Berlin’s Historic Show Palace Welcomes SunPower Solar Power System

July 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

BERLIN, July 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) and MBG, a SunPower authorized partner, announced today that MBG completed the installation of a 29.7-kilowatt high-efficiency SunPower system on the roof of the FriedrichstadtPalast, Berlin’s historic landmark theater building, which features the largest performance stage in the world.

On the building, MBG installed SunPower’s E18 Series solar panels, which offer an efficiency of 18 percent or greater and produce up to 50 percent more power than conventional solar panels. The panels are mounted on the SunPower T10 Solar Roof Tile system, which is non-roof penetrating and tilted at a 10 degree angle to increase energy capture.

“SunPower’s T10 Solar Roof Tile system is a lightweight, flat-roof solution that was the best option for this roof, due to the engineering and planning requirements for historic buildings,” explained Sebastien Ninnig from MBG. “The monocrystalline, high-performance solar panels from SunPower allowed us to offer the highest possible power output and consequently the highest carbon dioxide offset for our customers. Previously, we had very positive experiences installing a T10 system for the Berliner Stadtreinigung (Berlin Waste Management Authority), one of Berlin’s largest photovoltaic installations. Here again, it was important for us to use a lightweight, high-efficiency system.”

“It is an honor for SunPower technology to be installed on such a wonderful cultural building with a celebrated, long-standing history of more than 100 years,” said Jorn Jurgens, senior director, SunPower. “World-class theatres require the highest levels of technology with regard to sound and lighting, and it makes sense that the solar system used at the FriedrichstadtPalast is from SunPower, the planet’s most powerful solar technology. Together, we are sure to present the best show.”

SunPower works with a network of more than 1,000 independent dealers globally, including almost 200 in Germany, who install SunPower solar power systems for residential and commercial customers.

The FriedrichstadtPalast has been Berlin’s premier address for theatrical entertainment. It is renowned for both its show programming as well as its sheer size, accommodating 1,895 seats. The theatre hosts over 600,000 visitors annually.

About MBG

MBG has over 25 years of success in the market. Since 2007 they have complemented their expertise in the energy sector. With their powerful and technical specialist teams they develop and implement this forward-looking solution for using renewable energy: from planning and installation of turnkey PV systems to the development of special solutions for off-grid power supplies.

About SunPower

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet’s most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Air Liquide: 10 New Contracts Signed in Asia with Solar Photovoltaic Leaders

June 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

PARIS–(Business Wire)–
Regulatory News:

The Asia-Pacific region now hosts more than 70% of the solar cells produced in
the world, estimated to surpass 10 GWp in 2010.

Air Liquide (Paris:AI) is strengthening its market leadership position in the
supply of gases and precursors to the solar photovoltaic manufacturers by
signing over 10 new long-term contracts with photovoltaic industry leaders in
China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan. The latest contracts make the Group the
supplier of over 120 photovoltaic customers worldwide, with an overall
manufacturing capacityabove 13,000 MWp per year, which equals around 50% of the
worldwide production capacity.

In Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China, Air Liquide has just signed a long-term
agreement for the turnkey supply of gases and precursors, equipment and
installation, and on-site services, to Guodian Solar, a subsidiary of the
Guodian Group, one of the five leading power groups in the country. Guodian
Solar is a high-tech green energy company that integrates applications-R&D with
large-scale manufacturing with plans up to above 1,000 MWp capacity within three
years, and a focus on advanced crystalline Silicon and Thin Film solar cells
technologies.

In Shanghai, China, Air Liquide has further developed its existing supply
relationship with SuntechPower, the world largest crystalline Silicon cell
manufacturer, by signing a contract for the long-term supply of nitrogen,
equipment and on-site services to its new production fab.

In Kansai, Japan, Air Liquide has entered into a long-term agreement to supply
Silane gas to fabs of a world`s leading manufacturer of high-efficiency Silicon
Thin Film solar cells, supporting its current ramp plans to double its capacity.

Francisco Martins, Vice-President World Business Line Electronics of the Air
Liquide Group, commented: “Air Liquide continues to reinforce its number one
position as supplier of photovoltaic industry leaders, through innovative,
cost-efficient and reliable gases supply solutions. These recent contracts in
Asia confirm the competitiveness of Air Liquide`s offer and its permanent
alignment with customer`s cost reduction road maps. The photovoltaic activity is
at the crossroads of Energy and the Environment and requires High Tech
solutions, three growth drivers for the Air Liquide Group.”

Air Liquide Electronics

With over 3,000 employees and €872 million revenue in 2009, Air Liquide
Electronics has activities in ultra-pure and specialty gases, new molecules,
related equipment, and customized services.

The Electronics division management is based in Tokyo to enhance its proximity
to the semiconductor, TFT-LCD and PV markets in Asia.

The use of gases in the photovoltaic industry

Gases are used at all stages of the solar cell manufacturing process:

* to produce Poly-Silicium: high-volume of nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2)
* to produce Si wafers: large quantities of nitrogen, argon (Ar) and helium (He)

* to produce crystalline-Si cells: carrier gas (N2) and specialty gases such as
silane (SiH4), ammonia (NH3), doping gases/chemicals (POCl3), and coating
precursor materials
* to produce Si Thin Film cells: carrier gases (N2, H2), specialty gases (SiH4,
NF3, dopant mixtures) and coating precursor materials.

Air Liquide is the world leader in gases for industry, health and the
environment, and is present in over 75 countries with 43,000 employees. Oxygen,
nitrogen, hydrogen and rare gases have been at the core of Air Liquide`s
activities since its creation in 1902. Using these molecules, Air Liquide
continuously reinvents its business, anticipating the needs of current and
future markets. The Group innovates to enable progress, to achieve dynamic
growth and a consistent performance.

Innovative technologies that curb polluting emissions, lower industry`s energy
use, recover and reuse natural resources or develop the energies of tomorrow,
such as hydrogen, biofuels or photovoltaic energy… Oxygen for hospitals,
homecare, fighting nosocomial infections… Air Liquide combines many products and
technologies to develop valuable applications and services not only for its
customers but also for society.

A partner for the long term, Air Liquide relies on employee commitment, customer
trust and shareholder support to pursue its vision of sustainable, competitive
growth. The diversity of Air Liquide`s teams, businesses, markets and geographic
presence provides a solid and sustainable base for its development and
strengthens its ability to push back its own limits, conquer new territories and
build its future.

Air Liquide explores the best that air can offer to preserve life, staying true
to its sustainable development approach. In 2008, the Group`s revenues amounted
to €13.1 billion, of which almost 80% were generated outside France. Air Liquide
is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (compartment A) and is a member
of the CAC 40 and Dow Jones Euro Stoxx 50 indexes.

www.airliquide.com

Air Liquide
Corporate Communications
Corinne Estrade-Bordry
+ 33 (0)1 40 62 51 31
Garance Bertrand
+ 33 (0)1 40 62 59 62
or
Investor Relations
Virginia Jeanson
+33 (0)1 40 62 57 37
Annie Fournier
+33 (0)1 40 62 57 18

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Zenergy PowerSelected by European Commission for Environmental Award

June 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LONDON–(Business Wire)–
Zenergy Power GmbH (LSE:ZEN), the superconductor energy technology company, is
pleased to announce that it has been awarded, along with its industrial partner
Bültmann GmbH, the 2010 European Business Award for the Environment in the
“Process” category for the development of its high-efficiency/high-productivity
Magnetic Billet Heater (`MBH`). The MBH is used by industrial metals producers
to halve energy consumption during heating for metals extrusion while enabling
up to 25% increase in productivity as a result of extraordinary temperature
homogeneity.

The winners of the European Business Awards are chosen by the European
Commission and are recognised as “the best of the best” businesses that make a
particular contribution to sustainable development by combining innovation,
economic viability, environmental concern and social responsibility. The awards
are given out every two years and this year the winners were chosen from 141
entries from 24 EU and candidate countries.

-Ends-

About Zenergy Power plc

Zenergy Power is a superconductor energy technology company, quoted on the AIM
market of the London Stock Exchange and comprising three operating subsidiaries
located in Germany, USA and Australia. The Group’s commercial focus is the
innovation and manufacture of clean energy superconductor solutions.

About MBH

In metals extrusion processing speed and quality depend on the homogeneous
distribution of heat within billets. Magnetic Billet Heaters by Zenergy Power
achieve better results by delivering homogeneous radial temperature distribution
and precisely reproducible axial temperature tapers in every type of billet.
This enables 45 second heating times, 50% reductions in energy usage and 45%
increases in extrusion speeds. Apart from aluminium, copper and brass, the
magnetic billet heater processes magnesium, titanium and Inconel as well as
spray- and plasma-compacted materials at the push of the button.

Zenergy Power plc
Andrew Tan
+49 2226 9060 668
or
Zenergy Power Inc.
Dr. Larry Masur
+1 781 738 8501
or
Zenergy Power GmbH
Dr. Juergen Kellers
+49 2226 9060 602

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

QED Connect Inc.’s Impending Joint Venture Partner, Sofame Technologies, Inc. Receives…

June 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

QED Connect Inc.’s Impending Joint Venture Partner, Sofame Technologies, Inc.
Receives LOI for $250k Equipment Order

MANCHESTER, N.H., June 4, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QED Connect Inc. (Pink
Sheets:QEDN), a New York Corporation, today announced that Sofame Technologies,
Inc. (TSX-V:SDW) has received a commitment from a European customer valued at
$250,000. The Letter of Intent is from a landfill gas to energy plant and is
expected to result to be finalized in the next two months.

Sofame also announced this week that it had a reduction in operating costs of
74% in Q2 2010 compared to Q2 2009 and closed $985,000 in new contracts from
April 1st to May 31st. Lower costs and an increase in orders position Sofame for
further potential improvement in earnings in the second half of the fiscal year.

Tom Makmann, CEO of QED Connect, stated, “QED is excited to finalize the Joint
Venture this quarter and is looking forward to working with Sofame to help them
expand their marketing efforts in the US.”

About QED Connect, Inc.

QED Connect, Inc. is a New York corporation which makes acquisitions,
investments, and enters into strategic business partnerships. The Company seeks
businesses with strong potential which QED can achieve the Company’s goals and
strengthen its overall revenue and profits through entry into the multiple
market segments. It is QED’s intention to help its partners and subsidiaries
realize growth, and that growth would, in turn, enhance QED’s ability to
increase shareholder value.

About Sofame Technologies Inc.

Sofame Technologies Inc. custom engineers and manufactures unique,
high-efficiency direct-contact industrial hot water systems which extract up to
99 percent of heat from flue gases depending on the application, and return the
energy in the form of high-temperature hot water or pre-heated make-up air.
Sofame’s products help hospitals, food processing plants, universities, central
heating plants, utilities and many more large energy consumers to significantly
reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Using world-leading, patented
green technology, Sofame serves industrial, institutional and commercial markets
through a network of dedicated engineering representatives. For more
information, visit www.sofame.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts are
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be identified by the use of
words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “future,” “may,” “will,”
“would,” “should,” “plan,” “projected,” “intend,” and similar expressions. Such
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and
other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
QED Connect, Inc., (the “Company”) to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company’s future
operating results are dependent upon many factors, including but not limited to
the Company’s ability to: (i) obtain sufficient capital or a strategic business
arrangement to fund its expansion plans; (ii) finalize the joint venture
agreement with Sofame Technologies, Inc., (iii) build the management and human
resources and infrastructure necessary to support the growth of its business;
(iv) competitive factors and developments beyond the Company’s control; and (v)
other risk factors.

CONTACT: QED Connect Inc.
Tom Makmann, CEO
(603) 425-8933
info@qedconnect.com

Sofame Technologies Inc.
John Gocek, COO
(514) 523-6545 x-200
john.gocek@sofame.com

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Just Energy Income Fund Announces June Distribution

June 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

TORONTO, ONTARIO, Jun 04 (MARKET WIRE) —
Just Energy Income Fund (TSX: JE.UN) filed notice with the Toronto Stock
Exchange today announcing its regular distribution for June. A
distribution of $0.10333/unit ($1.24 annually) will be paid on June 30th,
2010 to Unitholders of record at the close of business on June 15th,
2010. The Units trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol
“JE.UN”.

About the Fund

Just Energy’s business involves the sale of natural gas and/or
electricity to residential and commercial customers under long-term
fixed-price and price-protected contracts. By fixing the price of natural
gas or electricity under its fixed-price or price-protected program
contracts for a period of up to five years, Just Energy’s customers
offset their exposure to changes in the price of these essential
commodities. Just Energy, which commenced business in 1997, derives its
margin or gross profit from the difference between the fixed price at
which it is able to sell the commodities to its customers and the fixed
price at which it purchases the associated volumes from its suppliers.

Just Energy also offers “green” products through its Just Green
program. The electricity Just Green product offers the customer the
option of having all or a portion of his or her electricity sourced from
renewable green sources such as wind, run of the river hydro or biomass.
The gas Just Green product offers carbon offset credits which will allow
the customer to reduce or eliminate the carbon footprint for their home
or business. Management believes that these products will not only add to
profits, but also increase sales receptivity and improve renewal rates.

In addition, through National Home Services, Just Energy sells and rents
high efficiency and tankless waterheaters and, through Terra Grain Fuels
Inc., produces and sells wheat-based ethanol.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward – looking statements. These
statements are based on current expectations that involve a number of
risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from
those anticipated. Additional information on these and other factors that
could affect Just Energy’s operations, financial results or distribution
levels following completion of the Acquisition, are included in Just
Energy’s annual information form and other reports on file with Canadian
securities regulatory authorities which can be accessed through the SEDAR
website at www.sedar.com or through Just Energy’s website at
www.justenergy.com.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved of the
contents of this release.

Contacts:
Just Energy Income Fund
Ms. Rebecca MacDonald
Executive Chair
(416) 367-2872

Just Energy Income Fund
Mr. Ken Hartwick, C.A.
Chief Executive Officer & President
(905) 795-3557

Just Energy Income Fund
Ms. Beth Summers, C.A.
Chief Financial Officer
(905) 795-4206

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Solar Sail spacecraft can travel ten times faster than conventional rockets

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 18 (ANI): Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was set to launch its solar sail hybrid spacecraft which can not only negate the need for on board fuel, but also travel 5 to 10 times faster than conventional spacecrafts in space.

However, the launch was delayed due to bad weather at the site.

The spacecraft, dubbed Ikaros – for Interplanetary Kite-Craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun, has a hybrid solar sail—propelled partly by solar pressure, partly by traditional solar power.

Once in space, the cylindrical, 677-pound (307-kilogram) craft will separate from the rocket and spin itself to unfurl its roughly 46-foot-wide (14-meter-wide) solar sail.

Synonymous to a yacht on sea, when the sun’s rays bounce onto a mirror like aluminized solar sail, each photon strikes and transmits its momentum to the spacecraft, which begins to gather speed in the almost frictionless environment of space – reaching up to ten times the speed of regular rockets.

“Ikaros is considered a hybrid, because the sail”s membrane—itself just 0.0075 millimeters thick—sports thin-film solar cells for generating electricity, which will power Ikaros”s high-efficiency ion-propulsion engines,” National Geographic News quoted Yuichi Tsuda, deputy project manager for Ikaros, as saying.

“As soon as the sail has deployed, the craft will be able to start solar sailing,” Tsuda said. “Over the six-month scheduled duration of the mission, we believe it will reach a velocity of a hundred meters [328 feet] per second.”

Flying along the same path as the Akatsuki spacecraft, Ikaros will aim for Venus, but researchers are hoping it can fly beyond too.

The craft will send back data on the basic state of the core spacecraft, how much power it is generating versus how much it”s using, and the status of the sail.

Six cameras aboard the craft will help the team monitor how the sail deploys and how it fares during its trip.

Although increasing distance from Earth will make communication increasingly difficult, Tsuda”s team hopes to be able to operate the vehicle and collect data for at least a year.

After that, lessons learned from Ikaros will be applied to its planned successor, a craft equipped with a 164-foot-wide (50-meter-wide) solar-power sail that will be launched toward Jupiter around 2020.

JAXA has been working closely with the California-based Planetary Society, which aims to get its own solar sail—LightSail-1, which will carry a lighter craft, according to Louis Friedman, executive director of the Planetary Society.

This craft, however, will be capable of higher accelerations and an important step toward utilization of solar power to harness energy.

Friedman said the technology is crucial for the next generation of space travel.

“It is the only known technology which may someday enable interstellar flight,” he said.

The challenges of this power are that the added weight of people and supplies may cause difficulty in attaining the required acceleration to take off.

But Tsuda believes that Ikaros will open up new frontiers in robotic space exploration.

“On the 2020 mission, we hope to be able to go to the Jupiter system and the concentrated belt of asteroids that exist nearby that are known as the Trojan asteroid region,” Tsuda said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ETS, SunPower Dedicate New Solar Panel Systems in Honor of Earth Day

April 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

PRINCETON, NJ, Apr 14 (MARKET WIRE) —
In honor of Earth Day, Educational Testing Service and SunPower
Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) (NASDAQ: SPWRB) will hold a solar dedication
to celebrate three new high-efficiency solar power installations,
totaling 1.8-megawatts, on ETS office buildings in Ewing and Princeton.
The systems are expected to generate the equivalent of about 10 percent
of the electricity currently being used at ETS’s Princeton campus and
ETS’s largest building in Ewing.

What: Solar panel dedication ceremony

When: Monday, April 19 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: ETS Ewing Office
225 Phillips Boulevard
Ewing, NJ 08628

“This project creates buildings that are more environmentally
friendly. Using solar power to produce more clean energy than we use is
good for ETS and our community,” says T.J. Elliott, ETS Vice President of
Strategic Workforce Solutions.

Media interested in attending should contact Jason Baran at (609)
683-2428 or Tom Ewing at (609) 683-2803.

About ETS
At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education
for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research.
ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies
by providing customized solutions for teacher certification,
English-language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary
education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy
studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than
50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL(R) and TOEIC(R) tests,
the GRE(R) test and The Praxis Series(TM) assessments — in more than 180
countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org

Contacts:
Jason Baran
(609) 683-2428
jbaran@ets.org

Tom Ewing
(609) 683-2803
tewing@ets.org

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ETS, SunPower Dedicate New Solar Panel Systems in Honor of Earth Day

April 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

PRINCETON, NJ, Apr 14 (MARKET WIRE) —
In honor of Earth Day, Educational Testing Service and SunPower
Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWRA) (NASDAQ: SPWRB) will hold a solar dedication
to celebrate three new high-efficiency solar power installations,
totaling 1.8-megawatts, on ETS office buildings in Ewing and Princeton.
The systems are expected to generate the equivalent of about 10 percent
of the electricity currently being used at ETS’s Princeton campus and
ETS’s largest building in Ewing.

What: Solar panel dedication ceremony

When: Monday, April 19 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: ETS Ewing Office
225 Phillips Boulevard
Ewing, NJ 08628

“This project creates buildings that are more environmentally
friendly. Using solar power to produce more clean energy than we use is
good for ETS and our community,” says T.J. Elliott, ETS Vice President of
Strategic Workforce Solutions.

Media interested in attending should contact Jason Baran at (609)
683-2428 or Tom Ewing at (609) 683-2803.

About ETS
At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education
for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research.
ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies
by providing customized solutions for teacher certification,
English-language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary
education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy
studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than
50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL(R) and TOEIC(R) tests,
the GRE(R) test and The Praxis Series(TM) assessments — in more than 180
countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org

Contacts:
Jason Baran
(609) 683-2428
jbaran@ets.org

Tom Ewing
(609) 683-2803
tewing@ets.org

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New approach to trapping sunlight with silicon nanowires

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 5 (ANI): Researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) are developing a new approach, which would use silicon nanowires to better trap sunlight for future renewable green energy equations.

Although there are silicon photovoltaics that can convert sunlight into electricity at impressive 20 percent efficiencies, the cost of this solar power is prohibitive for large-scale use.

And the new approach could substantially reduce these costs.

The researchers have developed a photovoltaic cell, comprising of 36 individual arrays of silicon nanowires featuring radial p-n junctions.

Semiconductor nanowires are one-dimensional strips of materials whose width measures only one-thousandth that of a human hair but whose length may stretch several microns.

“Through the fabrication of thin films from ordered arrays of vertical silicon nanowires we’ve been able to increase the light-trapping in our solar cells by a factor of 73,” said chemist Peidong Yang, who led the research.

“Since the fabrication technique behind this extraordinary light-trapping enhancement is a relatively simple and scalable aqueous chemistry process, we believe our approach represents an economically viable path toward high-efficiency, low-cost thin-film solar cells.

“Typical solar cells are made from very expensive ultrapure single crystal silicon wafers that require about 100 micrometers of thickness to absorb most of the solar light, whereas our radial geometry enables us to effectively trap light with nanowire arrays fabricated from silicon films that are only about eight micrometers thick.

“Furthermore, our approach should in principle allow us to use metallurgical grade or “dirty” silicon rather than the ultrapure silicon crystals now required, which should cut costs even further,” he added.

Yang and his group are able to reduce both the quantity and the quality requirements for silicon by using vertical arrays of nanostructured radial p-n junctions rather than conventional planar p-n junctions.

The study has been published in the journal NANO Letters. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

AUO to Showcase Its Competitive Edge in the Solar Industry Value Chain at Japan’s PV EXPO

March 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

HSINCHU, Taiwan, March 1 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ — AU Optronics Corp.
(“AUO” or the “Company”) (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) will exhibit at PV EXPO 2010
in Tokyo Big Sight, Japan from March 3-5 to showcase its competitive edge
in
the solar industry value chain. High quality polysilicon, ingots and wafers
produced by M.Setek and high-efficiency mono-crystalline and multi-crystalline
PV modules from AUO will be on display.

The PV EXPO in Japan is one of the most noted professional PV trade
shows
in the world, as well as the most important business platform of the Asian PV
industry. There are 570 exhibitors worldwide participating this year,
displaying a full range of technologies for materials, equipment, solar cells
and modules, photovoltaic systems and integration schemes. It is a must-attend
event for vendors who wish to break into the Japanese and Asian PV markets.

AUO will be exhibiting the high-efficient module Mono 245W, which is
capable of generating more power on space-limited rooftops with an impressive
conversion rate of 14.7%. It weighs merely 20kg, around 15% lighter than
modules of the same size in the market, and is also easy to install.
Customers have their options of choosing black or white colored modules to
match the designs of their buildings.

In its energy business, AUO has both the quality key materials from
M.Setek in the upstream and photovoltaic system projects in the downstream to
provide the most competitive total solution. Therefore, the company will
exhibit quality material with high conversion rates at the PV EXPO to
demonstrate its strategic position in the integration of the solar industry
supply chain.

Being a major supplier to renowned solar cell companies around the world,
M.Setek boasts leading technologies in Japan for upstream polysilicon and
wafers with high conversion rates. It is one of the few global suppliers that
can provide high quality and high-efficiency solar wafers. The Company is also
among the first to employ diamond wire sawing and is capable of mass
production. The technology helps increase conversion rates, eliminate the use
of organic solvents to ensure eco-friendly production, and maintain cost
competitiveness. M.Setek is also equipped with the technologies to fully
recycle its materials, to take their share of responsibility in carbon balance
in the green energy industry. At the PV EXPO, M.Setek will display several
wafers, among which the N-Type mono-crystalline wafer can be applied to the
making of high-efficiency solar cells, with a conversion rate as high as
20-23%.

James Chen, AUO’s Senior Associate Vice President of the Solar
Photovoltaic Business Unit will be speaking at the Taiwan Photovoltaic
Industry Forum on the morning of March 4 during PV EXPO. The topic is to be
AUO’s Green Solutions.

AUO has actively invested in solar business and planned for the solar
value chain from upstream to downstream. The Company has partners in Europe
for the development of several solar projects. In addition, a reliability lab
for the testing of solar modules has been set up in Taichung, with its product
quality certified by TUV Rheinland, a global leader in independent testing and
assessment services from Germany. The plan is to next launch solar business
operating points in China this year. With the strategy to provide total
solutions, AUO will cooperate closely with partners in the industry value
chain to further develop the global solar market.

ABOUT AU OPTRONICS

AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is a worldwide top three manufacturer* of thin
film transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD). AUO is able to
provide customers with a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive
applications, offering TFT-LCD panels in sizes ranging from 1.2 inches to
greater than 65 inches. AUO generated NT$359.3 billion (US$11.2 billion) in
sales revenue in 2009 and now houses a staff of more than 42,000 employees
throughout with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan,
Singapore,
South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, AUO is the first pure
TFT-LCD
manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
AUO extended its market to green energy industry in late 2008, and formally
founded the Solar Photovoltaic Business Unit in October 2009. For more
information, please visit AUO.com.

* DisplaySearch 3Q2009 WW Large-Area TFT-LCD Shipment Report. This data
is
used as reference only and AUO does not make any endorsement or representation
in connection therewith. 2009 year end revenue converted by an exchange rate
of NTD31.95:USD1.

Safe Harbour Notice

AU Optronics Corp. (“AUO” or the “Company”) (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a
worldwide top three manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels, today announced
the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the
statements contained in this Release are “forward-looking statements” within
the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements
were based on our management’s expectations, projections and beliefs at the
time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and
costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates,
yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and
business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of
known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements,
including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD
market,
acceptance and demand for our products, technological and development risks,
competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled “Risk
Factors” in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission on June 4th, 2008.

SOURCE AU Optronics Corp.

Freda Lee, +886-3-5008800 x3206, +886-3-5772730 (Fax), or freda.lee@auo.com,
or Yawen Hsiao, +886-3-5008800 x3211, +886-3-5772730 (Fax),
yawen.hsiao@auo.com, both of Corporate Communications Division, AU Optronics
Corp.

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Carbon nanotubes could be used to make efficient solar cells

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, September 11 (ANI): Using a carbon nanotube instead of traditional silicon, Cornell University researchers have created the basic elements of a solar cell that hopefully will lead to much more efficient ways of converting light to electricity than now used in calculators and on rooftops.

The researchers fabricated, tested and measured a simple solar cell called a photodiode, formed from an individual carbon nanotube.

Led by Paul McEuen, the Goldwin Smith Professor of Physics, and Jiwoong Park, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology, the team described how their device converts light to electricity in an extremely efficient process that multiplies the amount of electrical current that flows.

This process could prove important for next-generation high efficiency solar cells, according to the researchers.

“We are not only looking at a new material, but we actually put it into an application – a true solar cell device,” said first author Nathan Gabor, a graduate student in McEuen’s lab.

The researchers used a single-walled carbon nanotube, which is essentially a rolled-up sheet of graphene, to create their solar cell.

About the size of a DNA molecule, the nanotube was wired between two electrical contacts and close to two electrical gates, one negatively and one positively charged.

Their work was inspired in part by previous research in which scientists created a diode, which is a simple transistor that allows current to flow in only one direction, using a single-walled nanotube.

The Cornell team wanted to see what would happen if they built something similar, but this time shined light on it.

Shining lasers of different colors onto different areas of the nanotube, they found that higher levels of photon energy had a multiplying effect on how much electrical current was produced.

Further study revealed that the narrow, cylindrical structure of the carbon nanotube caused the electrons to be neatly squeezed through one by one.

The electrons moving through the nanotube became excited and created new electrons that continued to flow.

The nanotube, they discovered, may be a nearly ideal photovoltaic cell because it allowed electrons to create more electrons by utilizing the spare energy from the light.

This is unlike today’s solar cells, in which extra energy is lost in the form of heat, and the cells require constant external cooling. (ANI)

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Pak fast moving from being a water-stressed country to water-scarce one: UNDP

June 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Multan, June 20 (ANI): United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Regional Project Director, Shafqat Niaz Kang, has said, that Pakistan is facing a severe water shortage, and is fast moving from being a water-stressed country to a water-scarce country, mainly due to its high population growth.

Kang expressed his views at a one-day training workshop of the local government staff organised by the UNDP, Pakistan Council of Research of Water Resources (PCRWR) and Community Initiatives for Development and Environment (CIDE), to raise awareness about water scarcity and conservation practices among the public, the Dawn reports.

Officials from Multan, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Khanewal and Lodhran districts attended the workshop.

Kang said the availability of water was being endangered by a rash of new threats, including climate change and increase in population.

He further said that per capita availability of water in Pakistan had gone down sharply, while in the agriculture sector water availability decreased by 29 per cent due to over irrigation, untimely irrigation and use of conventional technologies in the agriculture.

Kang added that in the domestic sector, water issues included the use of uncontrolled water quantities, generation of large quantities of sewage in domestic and commercial activities, water losses associated with water conveyance, storage and distribution, besides the non-availability of sewage treatment facilities and lack of awareness and commitment for managing water crisis masses.

CIDE Assistant Executive Director Muhammad Shoaib said that in the domestic sector water issues could be solved by using of controlled water quantities in domestic activities, while in the agriculture sector, there was a need to introduce bed and furrow irrigation, pressurised irrigation, saline water irrigation, rain water harvesting, soil conservation and high efficiency techniques. (ANI)

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How to clean the air inside houses to reduce asthma, allergy symptoms

May 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 24 (ANI): Health experts say that having clean indoor air is crucial to managing symptoms among people with allergies and asthma.

The suggestion comes from Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA), the sole organization whose mission is to eliminate suffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions.

The non-profit organization has even come up with five tips for spring-cleaning the air inside houses, which will make it lung friendly by reducing allergens and irritants.

These tips are:

1. Smoking: Ask family members or visitors not to smoke in your home.

2. Mold: Search under sinks, around tubs and showers, on windowsills and in laundry areas for any signs of dampness and mold. Track the source of water, plug it up and clean up visible mold. Purchase and use a dehumidifier in basement areas.

3. Air it out: Give your bedroom a thorough airing out-wash curtains, linens and bedspreads, and make sure to clean anywhere dust and allergens collect.

4. Use a HEPA vacuum: If you don’t have one already, consider getting a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum. These vacuums have special filters that keep dust and allergens from blowing back into the air in your home.

5. Replace HVAC filters: Replace your furnace filters before air-conditioning season. And since the filter that comes with your HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system isn’t designed to help you breathe better (it simply keeps dust and debris from clogging parts of the system) look into a high-efficiency filter or an air-cleaning unit. (ANI)

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Low-power, high-efficiency electronic memory comes closer to reality

April 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 18 (ANI): Paving the way for low-power, high-efficiency electronic memory, scientists have deposited a well-known oxide on silicon to create a ferroelectric state, which could be the key to next-generation memory devices.

For the study, Cornell materials scientist Darrell Schlom took strontium titanate, and deposited it on silicon in such a way that the silicon squeezes it into a special state called ferroelectric.
One can see ferroelectric materials in “smart cards” that are used in many subways and ski resorts, and are made with materials like lead zirconium titanate or strontium bismuth tantalate, which can instantly switch between different memory states using very little electric power.
When waved before a reader, a tiny microwave antenna inside the card reveals and updates stored information.

The study is the first to use ferroelectric materials in transistors, which could lead to “instant-on” computing – no more rebooting the operating system or accessing memory slowly from the hard drive.

“Adding new functionality to transistors can lead to improved computing and devices that are lower power, higher speed and more convenient to use. Several hybrid transistors have been proposed specifically with ferroelectrics in mind. By creating a ferroelectric directly on silicon, we are bringing this possibility closer to realization,” said Schlom.

While strontium titanate in its relaxed state is not ferroelectric at any temperature, the researchers have shown that extremely thin films of the oxide – just a few atoms thick – become ferroelectric when squeezed atom by atom to match the spacing between the atoms of underlying silicon.

“Changing the spacing between atoms by about 1.7 percent drastically alters the properties of strontium titanate and turns it into a material with useful memory properties,” said Long-Qing Chen, professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Pennsylvania State University.

It was Chen’s calculations that had predicted the observed behaviour five years ago.

The researchers successfully described how to grow the strontium titanate on top of silicon using molecular-beam epitaxy-a technique akin to atomic spray painting.

The study has been published in the journal Science. (ANI)

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ADDING MULTIMEDIA Abound Solar Opens First Production Facility

April 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Next-Generation Manufacturing Technology Will Reduce the Cost of Producing
High-Efficiency Solar Modules
FORT COLLINS, Colo.–(Business Wire)–
Abound Solar (formerly AVA Solar), a manufacturer of low-cost, thin-film
photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, today announces the opening of its first
full-scale production facility in Longmont, Colo. This facility utilizes a
proprietary manufacturing process that significantly reduces production costs of
solar panels. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,and Hermann
Scheer, president of EUROSOLAR, are scheduled to deliver remarks at the
facility’s opening ceremony today at 9:00 a.m. MDT.

The fully automated facility will create more than 300 new jobs and, when at
capacity, will produce 200 MW of solar modules annually. Its manufacturing
process employs Abound Solar’s proprietary continuous in-line semiconductor
equipment to convert sheets of glass into solar panels in less than two hours.
As a leading “next generation” solar panel manufacturer, Abound Solar’s
manufacturing process simplifies the production of thin-film solar panels,
rapidly expands production capability and drives down the cost of
solar-generated electricity.

“Today’s facility opening represents a milestone for Abound. We have moved into
commercial production, which allows us to keep pace with demand from our
customers as the market expands,” said Pascal Noronha, CEO of Abound Solar. “We
are now well positioned to deliver high-performing, cost-effective, solar
modules that can accelerate clean energy usage around the world.”

“Congratulations to Abound Solar – a true Colorado success story of how
renewable energy technologies can move from the lab to the marketplace,” said
Gov. Ritter. “As we see local renewable energy companies expand operations and
create jobs, we know that the New Energy Economy is leading Colorado forward,
and will help Colorado to have a quick and strong recovery.”

“Abound Solar proves that we have the capability here in the United States to
cost-effectively meet our energy needs, while protecting our climate,” said
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Abound Solar was founded in 2007 to commercialize a proprietary process for
manufacturing thin-film photovoltaic modules. Built upon 15 years of development
at Colorado State University and with support from the National Renewable Energy
Laboratory, Abound Solar has developed a robust, commercial-scale, continuous
process for producing solar modules at an industry-leading cost that
significantly reduces the cost of generating solar electricity. For additional
information, visit http://www.abound.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5939245

Soho Square PR
Nicole Mezlo, 202-729-4210
nicole.mezlo@sohosquarepr.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009

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New design for cheaper and more efficient white light LEDs

April 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 8 (ANI): In a bid to produce cheap and efficient white light for use in homes and offices, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have taken a major step towards developing a new type of light emitting diode (LED) made from inexpensive, plastic like organic materials.

Designed with a simplified “tandem” structure, the new LEDs can produce twice as much light as a normal LED, including the white light desired for home and office lighting.

“This work is important because it is the realization of rather high efficiency white emission by a tandem structure,” said Dongge Ma, who led the research.

Found in everything from brake lights to computer displays, LEDs are more environmentally friendly and much more efficient than other types of light bulbs, like incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent bulbs, which waste much part of its energy as heat.

LEDs, on the other hand, are made from thin wafers of material flanked by electrodes and turn 20 to 50 percent, or even more, of the input energy into light. They also concentrate a lot of light in a small space.

While LEDs can easily be manufactured to produce light of a single colour — like red-with applications such as traffic lights and auto brake lights. But for indoor lighting, “natural” white light is needed.

This quality is measured by the colour-rendering index (CRI), which assigns a value based on the light source’s ability to reproduce the true colour of the object being lit. For reading light, a CRI value of 70 or more is optimal.

LEDs can produce white light by combining a mixture of blue, green, and red light, or by sending coloured light through a filter or a thin layer of phosphors-chemicals that glow with several colours when excited. But, these solutions increase costs.

Thus, to make inexpensive LEDs that can produce white light on their own, the researchers firstly built LEDs from organic, carbon-based materials, like plastic, rather than from more expensive semiconducting materials such as gallium, which also require more complicated manufacturing processes.

Then, they demonstrated, for the first time, an organic white-light LED operating within only a single active layer, rather than several sophisticated layers.

In fact, they even showed that by putting two of these single-layer LEDs together in a tandem unit, it was possible to achieve even higher efficiency.

The authors said that their LED could achieve a CRI rating of nearly 70-almost good enough to read by.

Progress in this area promises further reduction in the price of organic LEDs.

The study has been published in the latest issue of Journal of Applied Physics, published by the American Institute of Physics (AIP). (ANI)

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A bacterium that eats electricity to convert CO2 into methane

April 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, April 6 (ANI): A team of scientists has discovered a new bacterium that feeds on electricity and uses it to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane, which could then be stored and burned when needed.

According to a report in New Scientist, Bruce Logan’s team at Pennsylvania State University in University Park discovered the bacterium.

When living on the cathode of an electrolytic cell, the organism can take in electrons and use their energy to convert carbon dioxide into methane.

Logan’s team discovered this behaviour in a mixed culture of bacteria, dominated by ethanobacterium palustre – the first to be observed directly manufacturing methane in this way.

The behaviour had been previously suspected but not confirmed.

Tom Curtis at the Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability at Newcastle University, UK, said that the use of bacteria, rather than conventional catalysts, is a plus.

“There are no noble metals involved, so it should be very cheap,” he said.

Of the energy put into the system as electricity, 80 percent was eventually recovered when the methane was burned, which is a fairly high efficiency.

“You don’t get all the energy back, but that’s a problem with any form of energy storage,” said Curtis.

If the CO2 used to make the methane was captured from the flue pipes of power stations or even – using more complex methods – from the open air, the methane would become a carbon-neutral fuel.

Logan is optimistic about the method’s potential.

“Commercial applications could be just a few years down the road,” he said.

According to Curtis, “If you have a windmill, say, you need a relatively simple way to store the energy. What I like about this method is it’s simple, it’s replicable and it’s scalable.” (ANI)

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Inner workings of photosynthesis revealed by new laser technique

February 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Feb 9 (ANI): In a research, a powerful new laser technique has helped to reveal the inner workings of photosynthesis, or how the Sun’s energy moves inside plants, for the very first time.

Inside a photosynthetic protein, the sun’s energy is efficiently guided across the molecule to drive a chemical reaction that stores energy as food and takes in carbon dioxide (CO2).

Scientists would very much like to harness this process as they search for new energy solutions to replace fossil fuels. To do this, they need to understand this energy transport process in more detail.

Analyzing energy transport is an important way of understanding the inner workings of a wide range of systems, from biological processes to car engines.

However, in very small-scale systems such as photosynthetic molecules, quantum effects come into play, making it difficult for scientists to explain how photosynthetic molecules are able to transport energy with remarkably high efficiency.
“These new pictures are instantaneous snap-shots of energy being transported between electrons across a protein.

Remarkably, the pictures go further in unraveling the complex way the electrons interact. This gives us something akin to a fingerprint for electronic couplings,” Dr Ian Mercer from the School of Physics at University College Dublin, the lead author of the new study, told ENN (Environmental News Network).

The researchers probed a sample of a protein found in bacteria, called LH2, which was provided by the University of Glasgow.

This bacterial protein was used because it harvests light in the same way as photosynthetic plant proteins.

By illuminating the sample with a combination of high power laser pulses all derived from the same laser, the researchers obtained a map of bright spots on a camera in a tiny fraction of a second.

The position of each spot corresponds to a unique angle of light emitted from the sample and this directly relates to how electrons in the protein respond to the laser light and to each other.

According to Dr John Tisch from Imperial College London’s Department of Physics, “The laser produces a very broad range of colours, which allowed us to map a broad range of energy levels in the protein.”

With this laser, a map can be captured with a single pulse of laser light meaning that full information can be gathered prior to, or during, a chemical reaction.

“Hopefully one day we will be able to harness the exquisite mechanisms that we learn about from molecules, whose function has been honed by evolution over hundreds of millions of years”, said Dr Mercer. (ANI)

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Biomass charcoal heater may herald new era in ultra-high efficiency home heating

February 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Feb 6 (ANI): Scientists in Japan are reporting development of an improved “biomass charcoal combustion heater” that they say could open a new era in sustainable and ultra-high efficiency home heating.

In the study, researchers Amit Suri, Masayuki Horio and colleagues note that about 67 percent of Japan is covered with forests, with that biomass the nation’s most abundant renewable energy source.

Wider use of biomass could tap that sustainable source of fuel and by their calculations cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by 4.46 million tons.

Using waste biomass charcoal, their heater recorded a thermal efficiency of 60-81 percent, compared to an efficiency of 46-54 percent of current biomass stoves in Turkey and the U.S.

According to the authors of the study, “The charcoal combustion heater developed in the present work, with its fast startup, high efficiency, and possible automated control, would open a new era of massive but small-scale biomass utilization for a sustainable society.” (ANI)

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