Daily Tech Reviews

Owens Design Builds Machines that Build New Solar

DTR Guy — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:30:24 +0000

Builders of solar panels (and semiconductors and hard disk drives, for that matter) need to focus on technology processes, assembling, testing and shipping their product.

HARBOR FREIGHT SOLAR PANELS/home made tracker

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:26:04 +0000

HARBOR FREIGHT SOLAR PANEL KIT ON HOME MADE TRACKER

Novo Energies Corporation / Renewable Green Energy

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:25:07 +0000

Enphase Banks $63M with Help from KPCB, et al.

DTR Guy — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:30:24 +0000

Enphase, the leading microinverter firm, just announced the second close of a $63 million financing round with participation from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), PCG Asset Management and other strategic investors.

Paul Nahi, Enphase’s CEO, explained, ” ” We were very over-subscribed this round and were in the fortunate position of being able to choose the best investor.”

The first close of the financing round included Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, Madrone Capital Partners, PCG Asset Management, Applied Ventures and Bay Partners.

In a solar universe comprising more than 250 early-stage startups, many of them shipping PowerPoints in volume (see Solar Bloodbath 2010), microinverter builder Enphase has essentially created a new market sector and run with it. This approach has won them more funding and strong market acceptance.

We’ve reported on the many aspirants in microinverters and DC-boost architectures in detail here and here, and we’ve reported on recent developments at Enphase here.

Enphase, with the help of its manufacturing partner, Flextronics, has managed to ship more than 300,000 microinverters since beginning shipments about two years ago.

Global Solar rolls out stick-on solar panels

DTR Guy — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:27:37 +0000

Original source @ CNET

Solar Panels For Your Home | Build Solar Panel For Home

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:26:04 +0000

www.GuideYouCanTrust.com — The Advantages of Using Solar Panels There are many advantages to using solar panels. One of the main advantages to using these panels is that you will be able to successfully produce power for your home in a method that is much easier and much less expensive. Solar panels provide a source of power that is natural and not created. These panels utilize the rays of the sun in order to generate power. This means that you will save money on your electrical costs and that you will not be subjected to the pollution caused by electricity when it is produced by typical means. Many individuals find themselves wondering if solar power will be effective if it rains, or there is cloud coverage. The wonderful news is that today's solar panels have the capacity to store a large amount of energy that may be used in the future – even if it is dark outside! Incorporating solar panels into your home will officially allow you to disconnect from the "grid". This is also considered to be an environmentally friendly means of acquiring the power that is required for your home. If you are interested in saving time, saving money, and saving the environment, you may successfully do so by incorporating solar panels into your home. To learn more about solar panels, please visit: www.GuideYouCanTrust.com

green energy solutions, TRUE STORY

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:25:07 +0000

Suntech Stumbles with Pluto

DTR Guy — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:30:24 +0000

Suntech Power Holdings said Thursday it has run into difficulties making its high-efficiency Pluto solar cells, raising the possibility of a delay in this next-generation technology.

The Chinese solar giant said the problems arose in ramping manufacturing beyond its present monthly pace of 4 MW. As a result, the company said it decided to maintain this relatively modest production level – probably two factory lines – until it works out the technical kinks.

The move is a blow for Suntech as it begins to transition to this key technology and catch more efficient solar developers, particularly mass-market efficiency leader SunPower. It also could be a setback to Suntech’s hope of pushing Pluto beyond it present 19 percent average efficiency to a 20 target. Rumors have percolated in the last two weeks about Pluto problems. One installer told Greentech Media recently that Suntech told them not to expect delivery of Pluto panels until the third quarter or so. Another said Pluto panels have been discussed since late 2007, but not seen.

Suntech pulled back on production goals in 2008 due to the economic collapse, but in 2009 and early 2010 the company remained somewhat optimistic. In March, execs said capacity in Suntech’s plant for Pluto modules would rise to 450 megawatts by the end of the year.Suntech at the time said it would produce around 30 megawatts by the end of the first half and 120 to 150 megawatts in the second half.

On a first quarter conference call with analysts today, Suntech Chief Technology Officer Stuart Wenham described the hang-ups as ” small glitches” common when transferring a new technology to large-scale module production.

” In the course of ramping Pluto production to levels well above the current 4 MW a month, we have identified process control challenges to module production,” Wenham said. He added: ” We have gained a great deal of experience since we began producing commercial quantities of Pluto cells.”

Suntech says it remains pleased with the cell’s performance and claims nothing is wrong with the Pluto design. Yet Pluto’s average cell efficiency remains at 19 percent, with the best yielding cells reaching 19.5 percent. Both are well above the market average of 17.5 percent, but the company first achieved 19 percent efficiency as far back as early 2009.

Suntech is ” fully confident Pluto will become our core product and the industry benchmark for high-performance and cost-effective solar panels,” Wenham says.

The Pluto design is based on the PERL, or passivated emitter with rear locally diffused, technology developed at Australia’s University of New South Wales, where efficiencies of 25 percent have been achieved in the laboratory. It has low reflectivity to capture more sunlight and thinner metal lines to reduce shading.

While the technology remains promising, Suntech said in a difficult to interpret announcement that it recently began a new solar research initiative with the University of New South Wales and Silex Solar to improve the efficiency and cost of cells. The research received a $5 million grant from Australia. The company also kicked off a collaborative effort with Swinburne University of Technology on nanoplasmonic cells. Suntech describes both efforts as complementary to its work with Pluto.

Because of its high efficiency, Pluto commands a premium price in the market and customer demand appears to be high.

DIY The Cheapest Solar Panel System EVER Cheap Solar Power

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:26:04 +0000

See this solar panel system with lights. Inexpensive, easy to install, reduce your power bill. Cheap Solar Power. Cheap Home System. See my part 2 video.

Solexant Unstealths With $41.5M and a CadTel Recipe

DTR Guy — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:30:24 +0000

Solexant has raised the first close of a $41.5M Round C from Olympus Capital Partners, DBL Investors, Brichmere Ventures, Trident Capital, Firelake Capital and Medley Partners.