SCHOTT Solar has founded an independent company for its thin-film module business sector, SCHOTT Solar Thin Film GmbH. At its two locations in Jena and Putzbrunn near Munich, the new company will produce framed premium and standard modules, as well as OEM raw modules. Within the next few years, the annual production capacity is planned to expand to 100 megawatts (MW) from the current production capacity of 36 MW.

Solar Technologies recently completed a 12.4 kW solar power system for Storrs Winery at their Corralitos vineyard estate near Santa Cruz, California. Steve and Pamela Storrs, owners of Storrs Winery, have been converting their estate to organic farming practices. In keeping with their philosophy of sustainable farming, they chose to install a solar power system by Solar Technologies to power the irrigation pumps of their farm.

Solar Technologies recently completed a 74.6 kW solar power system for Brockman Farming, Inc. in Madera County. Brockman Farming wanted to reduce their consumption of resources and their electric bill for their citrus and pistachio orchards.

BrightSource Energy, Inc. has secured US $115 million in additional corporate funding from its Series C round of financing, bringing the total the company has raised to date to more than US $160 million. These additional funds could enable the company to accelerate its plans to deliver utility-grade solar power at a time when many utilities are searching for reliable sources of renewable energy.

IronRidge, formerly known as Two Seas, a provider of solar racking and mounting systems, has announced the completion of its rebranding initiatives and the launch of its new identity.

Since the election of Canada's Conservative government in 2006, criticism of its approach to environmental protection has been fairly sustained. Its former and present environment ministers were lambasted for stalling the process at climate change conferences in Nigeria and Bali. Conservatives also cut funding for renewables put in place by the previous government, and then re-instated it with new limitations, rankling clean energy supporters.

BEDFORD, MA — May 13, 2008 — Spire Corporation (Nasdaq: SPIR) today reported revenues for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008 of $14.9 million, a 113% increase from $7.0 million for the same quarter of 2007. Net loss for the first quarter of 2008 was $508,000, or $0.06 per share, compared with a net loss of $1.7 million, or $0.21 per share, for the first quarter of 2007.

SunWize Technologies, Inc. has completed a corporate-wide restructuring and expanded its capabilities; another milestone in the company's continuing evolution as the industry's premier provider of solar electric solutions.

SunPower Corporation announced that it has produced a full-scale, five-inch prototype solar cell with an efficiency of 23.4%. This is a world-record for a large area solar cell according to the company.

E-Village Inc. and ENN Solar have announced that the two companies have signed an agreement to bring a line of 5.7 square meter utility-grade modules to the solar photovoltaic (PV) market.

The last quarter of 2007 was an exciting time for the Silicon Valley start-up Innovalight: first a successful finance round that drew US $28 million of new capital, then the accolade of being amongst Red Herring's top one hundred innovators. Why the interest in Innovalight? Because of its remarkable claim to be able to print thin-film silicon solar cells.

Rocky Hill, Conn., May 12, 2008 - The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) today announced that the Town of North Canaan has joined the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program. Town officials have signed an official resolution declaring the town's commitment to the goal of having at least 20% of its electricity for municipal facilities come from clean, renewable energy sources by the year 2010. Working to create a cleaner environment and greater energy independence, North Canaan joins 74 other Connecticut municipalities that have made this commitment.

NanoMarkets, a leading industry analyst firm here, has released a new white paper that addresses the opportunities for materials suppliers for thin film and organic photovoltaics. The paper was drawn from a recently released report, Materials Markets for Thin-Film and Organic Photovoltaics. The paper can be downloaded from the firm's website at

DuPont announced it will soon begin construction on a research center in Hong Kong and a manufacturing facility in Shenzhen to support the growing solar photovoltaic (PV) industry.