a solar cell's conversion rate. Also on exhibit was a brand new Laser Micro-Raman Spectroscope, which inspects semi-conductive materials and studies a variety of issues related to Si device fabrication. Dr. Ma, CTO of Solar EnerTech, very graciously conducted the tour and patiently explained the items of equipment one by one, including their research operations, and answered questions posed by the visitors.

US politicians and public officials were quick to demonstrate their support and commitment to renewable energy as Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-California) was the first to send a congratulatory message from Washington D.C. Other messages endorsing the initiative came from California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) President Michael Peevey and Commissioner Rachelle Chong along with a message from the US Embassy. Event organizers also received faxed messages from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Congressman Tom Lantos.

Solar Enertech plans to invest a total of $4 million dollars over the next five years in order to ensure the success of its newly created Joint R&D Lab. The program firmly places the Company at the forefront of PV research and development while offering significant strategic depth and singular advantages over its nearest competitors and further propels the Company towards a major role in the burgeoning solar energy industry.

Year End in Review

The Company is also pleased to provide a year-end report on the successful completion of key milestones the Company set out to achieve in 2006. Solar EnerTech has accomplished several critical objectives, significantly enhancing its ability to become a leading provider of solar photovoltaic cells in the thriving $11.2 billion solar power market. In recent months, Solar EnerTech successfully landed its first sales contract, began production of solar cells and modules at its new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Shanghai, opened a leading edge joint R&D center with Shanghai University, raised $5.6 million in funding, released a beta version of its power conditioning software, and laid the groundwork for an aggressive sales and marketing push in 2007.

In September Solar EnerTech made its first sale, executing a contract with Shangsheng Estate Development Co. of Shanghai to supply a 40kW solar module system worth approximately $350,000 at prevailing prices. The Company is tasked with the integration of the 40kW photovoltaic (PV) system into the flat-top roof and upper floors of the south and east façade of a new high-rise building under construction in Shanghai. Solar EnerTech will manufacture a Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) system, meaning the solar modules will integrate seamlessly into the building's original design. When PV panels are integrated during the construction phase, the incremental costs of the system are reduced and the building itself is provided with considerable cost-saving advantages such as reduced demand for peak electricity and reduced transmission losses. BIPV is one of the fastest-growing segments of the solar industry, and the Company plans to take advantage of this significant niche opportunity.

Achieving another major milestone, the Company began production of solar cells and modules at its leading edge manufacturing plant in Shanghai. Solar EnerTech began its solar cell and solar module production tests on November 23 as the first batch of solar modules rolled off its newly assembled production line. The Company celebrated this tremendous achievement by inviting Shanghai government officials to join the team members in witnessing the product launch. Guests and employees cheered as Solar EnerTech CEO Leo S. Young unveiled two dozen dark blue solar modules at the end of the Company's first production line. Each high conversion module represents 170 watts of quality-built solar electric power generating capability ready for delivery.

Solar EnerTech has taken major steps toward establishing a leadership role in solar technology research and development. As mentioned above, along with Shanghai University, the Company opened a Joint R&D Lab earlier this month. The solar technology lab consists of three integrated research facilities located at the university's College of Science and Physics, College of Material Sciences and at Solar EnerTech's production plant at Jinqiao Technology Park.

Also announced earlier this month, the Company raised $5.6 million in funding. Solar EnerTech intends to use the capital to complete its Shanghai-based manufacturing facility, acquire and install manufacturing equipment, fund its power conditioning software development and implement sales and marketing efforts to generate product sales. The funds were raised in December and consist of $5.1 million in equity private placements and $500,000 in convertible debentures which are convertible at a future date.

In related news, Solar EnerTech has engaged Knight Capital Markets LLC (KCM) on an advisory basis. KCM operates as a market-maker in the Nasdaq Intermarket(TM), the over-the-counter market for New York Stock Exchange and American Stock Exchange listed securities. The company is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and NASD.

Accomplishing another strategic objective, the Company has beta-released its revolutionary power conditioning software. Solar EnerTech is developing proprietary software to enable alternative energy producers utilizing a variety of systems to generate and supply standardized electricity to commercial grid-based power distribution networks. The software is now in the active testing phase of the product lifecycle. The product employs proprietary algorithms to analyze real time data from key sensors and respond to system variables such as transients, harmonics, sags and swells of voltage fluctuation and phase imbalances, etc., in order to allow system integrators to treat the electrical output prior to commercial distribution. The Company is working to meet the increasing need to standardize the output of rapidly emerging and widely varying grid-bound renewable energy sources and provide a vital link between renewable energy generation and existing grid transmission providers.

Solar EnerTech will build on the accomplishments of 2006 to launch a major sales and marketing push. The Company operates a marketing, purchasing and distribution division in California's Silicon Valley. In October the Company sent a team of senior managers to California to analyze the regional and national solar industry marketplace, contact industry leaders, observe existing installations and showcase Solar EnerTech's ability to supply solar cells and modules. This month the Company announced that it will market its solar cell and panel products using the name "SolarE" as part of its brand identity.

Clean energy initiatives in the United States including the Federal Solar Energy Tax Credit Extension, the President's Solar America Initiative, California's One Million Solar Roof incentive program, and the bi-partisan congressional resolution establishing a "25% by 2025" renewable energy goal are spurring growth in the demand for solar power and opening up tremendous opportunity for Solar EnerTech to capture a healthy market share of the $11.2 billion solar industry. Solar EnerTech is extremely pleased to have reached such significant milestones in 2006 and looks forward to building on these accomplishments to achieve rapid growth in 2007.

About Solar EnerTech Corp. (OTCBB: SOEN)

Solar EnerTech is a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy cell manufacturing enterprise based in Shanghai, China where the Company is establishing a sophisticated 42,000-square foot manufacturing and research facility in Shanghai's Jinqiao Modern Science and Technology Park. Solar EnerTech plans to invest in PV cell research to develop higher efficiency cells and put the results of that research to use immediately in its manufacturing processes. Led by one of the industry's top scientists, the Company's R&D program will work to bring Solar EnerTech to the forefront of advanced solar technology research and production. The Company has also established a marketing, purchasing and distribution arm in Northern California's Silicon Valley.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for statements of historical fact, the information presented herein may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to acquire and develop specific projects, the ability to fund operations and changes in consumer and business consumption habits and other factors over which Solar EnerTech Corp. has little or no control.

On Behalf of the Board
Solar EnerTech Corp.
Leo Shi Young, President

Geothermal Plant to Re-Open in Lake County, CA

Reuters reporst that a dormant 55 megawatt geothermal power plant will re-open.

A 55-megawatt geothermal power plant dormant since 1990 has been given the OK to reopen, the California California Energy Commission said on Thursday.

The Bottle Rock Geothermal Power Plant will initially operate at 20 megawatts with plans to expand.

The plant in the Geysers Geothermal Field, 75 miles north of San Francisco in Lake County, will be operated by the Bottle Rock Power Corp. In October 2005, the US Renewables Group of Santa Monica, California bought controlling interest in Bottle Rock.

Read the entire article here.

Truckee Says No to Coal

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District board of directors rejected a 50-year deal to buy power from a coal-fired plant in Utah.  The District followed the advice of many ratepayers and the opinon of this site in rejecting the 11th hour long term contract that would have been curtailed to 5 years on January 1, under a newly passed statute.  This is a great day for proponents of clean renewable energy and it is up to advocates, companies and the government to make sure that renewable energy grows in the leaps and bounds to meet our energy needs.         

Nanosolar on Track for World's Largest Photovoltaic Factory

The Red Herring reported about a Nanosolar press release regarding a thin-film manufacturing plant it's building in San Jose, California and one in Berlin, Germany.  The sites will produce solar cells and panes and house office and r&d areas.  The article also contains a discussion on thin-film solar companies  and their repective progress and prospects.

Glam to Be Green says BW

BusinessWeek's has a piece about how "going green" in one's residence, through the use of renewable energy, has a rising cachet.

Is green the new black? Over one million U.S. households now warm their homes in the winter with heat from the earth instead of using furnaces or fuel lines. Elton John, Richard Branson—the chief executive of Virgin Airlines—and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft (MSFT), use ground-source energy in their homes too.

Even George W. Bush has a geothermal system in his vacation home in Crawford, Tex. Designed by architect David Heymann, Prairie Chapel Ranch captures solar energy and has a cistern that gathers rainwater and wastewater, purifies it, and then uses it to irrigate the greenery around the Presidential vacation home.

The article goes on to discuss how renewables are changing the face of the US housing market as homeowners purchase solar arrays and wind turbines and socialy conscious homeonwners equip their homes with renewables.

groSolar Grows, Purchases Energy Outfitters of Oregon

           

The Vermont Guardian reported yesterday that groSolar, the White River Junction based solar energy systems company, has purchased Energy Outfitters, a wholesale distributor of renewable energy systems, out of Grants Pass, Oregon with offices in the Eastern United States and Canada.   The purchase should give the Vermont company nationwide reach including the California market.   The article gives a good discussion of the potential of solar energy from  groSolar's co-founder Jeff Wolfe.
While some may not see Vermont as the likeliest home base for a national solar company, Wolfe disagrees.

"...'We have this myopic vision in Vermont that it’s cloudy and solar doesn’t work in Vermont,' said Wolfe.

The two countries that are investing the most in solar power are Germany and Japan, he noted. And, Vermont receives 30 percent more sun than Germany. In fact, it receives 80 percent of the sun that Florida does.

'Too often people compare any given region’s solar resource to that of Southern California, and that’s problematic,' Wolfe said. 'There are only six places in the world that have the solar resource of Southern California.'

As with oil and coal resources, Wolfe said the United States has more solar resources than many countries. But, it is not yet fully utilizing its potential...

Coming Soon to Solar San Diego, Your Direct Source for Renewables™

The future for Renewables in Southern California and beyond is bright.

By the time 2007 dawns, Solar San Diego will begin to unveil a new part of the site that brings together renewable energy providers and renewable energy customers: Your Direct Source for Renewables™.  Interested providers who want to get in on the ground floor of this opportunity should send an e-mail inquiry to solarsandiego@gmail.com.    

Blackouts May Be a Thing of the Past Thanks in Part to Renewables Like Solar and Wind Power

Blackouts were common under Gray Davis

The Rolling Blackouts that California experienced under Gray Davis may be a thing of the past thanks to renewables says the California Public Utility Comission.  The Oakland Tribune writes about a Joint Energy Action Plan meeting that recently took place in San Francisco between several state agencies and the California Independent System Operator, the operator of most of California's power grid.  In the article the PUC chief, Steve Larson points out that smaller new power plants known as "peakers" as well as renewable energy could help "forestall blackouts."  

Boxer will Fight Global Warming

The San Jose Mercury News (you may have to register, use BugMeNot.com) ran a piece regarding Senator Barbara Boxer's plans to curb greenhouse gas emissions.  Hearings are planned and the measures will likely get bipartisan support especially in the run up to the 2008 Presidential elections.  Any plan to curb emissions would be welcomed and as part of a package that includes more money for clean renewable energy development and adoptionit could be a boon for clean renewable energy companies.     

Solar Initiative's Success Depends on Costs Going Down

The San Diego Union Tribune in its Sunday and Monday issues (December 10, 2006 and December 11, 2006) had a two part report about the Million Solar Roofs Initiative and what its effect will be on the solar energy industry and the competiveness of solar energy.  That solar energy got the attention of the staid "U-T" is a great sign.      

Solar energy's day is dawning

State to embark on its biggest-ever photovoltaic project

When the sun rises on New Year's Day, it will signal the start of California's most ambitious effort yet to generate electricity from sunlight.

The California Solar Initiative commits the state to spending more than $3.4 billion over the next 10 years to subsidize the installation of 1 million solar roofs, or about 3,000 megawatts of electricity capacity, enough at peak output to match six modern natural-gas-fired power plants.

Even more important, the initiative is aimed at driving down the cost of solar-generated power to the point that it's comparable to producing power from burning coal and natural gas.

Read Sunday's entire article here.

Giving solar industry a spark

Initiative's success will depend on making power cost-competitive

If California's $3.4 billion solar initiative succeeds in promoting 1 million more rooftop, solar-electric systems, it could still be considered a failure.

That's because the 10-year program, set to begin next month, aims to do more than just subsidize installations. It's also intended to make solar electricity's cost comparable to the power provided by utilities. Today it costs twice as much.

If solar costs could be made competitive, the impact would be profound.

Read Monday's entire article here.