SCHOTT Solar's high-quality products exploit the virtually inexhaustible potential of the sun as a renewable source of energy. For this purpose SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy plants with parabolic trough technology. In the photovoltaic industry, the compnay is one of the few ingetrated manufacturers of crystalline silicon wafers, cells and modules. Wafer production is mainly carried out through a WACKER SCHOTT Solar joint venture, which aims to ensure the supply of silicon necessary for long-term growth.

"olar Silicon is a project that I2BF Venture Capital and Arbat Capital have jointly undertaken in the city of Irkutsk (Far East Russia). The goal of the project is to establish production of multicrystalline silicon (multisilicon) ingots. Multisilicon is a key feedstock for solar cell production.nUsually, multicrystalline silicon is produced from metallurgical grade silicon through an energy and component - intensive Siemens Process, which involves a chloride-silane purification stage. Solar Silicon however, is using a new technological method of multisilicon production, developed by the Irkutsk Institute of Geochemistry. The method includes direct purification process in an arc furnace of high purity quartzite from one of the local Irkutsk Oblast mines. The direct method will allow 30-50% cost savings on each kilo of silicon produced.

As the Solar Energy industry continues to emerge, new factories, new markets and new competitors place pressure on suppliers to meet ever higher demand for volume and quality. No longer can Solar manufacturers rely on legacy systems or manual methods of lot tracking. Today, Solar manufacturers need systems that can efficiently track, trace and control this high-volume production. Customer orders need to be visible to guarantee on-time delivery, and engineers need to collect data that will help them to improve quality and yields. Full-featured and ScalablennSolar Cell manufacturing includes high volume silicon wafer processing, electronic assembly, component tracking, vendor compliance and ultimately cell testing and rating. To manage these complex processes, Solar manufacturers need detailed data for analysis and control of a Wafer Fab, combined with visibility and traceability of the complex and high production volumes of Assembly and Test. When time-to-volume can make the difference in gaining market leadership, implementing a first-class, production-ready Manufacturing Execution System (MES) translates to a bigger share of the future. With Camstar's Solar Suite , Solar manufacturers get the power and control of the Fab combined with the dynamic tracking of Assembly and Test in a single Manufacturing Execution System. Camstar's solutions have long been a choice for Semiconductor and Electronics manufacturers, and Solar Edition is specifically designed to meet the needs of both the wafer processing and the electronic assembly. Out-of-the-box functionality translates to faster implementation and greater capability so users can have a first-class manufacturing solution that doesn't slow users down.

Covalent is a, spawned from MIT targeting a dye-based luminescent solar concentrator without tracking or cooling. The system looks to use both triple junction and silicon cells and could have eventual BIPV applications.

ET Solar is a world wide solar manufacturing solution provider. engaged initially in wafer and module production, the company have now successfully developed into the solar systems integration market with the company's tracking systems. ET Solar in China has already established two manufacturing plants in Taizhou city. Together with offices in the USA, Germany and Italy, the company are able to provide r products through a global distribution network.

AOS Solar was started in 2005 to combine the material cost and manufacturing process economics of thin film solar PV with the efficiency and reliability of crystalline silicon solar PV. The company have an initial prototype solar coupon built and tested using technology. nnThe company's key enablers to achieve market traction are the cost and reliability of the company's product. The silicon on glass (SOG) technology the company are developing will enable solar panels costing around $1/watt to manufacture on the company's pilot line, with lower costs as the company ramp up production due to manufacturing efficiencies and learning curve. Solar silicon is an established technology with proven 20+ year life (versus newer thin film technologies). nnToday the company have working coupons at 7.5% efficiency and the company are working to scale up to larger cells with target 9% efficiency in Q-1, 2008. The company's form factor and efficiency limits are based on first generation technology. By scaling the company's manufacturing and improving the company's technology the company expect to achieve 16 - 18% efficiency in a single junction and 22 - 24% efficiency in a double junction module. nnThe company's A round funding will be used to continue development of the company's equipment / process technology in order to manufacture on larger substrates (2.5' x 4' glass) and to design a scaled up manufacturing line (30+MW annual capacity) based on this development.