Norsun raises $163 million for making solar cell wafers
Mar 12, 2009 Green Technologies, Startups
Norsun
Norwegian solar industry group NorSun has succeeded in raising $163 million through equity and debt instruments. NorSun said that it has raised 500 million Norwegian crowns in equity and 650 million crowns in a five-year bank loan, totaling 1.15 billion crowns ($163 million). It also secured 450 million crowns in bank guarantee lines.
It is an encouraging development that Norsk Hydro and Good Energies reinvested in the company. But in line with the current economic gloom and the falling oil prices, which has made solar energy relatively expensive again, Norsun’s equity was valued at 2 billion crowns ($283 million) approx., less than half of its 5.4 billion fugure from a year ago.
Still, any cash will be welcome in a climate where every company is having trouble raising capital to not just expand, but simply to run existing operations and research. Norsun will need this money to expand its production of silicon ingots and wafers for solar cells. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Norsun, Solar cells, Solar Energy
Tesla CEO sends email and invites for a meeting
Jan 25, 2009 Auto Tech
Tesla Roadster
Trying to combat all the negative publicity after its recent price hike for its Roadster, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has now sent an explanatory email to all the disgruntled buyers. It has also announced a set of town hall meetings, scheduled for the 26th and 27th at its Los Angeles and Menlo Park stores, respectively and hosted by Elon and other staff. The events can be attended in person or by phone.
The almost apologetic email explains the price increases by linking the need for Tesla Motors to prove that they can make a profit, to securing loans to advance the making of the Tesla S sedan. It also informs how the cost estimates have increased spectacularly amindst delays and engineering challenges.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: EV, Solar cells, Tesla Motors
Ferrari install solar panels in its plant
Jan 25, 2009 Auto Tech, Green Architecture
Ferrari factory
Ferrari does not immediately come to your mind when you mention “green”. But now in a symbolic gesture, it has installed an array of 1,075 solar modules from Mitsubishi Electric on its Engine Mechanical Machining facility in Maranello, Italy. In total, the new panels will provide 213,985 kWh of energy per year.
Ferrari has also planted 200 trees in the last six months and estimates it to have 165,000 square meters of green areas in its buildings and is looking at ways to reduce the toxic emissions from its facilities as well.
Ferrari boasts in its press release, “Ferrari’s commitment to environmental sustainability dates all the way back to 2001 when it was awarded ISO 14001 certification; the Prancing Horse also obtained Integrated Environmental Authorisation in 2007.”
In the coming years, we hope to see greener, yet sportier cars from the company. As the drivetrain changes - from petrol to electric or fuel cells, surely, Ferrari would not allow upstarts like Tesla to stel a march on them
Tags: Ferrari, Solar cells
Sony unveils lampshade with dye-sensitized solar cells
Dec 12, 2008 Green Technologies
Sony
Sony’s showed off its dye-sensitized solar cells recently, that will be integrated with lampshades and will use ambient light to generate enough life to power the lamp (LED) as well as other gadgets (like the small fan in the demo).
The Hana-Akari fixture is is easy to manufacture according to Sony, but no release date has been given as yet. But the whole thing looks really gorgeous, won’t you say? Hit the Wikipedia to know more about dye-sensitized solar cells!
Tags: Solar cells, Sony
Kyocera unveils large scale solar cell manufacturing plans
Nov 18, 2008 Green Technologies, Natural Resource Conservation
Kyocera
Japanese electronics maker Kyocera announced its plans to expand its solar cell production, with plans of building a new large-scale solar cell manufacturing facility in Yasu City, its largest manufacturing plant in Japan. The new site will more than double its annual production of solar cells to 650 megawatts (MW) by March 2012, up from a projected output of 300 MW this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Japan, Kyocera, Manufacturing, Solar cells
Solar cells with 100% efficiency (theoretically:))
Oct 21, 2008 Green Technologies
Solar Energy
Researchers at Ohio State University have accidentally discovered a new solar cell material capable of absorbing all of the sun’s visible light energy. The material is comprised of a hybrid of plastics, molybdenum and titanium. Commercial products are still years away, but this foundational work may well pave the way for a truly renewable form of clean, global energy. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: New technology, Ohio State University, Solar cells, Solar Energy