Gregoire's CleanTech Blog

Green Energy Technology of Taiwan Awards Contract to Applied Materials for Thin Film Solar Production Line

TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Energy Technology Inc., Ltd. (GET), Taiwan’s largest producer of solar wafers, today announced its plan to become the first company in Taiwan to manufacture thin film solar modules using ultra-large 5.7m2 glass panels. GET has awarded Applied Materials, Inc. a contract to deliver a thin film solar module production line to its planned solar fab in TaoYuan, Taiwan.

Mr. Hurlon Lin, president of GET, stated, “From our position in supplying wafers for crystalline silicon solar cell manufacturing, we are seeing a tightened supply of silicon material driven by heavy demand from the solar and semiconductor industries. Using thin film technology for solar cells capitalizes on the greater availability of these glass substrates and the expanding worldwide need for cost-effective photovoltaic panels.

“There are significant economic advantages to large-area thin film solar technology and, based on Applied Materials’ proven expertise in large-area flat panel manufacturing, we trust Applied to provide the technology and experience that can help make our new venture a success,” added Mr. Lin.

Applied will deliver a fully integrated line of equipment for a solar panel manufacturing facility with a nominal rated capacity of 40 megawatts per year. The systems are scheduled to be shipped and installed during the first half of 2008 with production expected later that year. GET plans to target rapidly-growing applications for these more cost-effective, large-area modules, such as power plant and building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) installations.

“We are pleased to work with GET and its parent, Tatung Company, which has a long history and excellent reputation for quality products,” said Dr. Mark Pinto, senior vice president and general manager of Applied’s New Business and New Products Group. “Based on Applied’s extensive experience in providing multiple generations of systems for making continuously larger substrates in the flat panel display industry, we expect these ultra-large panels to provide similar cost benefits to the solar industry.”

Green Energy Technology Inc., Ltd. (GET) was invested by San-Chih Semiconductor through an equity investment by Tatung and incorporated in July, 2004. GET’s main products are multi-crystal silicon wafers (125x125mm or 156x156mm) in thicknesses ranging from 325-200µm, and single-crystal ingots and wafers. GET’s web site is www.getinc.com.tw.

Tatung Company, founded in 1918, is a diversified conglomerate of four business groups: 3C; home appliances; industrial appliances; and wire and cable. Tatung follows a strategy of vertical integration of an industry to provide competitive advantages in supply chain efficiency and profitability. Headquartered in Taipei, Tatung has branches in Europe, North America, Mainland China and Southwest Asia. Tatung’s web site is www.tatung.com.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in Nanomanufacturing Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat panels, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient glass. At Applied Materials, we apply Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve the way people live. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

Applied Materials to Extend Its Reach in Solar With Acquisition of HCT Shaping Systems

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that it has agreed to acquire HCT Shaping Systems SA (HCT), a privately-held company based in Switzerland. HCT is the world’s leading supplier of precision wafering systems used principally in manufacturing crystalline silicon (c-Si) substrates for the solar industry. Under terms of the agreement, Applied will pay approximately CHF 583 million (or approximately US$475 million at the current exchange rate) in cash for all of the outstanding shares of HCT. The acquisition is part of Applied’s strategy to accelerate customers' ability to reduce the costs of photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing to make solar energy more competitive with grid electricity.

“This acquisition aligns well with our overall strategy to drive down the cost-per-watt of solar power for c-Si and thin film applications,” said Mike Splinter, president and CEO of Applied Materials. “HCT will significantly expand our opportunities in the c-Si PV technology sector, which currently comprises 90% of solar panel production. By combining HCT’s precision wafering systems with Applied’s strong manufacturing technology and global support infrastructure, we believe we can take solar wafer manufacturing to the next level of production efficiency.”

HCT is a pioneer in precision wafering, with technology that also includes products for squaring and cropping ingots and for slurry recovery. After a silicon ingot is formed, HCT’s wafering systems exactly section it into thin substrates for subsequent use in fabricating c-Si solar cells. As a result of the substantial expansion of the solar industry, HCT has recently experienced rapid growth, supplying its products to c-Si solar manufacturers worldwide.

Currently, one of the major challenges in manufacturing solar cells is the cost and supply of the raw silicon material. In c-Si manufacturing, HCT’s precision wafering systems enable customers to significantly reduce the thickness of wafers used to make c-Si solar cells, decreasing silicon usage. In addition, Applied’s products for thin film solar cell manufacturing reduce silicon utilization by forming atomically thin layers of silicon directly from gases onto a glass substrate.

“Our overall solar strategy is to reduce cost-per-watt, and for c-Si, the ‘grams of silicon-per-watt’ is key to this equation,” commented Dr. Mark Pinto, senior vice president and general manager of Applied’s New Business and New Products Group. “HCT’s technology and roadmap to reduce wafer thickness are critical to improving material utilization and will complement our high throughput c-Si ATON deposition system, enabling customers to scale up production and reduce cost.”

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of certain non-U.S. regulatory approvals. The parties expect to close the transaction during Applied’s fourth fiscal quarter of 2007.

Applied Materials will discuss this announcement on a conference call today beginning at 2:30pm Pacific Daylight Time. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on Applied’s web site at www.appliedmaterials.com and a replay will be available after 5:00pm Pacific Daylight Time.

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to Applied’s anticipated acquisition of HCT and expected benefits of the transaction, and Applied’s solar strategy, growth opportunities and product capabilities. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied, including but not limited to: the satisfaction of closing conditions; the successful integration and performance of the acquired business; the sustainability of demand in the nanomanufacturing technology industry and broadening of demand for emerging applications such as solar, which are subject to many factors, including global economic conditions, business and consumer spending, demand for electronic products, the cost-effectiveness and performance of PV products compared to other energy sources, technological innovations, evolving industry standards, economic incentives for alternative energy, production facility utilization rates, supply of raw materials, and geopolitical uncertainties; Applied’s ability to (i) develop, deliver and support a broad range of products and expand its markets and develop new markets, (ii) accurately predict the characteristics of, and capitalize on, opportunities in the solar market, (iii) obtain and protect intellectual property rights in key technologies, (iv) realize synergies expected to result from the transaction, and (v) hire and retain key employees; and other risks described in Applied’s SEC filings. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s estimates, projections and assumptions as of June 26, 2007, and Applied undertakes no obligation to update any such statements.

Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in Nanomanufacturing Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio of innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat panels, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient glass. At Applied Materials, we apply Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve the way people live. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

Ersol Plans to Sell New Shares to Fund Silicon Supply Agreement

Ersol Solar Energy AG, a German solar cell maker, plans to issue new shares to help it make advance payments for long-term silicon contracts.

Ersol intends to issue as many as 923,524 new shares, the Erfurt-based company said today in an e-mailed statement. The stock will be offered to existing shareholders from July 2 to July 17 and the final subscription price will be set July 12, the company said.

Ersol signed an agreement with Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. to buy silicon from 2010 to 2020, the company said in a separate statement. Ersol will make a down payment of at least 10 million euros ($13 million) for the silicon.

Source : Bloomberg

Comverge to Buy Enerwise in $75.7M Deal

Comverge Inc., which provides equipment and services to utilities to increase electric capacity at peak times, said Wednesday it will acquire Enerwise Global Technologies in a cash and stock deal worth $75.7 million.

The purchase price includes about $25.2 million in cash, $17 million in subordinated convertible notes due in April 2009 and about 1.3 million shares of Comverge common stock which had a market value of $33.6 million as of Tuesday, the company said.

After closing, former Enerwise shareholders will own about 7 percent of the combined company, Comverge said.

In addition, $6 million of Comverge common stock is contingently issuable if Enerwise exceeds a 2008 operating performance of $36 million in revenue and $11 million in gross profit, Comverge said.

Enterwise posted 2006 revenue of about $11 million and is expected to post 2007 revenue of about $18 million.

Comverge said it will begin recognizing Enerwise revenue from the closing date forward. Enerwise revenue included in Comverge operating results is expected to total about $9 million for the remaining half of the year, Comverge said.

The deal is expected to add slightly to Comverge's earnings in 2007, and become more accretive in 2008.

The deal, which is scheduled to close in July, has been approved the boards of both companies. Requisite Enerwise shareholders also have irrevocably consented to the deal, Comverge said.

Comverge shares added $2.01, or 7.7 percent, to $28.25 Wednesday. They have ranged from $19.79 to $30.25 over the past year.

Source : Associated Press

SpectroLab develops ultra-efficient solar cells using new class of materials

A solar cell more than twice as efficient as typical rooftop solar panels has been developed by Spectrolab, a Boeing subsidiary based in Sylmar, CA. It makes use of a highly customizable and virtually unexplored class of materials that could lead to further jumps in efficiency over the next decade, making solar power less expensive than grid electricity in much of the country.

The cell, which employs new "metamorphic" materials, is designed for photovoltaic systems that use lenses and mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays onto small, high-efficiency solar cells, thereby requiring far less semiconductor material than conventional solar panels. Last month Spectrolab published in the journal Applied Physics Letters the first details on its record-setting cell, initially disclosed in December, which converts 40.7 percent of incoming light into electricity at 240-fold solar concentration--a healthy 1.4 percent increase over the company's previous world-record cell. Other groups are developing promising cells based on the new type of materials, including researchers at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in Golden, CO. The NREL researchers will soon publish results in the same journal showing that their NREL's designs are tracking Spectrolab's, improving from 37.9 percent efficiency in early 2005 to 38.9 percent efficiency today.

Metamorphic semiconductors resemble the high-efficiency cells used in space. Like the cells that grace satellites and planetary landers, they employ three layers of semiconductors, each tuned to capture a slice of the solar spectrum (solar panels have only one active layer). These semiconductor layers are assembled, one upon the next, by altering elements fed to a crystal growing in a vacuum. To avoid growing crystals filled with energy-trapping defects, device designers have until recently employed only a limited repertoire of semiconductors, such as germanium and gallium arsenide, which form similar crystal structures.

Metamorphic materials provide flexibility by throwing off this structural constraint, employing a wide range of materials, including those with mismatched structures. "The parameter space you can explore using mismatch opens up a whole world of possibilities," says NREL principal scientist Sarah Kurtz.

What makes this possible is the addition of buffer layers between the semiconductor layers. This technique was employed in the early 1990s to make high-speed transistors combining silicon and germanium, and then introduced to photovoltaics later in the decade by Cleveland-based semiconductor developer Essential Research. Spectrolab has, however, seen the best results. Its 40.7 percent metamorphic cell improves on Spectrolab's best conventional cells by incorporating new semiconductors in the top and middle layers that excel at capturing infrared light that was all but missed by the cell's predecessors.

Such high output may be just the beginning. Raed Sherif, director of concentrator products at Spectrolab, says there is every reason to believe that these metamorphic solar cells will top 45 percent and perhaps even 50 percent efficiency. Sherif says those efficiencies, combined with the vast reduction in materials made possible by 1,000-fold concentrators, could rapidly reduce the cost of producing solar power. "Concentrated photovoltaics are a relatively late entry in the field, but it will catch up very quickly in terms of cost," he predicts. (See "Solar Power at Half the Cost.")

Sherif says that right now his company is focusing commercialization efforts on the older and better-known designs, which currently deliver 35 to 37 percent efficient modules and could improve to 40 percent efficiency within two to three years. But he says the metamorphic approach is more likely to achieve the 45 percent efficiency level the company hopes to hit within six to seven years. Sherif estimates that a 40 percent module would reduce overall cost by about 14 percent if Spectrolab holds at its current $10-per-square-centimeter module price, while a 45 percent cell would trim system costs by an additional 9 to 10 percent.

Boeing anticipates further cost reductions as other components improve or are mass-produced. Under a $29.8 million concentrated-photovoltaic development partnership with the Department of Energy announced this spring, Boeing promises to cut the delivered price of electricity via concentrated solar to 15 cents per kilowatt hour by 2010, from an estimated 32 cents per kilowatt hour today, and to cut that price in half again by 2015. That would make solar power less expensive than electricity from the grid in much of the United States, where the average price of electricity in recent months has been about 10 cents per kilowatt hour.

Spectrolab's competitors, meanwhile, see metamorphic materials as a way to reduce the use of relatively exotic and expensive semiconductor wafers on which they are now produced. NREL's design, for example, can be lifted off of the germanium wafers on which both NREL's and Spectrolab's cells are grown. The expensive wafers could then be reused. Metamorphic photovoltaic startup 4Power, of Windham, NH, proposes to employ metamorphic buffers to grow high-efficiency cells on the same wafers of silicon on which nearly all semiconductor chips are produced. Silicon wafers are cheaper to buy and process than germanium wafers. 4Power founder Eugene Fitzgerald, a materials engineering professor at MIT and a metamorphic-materials pioneer, claims that this would cut the cost of growing high-efficiency cells in half.

What remains to be demonstrated, notes NREL's Kurtz, who leads the lab's high-efficiency solar research, is whether solar concentrators--especially their sensitive optics--will prove reliable in the field.

Vergnet entre en bourse sur Alternext

Pour tous ceux qui n'ont pas eu l'occasion de voir le "spot" de Vergnet, réalisé à l'occasion de son introduction en bourse

Bonne chance à Marc et à toute son équipe !

Votez Syrota !

Le plus écolo des programmes n’était pas celui qu’on a cru. Plus fort que Nicolas Hulot, plus pointu que Dominique Voynet, le dernier rapport de la Commission Syrota (cf. Enerpresse n°9219) est un bijou de prospective énergétique (à l’horizon de 2020-2050) et de propositions concrètes.

Reconnaissant qu’il n’y a pas d’alternative à la division par quatre de nos émissions de GES d’ici à 2050, le document préconise plusieurs dizaines de mesures, que ne renieraient pas les Verts. En Europe, Jean Syrota et ses complices suggèrent d’instaurer la taxe Cambridge, de vendre aux enchères les quotas de CO2, d’harmoniser les limitations de vitesse dans l’UE, de taxer les poids lourds et les voitures selon leurs émissions, de rendre publiques les performances énergétiques des appareils électroménagers tout en interdisant la vente des plus gourmands. Enfin, les ampoules à incandescence seront bannies de nos lampes.

L’Europe pourrait conclure un accord avec la Russie, grâce auquel l’approvisionnement de l’Europe serait garanti moyennant des aides à l’amélioration de l’efficacité énergétique russe. De vrais gendarmes des réseaux européens de gaz et d’électricité seraient déployés. En France, les rapporteurs suggèrent que les prochains gouvernements renforcent la sensibilisation des Français à la MDE et aux ENR. Les collectivités pourraient ouvrir des péages urbains. Et puisqu’il est question de voiture, la TIPP serait augmentée.

L’habitat n’a pas été oublié. Les propriétaires seront tenus de faire un «ravalement thermique» décennal. La performance thermique des immeubles sera régulièrement contrôlée par les pouvoirs publics. Les bâtiments neufs devront obligatoirement utiliser les ENR et être construits avec des matériaux ayant des performances énergétiques minimales.

Certains dadas de l’ancien président de la CRE figurent aussi dans son rapport, comme la suppression des aides publiques aux biocarburants et à la cogénération. S’il est clair que la surveillance du marché de l’électricité devra être renforcée, Jean Syrota milite aussi (et depuis longtemps) pour le remplacement d’autorité des compteurs actuels par des systèmes électroniques télé-relevables.

La recherche n’est pas le parent pauvre de la stratégie Syrota. Avec des cibles prioritaires telles que les biocarburants de 2e génération, la quatrième génération de réacteurs nucléaires (quand même !), la séquestration du CO2 et la conception d’immeubles à énergie positive. Qui dit mieux ?

Le ministère allemand lance le concours E-Energy

Le ministère fédéral de l'économie et de la technologie (BMWi) a lancé le 30 avril 2007 un concours de l'innovation technologique intitulé 'E-Energy : systèmes énergétiques du futur basés sur les nouvelles technologies de l'information et de la communication (NTIC)'.

Les 3 à 5 projets retenus bénéficieront d'un soutien de l'Etat fédéral sur une durée de quatre ans. Le budget total pourra atteindre 40 millions d'euros. 'Avec cette mesure d'encouragement, le BMWi joue un rôle de précurseur pour le développement des réseaux d'énergie intelligents (Smart Grids)' a déclaré le ministre Michael Glos. Selon lui, cette initiative devrait non seulement garantir une plus grande efficacité énergétique et une plus grande sécurité de l'approvisionnement dans ce domaine mais également permettre une transparence et une concurrence accrue.

Les entreprises actives dans les domaines de l'énergie et des NTIC, ou spécialisées dans le génie mécanique, la fabrication de machines outils, ainsi que les installations de recherche implantées en Allemagne sont invitées à déposer leurs projets avant le 5 octobre 2007.

La recherche italienne investit sur les matériaux

L'Italie, malgré le retard accumulé par rapport à l'Allemagne et au Japon, progresse fortement dans le secteur des bâtiments à faible consommation d'énergie. Les avancées se concentrent principalement sur deux produits : les panneaux photovoltaïques et les installations visant l'autosubsistance en énergie électrique, en eau chaude et en régulation de la température.

Parmi les exemples d'innovations italiennes, on peut citer le projet 'Casa 2 litri' à Ozzano dell'Emilia, une maison couvrant tous les besoins en énergie et en climatisation avec seulement 2 litres de gasoil par an et par mètre carré, soit un dixième de la consommation moyenne habituelle. L'Italie est également à l'avant-garde des systèmes intégrés hybrides de panneaux photovoltaïques et solaires, comme dans le projet 'Tis' de Secco Sistemi à Bologne.

Solarday, une entreprise de la province de Milan, intègre quant à elle des modules photovoltaïques directement dans les parois, et a déjà réalisé un prototype de plaque d'1 mètre sur 3,6 contenant 56 cellules. Des panneaux photovoltaïques transparents, pouvant faire office de vitre ou être posés sur les murs, ont aussi été annoncés à Naples lors de EnergyMed, une exposition sur l'énergie renouvelable et l'efficacité énergétique dans le pourtour méditerranéen. Ces panneaux comportent une fine pellicule à base de tellurure de cadmium, qui coûte cinq fois moins cher que le silicium tout en absorbant 50% d'énergie solaire en plus. Le brevet de cette invention appartient à l'université de Parme et la production industrielle est assurée par l'entreprise Marcegaglia Energy, la commercialisation étant prévue pour fin 2008.

L'éolienne à axe vertical revue par GUAL industrie

La compagnie française GUAL Industrie, a mise au point un concept révolutionnaire d'éolienne à axe vertical appelé « StatoEolien ».

Les aubes du rotor ont été conçues de manière à générer le maximum de portance quelle que soit leur position par rapport au vent. Le système se compose d'un stator fixe qui canalise de manière optimale le vent sur un rotor mobile. L'énergie transportée par le vent, transformée ensuite en électricité, peut être soit consommée immédiatement et le surplus revendu à EDF, ou soit être stockée et utilisée ultérieurement.

Elle est capable de résister à des vents dépassant les 40 m/s. Il n’y a aucune nuisance sonore grâce à son Stator qui canalise le vent et qui entoure le Rotor, diminuant ainsi totalement les bruits. GUAL Industrie propose une gamme de 4 et 8 mètres de diamètre en fonction des besoins énergétiques.

Ses caractéristiques et son esthétisme, lui permettent l'ouverture d'un nouveau marché pour les Energies Nouvelles Renouvelables (ENR) s'adressant au plus grand nombre, tant dans les zones urbaines que rurales, et correspondant à l'habitat individuel, l'habitat collectif, les sites industriels, commerciaux et agricoles etc.

Par exemple, un StatoEolien de type GSE 8/3 (8 mètres de diamètre) installé sur une structure existante représente un coût inférieur à 45 000 € HT pour une puissance de 6 kW à 15 m/s (54 km/h) et de 36 kW à 40 m/s (140 km/h). Elle exploite les vents tourbillonnants sur les toits et les changements brutaux de direction, ce qui lui donne un rendement de 30 % supérieur à une éolienne à axe horizontal de même surface.

La vitesse minimale de démarrage de la production d’électricité du StatoEolien est de 7 km/h de vent, contre 15 km/h pour les éoliennes à hélices. De plus, le StatoEolien peut résister à des vents supérieurs à 220 km/h, contre 90 km/h pour une éolienne classique.