Solar business from Korea

Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA said that it has confirmed that its UD5 and UJ6 photovoltaic modules can be installed near salt water. After extensive factory testing, the company found that its crystalline-silicon panels maintained a sufficient level of insulation from the corrosive effect of salt air and other aspects of the ocean front environment to maintain the power output specifications included in the warranty. Mitsubishi Electric has conducted substantial testing to verify the effects of salt water exposure on its PV modules, gathering salt deposit rates for both U.S. and Japanese coastlines. The company said it used these values to conduct accurate simulated testing, allowing it to extend warranty coverage for the power output of the modules in coastal and other applications on or near salt water. The internal testing included combined acceleration testing which simulated several tens of years of corrosive atmosphere to the modules. The units were also tested under

DuPont has announced an additional investment of US$175 million to complete the multiphase expansion of its Tedlar PV2001 series oriented film production line. The company previously announced an investment of US$120 million in capacity expansions in August 2009 for raw materials used to make the film. This brings the total investment to US$295 million. The film line expansion will be located at the DuPont Circleville, OH, facility using existing and retrofitted assets. This expansion provides the capacity to support global demand of over 10GW of PV module production. Film production is scheduled to start up in September 2011. "The photovoltaic market increasingly demands materials that enable modules to reliably deliver power for decades," said David B. Miller, president of DuPont Electronics and Communications. "This major expansion underscores our commitment to maintaining DuPont leadership in the photovoltaic industry and specifically in the backsheet materials mark

With the extra feed-in tariff cuts due to kick-in in April this year, iSuppli Corps Senior Director and Principal Solar analyst, Dr. Henning Wicht expects a significant rush to install PV systems before FiT changes cause a dramatic fall in demand. Wicht is projecting installations to reach approximately 1GW in the first quarter, then will plummet to only 50MW in April and remain at the 100MW level in May and June. However, a recovery in demand is expected with a forecast of 2.7GW of total installations in 2010. “Germany’s decision to cut its solar subsidies in the second quarter will make installations less attractive for the country’s consumers,” commented Wicht “Because of this, German consumers will rush to make solar installations in the first quarter and then stop in the second quarter. As a result, iSuppli anticipates the German market will overheat during the first three months of the year and then collapse during the next three months.” Wicht told PV-Tech that the reason for a

After a fair amount of digging and the much needed help of our German correspondent we can now confirm that the reports of a 16-17% cut in feed-in tariff rate for Germany were true, and the cuts are to go ahead from April 1, 2010. Several German news sources have reported that this figure is in fact authentic, not least of which the German Financial Times, Sueddeutsche . The Wall Street Journal reported that the maximum 17% cut is indeed on the cards, quoting today Economics Minister Rainer Bruederle as saying, "the German government could realistically cut between 16% and 17% of the subsidies it gives to solar-power providers." Another source, German newspaper Top Agar online made it clear that these huge cuts are in response to over-generous funding over recent years. "The current rate of support not only harms the consumer durable with extra electricity costs, it also impedes the technological breakthrough", said the vice-chairman of the CDU / CSU Parliamentar

Models show “MOTOROI,” Korea’s first smartphone that uses the Google operating system, Monday. The phone will sell via SK Telecom, the nation’s top mobile carrier, from early February, with a retail price tag of 900,000 won. / Courtesy of Motorola Korea Motorola Inc. said Monday it will release a smartphone featuring Google's Android operating system (OS) in the local market in early February. But the U.S. company has been under fire as its first Android-based mobile doesn't provide tailored services, and its South Korean branch has kept mum regarding after-sales services. "This is because Motorola has put the top priority on releasing the phone as soon as possible," said a spokesman of Motorola Korea. The "MOTOROI," which is equipped with the Android 2.0 mobile platform, will be offered by SK Telecom, the nation's top mobile carrier. The phone could sell locally at around 900,000 won. But SK Telecom plans to give substantial subsidies to customers to lu

Having recently finalized its take-over of Sanyo Electric Company for approximately US$4.6 billion, Panasonic has set-out its expansion plans for Sanyo’s solar division. The new Panasonic Group claims that it will lead the environmental and energy fields in the future and implement ‘bold business strategies towards future growth.’ The company is targeting 2018 for these goals, which coincide with 100th anniversary since the formation of Panasonic. Panasonic said it would expand its solar cell business, combining SANYO's world-leading solar technology with the worldwide sales channels, energy management technology and building products/electrical construction materials technologies of Panasonic and Panasonic Electric Works. An investment of approximately 100 billion yen (approx, US$1.08 billion) from fiscal 2011 to 2016 to increase production of Sanyo's ‘HIT’ technology for its solar cells. Panasonic aims to become the No.1 market share holder in Japan in fiscal 2013 and one of

Nam Yong, CEO of LG Electronics LG Electronics expects its revenue to reach 59 trillion won (about $52.1 billion) this year, representing about a 10 percent increase from its projections for 2009. It expects much of the growth to be generated by sales of consumer electronics and handsets. In a news conference in Las Vegas, CEO Nam Yong also said the company will invest 3.6 trillion won this year, a 38 percent increase from the 2009 numbers. Much of the money will be spent on research and development (R&D) for mobile devices, televisions, three-dimensional-related (3D) technologies and also in new business areas such as solar cells, he said. However, Nam denied speculation that LG Electronics was bidding for Hynix Semiconductor, the troubled memory chipmaker that is currently looking for new ownership. "The size of our investment is expected to increase dramatically from the 2.6 trillion won last year, as we are spending more to establish facilities for our nascent solar cell b

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Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group Chairman Chung Mong-goo starts ignition of the newly completed blast furnace of its steel-making affiliate Hyundai Steel at its mill in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Hyundai Steel By Kim Hyun-cheol, The Korea Times Hyundai Steel, an affiliate of local auto giant Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group, started operating the country's biggest blast furnace that emits no dust during production, Tuesday. The company held an igniting ceremony for the first-ever integrated plant in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province that will churn out a total of 4 million tons of steel products annually. Construction was completed three years and three months after ground was broken in October 2006. Guests at the ceremony included Hyundai-Kia Chairman Chung Mong-koo and Marc Solvi, CEO of Paul Wurth S.A. The Luxembourg-based engineering firm, an affiliate of world's largest steel maker ArcelorMittal, supplied core technological components for the fur

who want to get incentive for PV solar business for residental or commercial from Korea Government must to use certified PV solar module panel by NREC(New Renewable Energy Center) 2009, total 368 PV solar module has pass NREC certification. Korea made is 210 and foreign made is 158, China origin is 103 module, Japan orgin 31, USA is 13(included Sunpower's factory in Philippines) and Taiwan is 11

Hyundai-Kia Chairman Chung Mong-koo By Jane Han, The Korea Times Hyundai Motor and affiliate Kia Motors aim to boost sales by 17 percent this year driven by a recovery in the global economy and a series of new models. The auto group, which sold a record 4.63 million vehicles last year, is targeting sales to rise to 5.4 million in 2010, Chairman Chung Mong-koo said in a New Year's speech to employees, Monday. ``Our teamwork helped turn a crisis into an opportunity when the global auto industry was at its darkest,'' said Chung, who recently ranked as U.S. magazine Motor Trend's 2009 third most influential figure in the auto industry. He said Hyundai and Kia laid the foundation stone to emerge as world-class automakers by expanding their global market share and improving quality and consumer perception. ``Based on our achievements last year, let's work together to make 2010 a year of writing a new history,'' said Chung. The 73-year-old chief said creativity and

A new joint venture triple junction thin-film solar company is being formed between Sharp, Enel Green Power, and STMicroelectronics. The equal partners are set to invest €320 million to establish an initial production capacity of 160MW at an existing but shuttered former 300mm semiconductor fab owned by STMicroelectronics in Catania, Italy. Thin-film module production is expected to start at the beginning of 2011 and ramped over several years to a targeted 480MW annual capacity. Enel Green Power and Sharp have also signed an additional agreement to install cumulative capacity at a level of 500MW by the end of 2016, using modules from the Catania plant. The agreement signals the move by Sharp to enter to the power generation market and become a fully integrated PV manufacturer. The partners are targeting utility-scale installations in Europe and the Mediterranean area through the sales networks of Sharp and EGP. Sharp noted that hotter climates are better suited to thin-film modules as