Is Connecticut Selling Its Fuel Cell Businesses Short?
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Japan Has Warmest Winter Ever, No Snow in Tokyo
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Applied Materials Enters PV Production Line Business
Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) has been selected by Moser Baer India Ltd. to develop and install the world’s first Generation 8.5 Thin Film Solar Module Production Line. This first Gen 8.5 line will manufacture photovoltaic solar modules using ultra-large 5.7m(2) substrates (2.2m x 2.6m). These glass panels, which are four times bigger than today’s largest solar panel substrates, are expected to drive down panel production costs and help reduce the overall cost of solar electricity. The project is in New Delhi, India. “This contract represents a significant collaboration between companies in the U.S and India to establish the first truly modern solar facility in India using semiconductor manufacturing processes,” said Mr. Ravi Khanna, CEO, Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Business. “We are confident Applied Materials can help us rapidly realize our plan to get to a 200 megawatt factory by 2009.” Applied’s Thin Film Solar Module Production Line is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2007. Applied’s contract with Moser Baer is for a fully-integrated production line including CVD(1), PVD(1), laser scribing, factory software, automation and other supporting technologies required to establish a solar panel manufacturing facility with a rated initial capacity of 40 megawatts per year. […]
Brazil-Japan Ethanol Investment Could Hit US$8 Billion
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AES Invests in Altair Nanotechnologies
Global energy company AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) has made a $3 million strategic investment in Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Nasdaq: ALTI), a development stage manufacturer of battery pack systems for electric and hybrid-electric automobiles and stationary power systems. AES purchased 895,523 treasury shares of Altair common stock at $3.35 per share, representing about 1.5% of Altair’s shares. “Advanced battery technologies have the potential to transform both the electricity and transportation sectors,” said Robert Hemphill, AES Executive Vice President. “The batteries that Altairnano is beginning to ship, with their high power density and extended cycle life, offer great promise for powerful, fast charging electric vehicles and other applications.” Website: http://www.altairnano.com
AgriFuel Closes Initial Biodiesel Investments
AgriFuel Co., a privately held biofuel concern, has acquired interests in two northeastern biodiesel producers and is near closing on a third. AgriFuel purhcased 45% of the equity of York, Pennsylvania-based United BioFuels, Inc., with an option to increase its stake to 60%, and 52.5% of the stock of Buffalo Biodiesel, Inc. of Buffalo, New York with a right to buy the rest of the Company’s outstanding stock. United operates a soy oil processing facility using proprietary production technology. The company is expanding its plant’s production capacity to four million gallons per year while incorporating technological upgrades that will enable it to process lower-cost feedstocks. Completion of the expansion is targeted for August 2007. Buffalo Biodiesel is in the initial phase of constructing a four-million-gallon biodiesel plant using a proven state-of-the-art modular technology. It is also aggressively expanding its existing waste oil collection business, which is expected to contribute up to 50% of the feedstock for Buffalo Biodiesel’s biodiesel production plant. The remainder of the plant’s raw materials will consist of soy oil and used vegetable (“yellow grease”) oil purchased from third parties. AgriFuel expects to acquire the remaining 47.5% of Buffalo Biodiesel’s stock within twelve months. No schedule has […]
WorldWater Wins $5.7 Million Project
WorldWater & Power Corp. (WWAT.OB), developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, has been awarded a contract worth $5.7 million by Bayshore Recycling Corp. for installation of a 700 kilowatt system at the company’s Keasbey, New Jersey, headquarters. Bayshore, a large regional recycler of construction debris, will use the solar installation to power a significant portion of its operations. The firm recycles concrete, asphalt, brick, block, and slag, which are processed and transformed into marketable products. Website: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Trina Solar Targets Commercial Cell Production Launch
Trina Solar announced its new 50MW cell line has passed the testing phase and anticipates a commercial launch at the beginning of April 2007. Trina will ramp up capacity throughout the year to reach its target of 150MW by the fourth quarter. “We have achieved cell efficiencies slightly higher than 16% and we intend to continue to improve these levels as we ramp up our capabilities in the coming months,” says Dr. Mohan Narayanan, Vice President, Technology. Trina is integrating a vertical model to capture more of the value added solar PV supply chain thus enhancing margins, while improving its ability to monitor the quality of its products over the entire manufacturing process.
Liquidia Technologies Raises $16M
Liquidia Technologies, a development-stage nanotechnology company, has closed a $16 million round of funding to accelerate development of applications related to their PRINTTM technology platform. The Series B financing, led by New Enterprise Associates, will enable scale-up of Liquidia’s PRINTTM platform manufacturing capabilities, acceleration of preclinical testing and development in life sciences, and expansion of product development activities in specific alternative energy and materials science applications. The financing also includes syndication from existing investors, Wakefield, Firelake Capital, and Dr. Lowry Caudill and Dr. Al Childers, founders of Magellan Labs. Liquidia is focused on commercializing its proprietary PRINTTM (Pattern Replication In Non-wetting Templates) platform in life sciences applications that will include targeted delivery therapeutics, drug product reformulations, and drug-device combination therapies. In materials science, the company is focused initially on nano-engineered films and membranes for the alternative energy and materials science markets. Website: http://www.liquidia.com
ABM AMRO Opens Indian Socially Responsible Fund
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