HILLSBORO, OR.—(eSolarEnergyNews)—SolarWorld, the largest crystalline silicon solar producer in the Americas for nearly 40 years, today expressed its gratitude for a $4 million cooperative award from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative to intensify development of a ground-breaking silicon mono-crystallization technology. The proprietary development has demonstrated promise to sharply reduce costs to produce silicon mono-crystals while increasing the efficiency of photovoltaic cells.

SolarWorld already is the global leader in producing PERC (passive emitter rear contact) cell technology with multiple years of capacity level production at its Hillsboro facility. Mastering this technology has advanced the power of SolarWorld’s 60-cell PERC solar panels from 265 to 280 watts-peak so far.

Research in the $8 million next phase of SolarWorld’s crystallization project, defrayed by the Energy Department’s $4 million match, will take place at the company’s site in Hillsboro, Ore., its headquarters for the Americas. The project will combine with other research and development there and in the company’s RD facility in Germany, SolarWorld Innovations, to propel the company’s full-production module power density beyond a once-unimaginable milestone of 300 watts-peak.

The SunShot Initiative is a collaborative national effort that aggressively drives innovation to make solar energy fully cost-competitive with traditional energy sources before the end of the decade. Through SunShot, the Energy Department supports efforts by private companies, universities and national laboratories to drive down the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour.

“We thank the Department of Energy for assisting us in our relentless drive to increase solar module power output while driving down costs to customers,” said Mukesh Dulani, U.S. president of SolarWorld. “It will be an exciting time to watch the technologies that built this America-pioneered industry make way for technologies that will power a new magnitude of solar-technology adoption in the marketplace.”

NORCROSS, GA.—(eSolarEnergyNews)—Suniva, a metro-Atlanta based manufacturer of high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells and modules, announces today that it has been awarded $2.3 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop and manufacture high power n-type solar cells with efficiencies ≥ 22.5%. The grant is part of the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative, which is focused on accelerating the development of cost-competitive solar technologies.

Suniva Inc., in collaboration with Georgia Tech Research Corporation, plans to develop n-type solar cells with efficiencies ≥ 22.5% using high volume low-cost manufacturing based on a new disruptive technology. This technology will improve the total energy yields from solar panels enabling a significant reduction in the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) consistent with SunShot program objectives.

According to the Energy Department, the average cost of solar PV panels has dropped more than 60 percent and the cost of a solar electric system has dropped by about 50 percent since 2010; solar is now affordable for more American families and companies.

“It’s an honor to be selected for this award and we look forward to working with Georgia Tech to further strengthen our position as America’s leading PV manufacturer,” said Dr. Atul Gupta, director of product development at Suniva and the principal investigator on this award. “Suniva appreciates SunShot’s resolve to cultivate innovative technologies and boost PV manufacturing in the U.S. through the SunShot Solar Manufacturing Technology (SolarMaT) program.” This is the second competitive grant awarded to Suniva through the SolarMaT program which is administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) within the Energy Department.

The SunShot Initiative aggressively supports development of low-cost, high-efficiency solar technologies in order to make solar electricity cost-competitive with other sources of energy by 2020. The achievement of the SunShot Initiative goals will encourage rapid, widespread adoption of solar energy across the United States.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT —(eSolarEnergyNews)—  sPower, a leading renewable energy provider, announced today recently breaking ground on the 7MWdc (megawatts of direct current) Little Rock Solar Facility in Palmdale, CA. The project is expected to begin commercial operation mid-December 2014.

sPower will use First Solar, Inc Modules Plus equipment, which includes the company’s photovoltaic (PV) thin film solar modules, mounting structures and wiring integration.

«We are excited about commercializing First Solar’s award-winning thin-film technology with its exceptional efficiency levels,» said Ryan Creamer, sPower CEO. «sPower has built a pipeline that rivals any in the industry. We take an entrepreneurial approach that seeks out projects that are not only environmentally and economically feasible, but that also move our industry and company forward. Employing new technologies is one very important way we’re working towards achieving our objectives.»

The Little Rock Solar Facility is the latest in the large portfolio of sPower projects that provide construction and operations jobs, as well as revenues for local governments – all the while helping to reduce carbon emissions and delivering affordable and reliable clean energy to rate payers. The solar energy generated from the project will be sold at a set price to Southern California Edison for 20 years.

«This is an ideal partnership,» said Darin Green, Senior Manager, US Business Development for First Solar. «The leadership and financial strength of sPower combined with First Solar’s best-in-class technology establishes the perfect environment to drive down levelized cost of electricity for solar energy customers.»

When completed, the Little Rock Solar Facility is expected to generate enough clean, sustainable power to displace nearly 10,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which is the equivalent of greenhouse gas emissions from 22,732,428 miles per year driven by an average passenger vehicle or 3,422 tons of waste sent to the landfill.  The project will provide the same amount of annual carbon sequestration as by 7,826 acres of US forests1.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —(eSolarEnergyNews)—The Solar Community initiative, the first nationwide bulk solar purchase program launched today to give homeowners across the US and Canada easy access to more affordable, clean, renewable energy – one of the most effective actions individuals can take to address climate change. The initiative, facilitated by WWF and managed by Geostellar, presents a new approach to purchasing, financing and installing solar panels at a uniform discounted price to anyone in the US.

Developed in concert with 3M, Cisco, Kimberly-Clark and the National Geographic Society, the initiative gives employees of these companies, their friends, families, and communities across the country access to solar power for their homes at a flat rate that is on average 35% lower than the national average and roughly 50% less expensive than the average electric utility rates. This means that the American homeowner can have solar panels installed for zero money down, with average monthly savings on their utility bill of over 30% – all of which could make clean energy an easier choice for more American homes.

Conceived as an employee benefits program, the initiative brings large companies together to leverage the bulk purchasing power of their substantial aggregate employee base, their families, and communities. This allows for significant discounts and increased savings that enables widespread adoption of solar energy across all 50 US states and several Canadian provinces. The offer will start as a benefit to more than 100,000 employees of the participating companies; if one percent choose to power their homes with solar, more than 74,500 metric tons of carbon emissions would be avoided each year – the equivalent of taking more than 15,000 cars off the road.

“This takes the bulk purchase model from individual neighborhoods and organizations to a national scale,” said Keya Chatterjee, senior director of renewable energy at WWF. “A coast-to-coast, low, flat rate helps mitigate two major barriers of solar adoption — complexity and price — making it possible for more American families to save the planet without leaving their homes.”

Geostellar, the winner of a competitive bidding process and recipient of a US Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Incubator award, will coordinate all aspects of the program. Geostellar will run the online solar platform and manage the financing, design, permitting and installation processes for individual homeowners. All installations will be performed by qualified contractors based in the purchasers’ local community, further increasing the local economic benefits of the program.

«We are partnering to take sustainability to a whole new level by making solar power more financially accessible for tens of thousands of our employees across the US and Canada,» said Gayle Schueller, 3M’s vice president of global sustainability. «The initial employee feedback has been very positive. I’m proud that our efforts to be more environmentally sustainable are extending beyond 3M to the homes and lives of 3Mers.»

“We are pleased to offer our US and Canada employees a renewable energy alternative to cut their own electric bills,” said Ali Ahmed, manager, Cisco Global Energy Management and Sustainability. “By extending the benefits of affordable solar energy that we have as a corporation to our employees and other stakeholders, we are multiplying our sustainability impact.”

As part of WWF’s ongoing support of Sustainable Cleveland 2019, a community-wide initiative to transform Cleveland into a green city on a blue lake by the 50th anniversary of the last Cuyahoga River fire, Geostellar also announced today “Solarize Cleveland,” a Solar Community program for Northeast Ohio. Sustainable Cleveland is a multi-sector initiative founded by Mayor Frank G. Jackson that encourages broad leadership and collaboration in sustainability, including the transition to a renewable energy economy.

New organizations and individuals that join the Solar Community initiative will increase the combined bulk purchasing power of the aggregate participant base. Companies, municipalities, schools, clubs and other organizations can establish their own Solar Communities on the Geostellar platform to expand access to affordable solar for employees, residents or members.

“We’re thrilled to provide our first-of-its kind marketplace that makes the solar experience simple and convenient for the employees and communities of these pioneering companies,” said David Levine, CEO of Geostellar. “Homeowners everywhere can simply type in their address and see instantly how much solar can save them on their electric bills and increase the value of their homes with no upfront costs or out-of-pocket payments.”

Until the end of the year, Geostellar is extending the group purchase discount to any US homeowner through the use of the special promotional code: “solarmojo.” Register at https://geostellar.com/consult.

Affiliates in the U.S., including LDK Solar Systems Inc., sought protection under Chapter 11.

“Since 2011, the group’s financial performance has significantly deteriorated,” in part due to overcapacity in the solar-cell market, Tammy Fu, a provisional liquidator for the company in Grand Cayman, said in a court filing.

LDK is at least the fourth Chinese solar company in little more than a year that has sought bankruptcy or been forced to restructure its debt. Suntech Power Holdings Co., once the world’s largest solar-panel maker, and Zhejiang Topoint Photovoltaic Co. both filed under Chapter 15 this year.

Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy Science Technology Co., the first company to default in China’s onshore bond market, is negotiating a restructuring with creditors in bankruptcy proceedings in Shanghai, according to a court statement.

Turnaround Plan

LDK and its units filed for bankruptcy to protect U.S. assets and enforce a pre-negotiated turnaround plan it announced in September.

Regulators moved to delist the company’s stock in March after it filed a so-called winding up in the Cayman Islands, where it’s incorporated. The action was delayed by an appeal from the Cayman representative. The shares fell 18 percent to 14 cents at 1:17 p.m. New York time in over-the-counter trading.

LDK makes photovoltaic products used by solar panel makers, including solar cells, wafers, modules and systems, according to court documents. The company had about 8,300 employees worldwide at the end of September, Fu said in court papers.

Among the largest unsecured creditors listed in bankruptcy documents were holders of $284.7 million in senior notes due this year, with Bank of New York Mellon Corp. as trustee, and China Development Bank of Nanchang, Jiangxi, owed $17.9 million.

The case is In re LDK Solar Co., 14-12387, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington).

Copyright 2014 Bloomberg

Lead image: Bankruptcy sign via Shutterstock

BELMONT, CA —(eSolarEnergyNews)— SunEdison, a leading solar developer and technology provider, has been awarded 17.7 MW DC of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects through the Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project (R-REP) led by the County of Alameda.  SunEdison will be working with 9 different public agencies in the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo to develop projects on more than 30 individual sites as part of one of the largest ever public solar power procurements in the United States.

SunEdison will install solar systems at 30 individual locations. To accommodate different site requirements while optimizing solar production, SunEdison will deploy rooftop, canopy, and ground mount system technologies. All of the planned projects are being closely coordinated with each of the 9 agencies involved to ensure that each solar deployment is tailored to each site and agency’s specific needs.  Upon completion, the portfolio will produce more than 27,700,000 kWh of clean solar power every year and will result in the reduction of more than 13,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

«SunEdison has a strong commitment to expand solar throughout all of California,» said SunEdison North America President, Bob Powell. «We are particularly proud of this opportunity to work with public agencies in the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo – with operating headquarters in Belmont, many SunEdison employees live in these counties and this gives them the opportunity to serve their local communities.»

Susan S. Muranishi, Alameda County Administrator, said:  «Alameda County is proud be taking a leadership role in this groundbreaking regional acquisition of renewable energy systems and proud to be working with local government partners who are joining us in embracing alternative energy as a smart way to do business.»

SunEdison plans to begin construction on the sites at the end of 2014, with completion planned by the end of 2015. SunEdison and TerraForm Power, a SunEdison company, will own the projects once complete and the projects purchased and owned by TerraForm will count towards SunEdison’s CAFD commitment.  Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed by the SunEdison Renewable Operation Center (ROC), which provides global 24/7 asset management, monitoring and reporting services.

A new method of producing solar cells could reduce the amount of silicon per unit area by 90 per cent compared to the current standard. With the high prices of pure silicon, this will help cut the cost of solar power. 

“We’re using less expensive raw materials in smaller amounts, we have production fewer steps and have potentially lower total energy consumption,” PhD candidate Fredrik Martinsen and Professor Ursula Gibson of the Department of Physics at NTNU explain.

They recently published their technique in Scientific Reports.

Their processing technique allows them to make solar cells from silicon that is 1000 times less pure, and thus less expensive, than the current industry standard.

Glass fibres with a silicon core

The researchers’ solar cells are composed of silicon fibres coated in glass. A silicon core is inserted into a glass tube about 30 mm in diameter. This is then heated up so that the silicon melts and the glass softens. The tube is stretched out into a thin glass fibre filled with silicon. The process of heating and stretching makes the fibre up to 100 times thinner.

This is the widely accepted industrial method used to produce fibre optic cables. But researchers at the Department of Physics at NTNU, working with collaborators at Clemson University in the USA, are the first to use silicon-core fibres made this way in solar cells. The active part of these solar cells is the silicon core, which has a diameter of about 100 micrometres.

Lower energy consumption

This production method also enabled them to solve another problem: traditional solar cells require very pure silicon. The process of manufacturing pure silicon wafers is laborious, energy intensive and expensive. “We can use relatively dirty silicon, and the purification occurs naturally as part of the process of melting and re-solidifying in fibre form”, says Gibson. “This means that you save energy, and several steps in production.”

It is estimated to take roughly one-third of the energy to produce solar cells with this method compared to the traditional approach of producing silicon wafers.

Gibson has worked for several years to combine purification and solar cell production. She got the idea for the project after reading an article on silicon core fibres by John Ballato at Clemson University in South Carolina, who is at the forefront of research in fibre optics materials development.

“I saw that the method he described could also be used for solar cells,” she said, “and we developed a key technique at NTNU that improved the fibre quality.” Gibson and her research group began to work with Ballato, who is a co-author of the article published in Scientific Reports.

Silicon rods

The new type of solar cells are based on the vertical rod radial-junction design, which is a relatively new approach. The design uses less pure silicon that a planar cell, Martinsen explains, and then launches into a crash-course on the inner workings of a solar cell: photons of different wavelengths are absorbed in different layers of the silicon wafer. They generate free charges, or charge carriers, which are then separated to provide electrical energy.

These charges need to be close to the electrodes and close to the p-n junction to be captured. The p-n junction is the active region in the device — where different types of charge carriers are separated. If the charge is not captured, the energy dissipates and goes to heating up the solar cell itself.

In a traditional solar cell, the journey from where a charge is generated to the surface can be quite long. This means that highly purified silicon is required. But with silicon fibres, there is a junction all the way around the fibre. The distance from where the charge is generated to where it is captured is quite short. Charge carriers can be captured effectively, even when using impure silicon. 

“The vertical rod design still isn’t common in commercial use. Currently, silicon rods are produced using advanced and expensive nano-techniques that are difficult to scale,” Martinsen says. “But we’re using a tried and true industrial bulk processes, which can make production a lot cheaper.”

Potential

The power produced by prototype cells is not yet up to commercial standards. Contemporary solar cells have an efficiency of about 18 per cent. The prototype created by NTNU researchers has only reached about 3.6 per cent. Gibson and Martinsen still have faith in the potential of this production method, and are working to improve the design and fabrication processes.

“These are the first solar cells produced this way, using impure silicon. So it isn’t surprising that the power output isn’t very high,” says Martinsen. “It’s a little unfair to compare our method to conventional solar cells, which have had 40 years to fine-tune the entire production process. We’ve had a steep learning curve, but not all the steps of our process are fully developed yet. We’re the first people to show that you can make solar cells this way. The results are published, and the process is set in motion.”

The next step is to refine production, make larger and more effective solar cells, and couple multiple cells together.