Solar Energy Provides Many Opportunities For VC

Venture capital (VC) and private and public investments in alternative energy continue to grow at their highest rates since the OPEC crisis of the 1970s.

Around the world, the persistence of much higher fossil fuel prices, heightened power demands -- particularly in the fast-developing economies of China and India -- national employment trends, security concerns, and growing evidence of sharp climate changes are contributing to what amounts to a clean technology boom.

"The level of investment is accelerating, and I do not see any reason why it will moderate. You can debate around oil pricing and how much that is driving [investment], but there are other factors here at play -- energy security and independence, environmental concerns, focus on sustainability, etc.," Jeff Lipton, managing director of investment banking at Jefferies & Co., told TechNewsWorld...read more

Despatch Surpasses 1GW Solar Cell Production

Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A. (PRWeb) October 27, 2006 -- Despatch Industries, a leading supplier to the photovoltaic industry, announced today that the company has surpassed the 1GW benchmark in firing furnace production orders for solar cell manufacturing.

"Our customers continue to increase their manufacturing capacity by acquiring new 30MW production lines," says Steve Oman, Director of International Sales. "The market has been very responsive to our line of 30MW firing furnaces. By the end of 2006, we will have shipped production capacity worldwide exceeding 1GW of production capacity. Despatch's newly released integrated, in-line diffusion system, in conjunction with our firing and drying furnace lines provide a roadmap for our customers to achieve even higher cell efficiencies in the future."

Despatch currently manufactures infrared dryers and firing furnaces and most recently announced the availability of the DCF Series, a new integrated, in-line diffusion system featuring a patent-pending in-line doper and an infrared diffusion furnace. Products in the Despatch infrared portfolio are consistently recognized for superior thermal processing control, improved cost of ownership, value-added feature sets and ease of maintenance. Since entering the photovoltaic market, Despatch has engineered and manufactured solar cell production equipment that improves and optimizes in-line solar cell manufacturing.

Despatch Industries is a leading worldwide provider of thermal processing and environmental simulation solutions. Founded in 1902, closely held Despatch Industries is a technology-driven company committed to satisfying customer needs through ground-breaking research and development. Despatch continues to rapidly expand its global presence in the photovoltaic, semiconductor and electronic markets by anticipating and reacting to customer needs and supplying premium, innovative products.

For more information on Despatch and IR processing solutions visit our website:
www.despatch.com

SunEdison and SkyPower Join to Build 50 MW of Solar Power

BALTIMORE, MD, and TORONTO, Nov. 6 /CNW/ - SunEdison LLC, North America's
leading solar energy service provider, and SkyPower Corp., a leading
Canadian-based renewable energy developer, are pleased to announce the
completion of a joint venture agreement. SunEdison & SkyPower have joined
forces to develop, build, own and operate up to 50MW of solar photovoltaic
farms across Ontario. Construction of these solar photovoltaic farms in Canada
will drive immediate new job growth while generating carbon free renewable
energy. Common in the European market, only recently have solar photovoltaic
farms begun to see broader adoption in North America.
  SunEdison LLC is the only company to simplify solar by providing turn-key
solar energy services for utilities, government agencies, and commercial
enterprises. Under the turn-key services model, SunEdison finances, installs,
owns and operates photovoltaic power plants at the customer premise.
SunEdison's turn-key services model has been adopted by leading commercial,
government and utility customers such as Staples, the State of California and
Xcel Energy.
  SkyPower is Canada's leading independent renewable energy developer with
interests in over 27 wind and hydro projects at various stages of development
across 8 provinces, representing more than 7,000 MW of potential capacity.
SkyPower's strategy involves bringing a portfolio of renewable energy projects
from exploration phase through to construction and commercial operation and is
focused on being the largest owner and operator of renewable energy parks
across Canada. SkyPower also has over 1,000MW of wind energy under development
in India.
  Jigar Shah, CEO of SunEdison, said "This is an important cross-border
venture and represents a significant further expansion of SunEdison into the
Canadian market. We're excited that SunEdison and SkyPower are going to be
creating the largest solar photovoltaic farms in Ontario. Besides the
immediate new job growth from these projects, this opens the door for the
further development of renewable solar energy across Canada. We look forward
to the government's implementation of the standard offer so that project
development can begin."
  Kerry Adler, President & CEO of SkyPower Corp., commented: "We are
pleased to have established a joint venture with SunEdison, North America's
leading energy service provider for photovoltaic solar powered facilities. The
experience and expertise that SunEdison and their management team bring to
this joint venture will accelerate our plans and objectives to build North
America's largest solar photovoltaic farms. The Ontario government standard
offer contract provides a clear opportunity for these projects to become
realizable in the near term."
  Once the Ontario government's standard offer contracts are implemented,
the joint venture will be announcing the location of its first facility.

Solel to Build Spanish Solar Power Plants

Israeli company Solel Solar Systems, which supplies solar systems and power plants for clean energy production, announced today a collaboration agreement with Spanish infrastructures company Sacyr Vallehermoso for the construction of three solar power stations in Spain for a total output of 150 megawatts, and at a total investment of $890 million. Solar's share in the contract is valued at half a billion dollars over the next two years (2006-2008).

Solar develops and manufactures solar systems which function on unique technology which enables thermo-solar energy conduction at high temperatures of up to 400° Celsius, and its conversion into clean electricity. The company was founded on the remnants of Luz. Its R&D center is located in Beit Shemesh. To date, nine commercial power plants based on Solel's technology have been built. They are located in California and produce electricity for half a million people. The company also supplied technology to two other power stations, and solar systems for heating and air-conditioning in other countries.