JA Solar Announces Supply Agreements With BP Solar for More Than 185 MW

SHANGHAI, China, Oct 6, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. (JASO 8.80, +0.50, +6.02%) , one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-performance solar cells and solar power products, today announced that it had signed strategic supply agreements with BP Solar to provide a total of more than 185 MWs of mono-crystalline and multi-crystalline solar cells in 2010 and through 2011.

Under the terms of the agreements, JA Solar will supply BP Solar with more than 100 MW in 2011, beginning in the first quarter. In a separate agreement, which began earlier this year, JA committed to provide more than 85 MW, a significant portion of which has already been delivered, with the remainder continuing through the fourth quarter of 2010.

"We have been working with BP Solar, which has its headquarters in San Francisco, since 2008 and we are very pleased to extend our relationship, as they are one of the world's largest integrated solar energy companies," said Dr. Peng Fang, CEO of JA Solar. "With our leading cost structure, JA Solar provides BP Solar a cost advantage in the residential, commercial and utility markets. This agreement provides JA with firm orders through next year," he said.

"We are very pleased to continue our partnership with JA Solar," said Mike Petrucci, CEO of BP Solar. "A solid supply of high-quality solar cells is critical in meeting our growing demand for BP Solar's proven product line, delivering the highest lifetime value," he said.

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South Korea firms jump onto solar bandwagon

(Reuters) - South Korea's technology giants are behind the pace in getting on the $35 billion global solar energy bandwagon, but are now making up for lost time, snapping up assets overseas.

The push factors are compelling. The markets for their traditional businesses in chips and LCD screens are saturated and their margins thinning while their rivals in Japan and Taiwan are already racing ahead in the green technology arena.

This year, the market share of South Korean companies in the global solar cells business is expected nearly double to 4.7 percent versus a year ago, according to Mark Jee, a senior researcher at Solar & Energy, a photovoltaic market research institute in Seoul.

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The Environmental Impact of Organic Solar Cells

Researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York have conducted a life-cycle assessment of organic solar cells to better understand the energy as well as the environmental benefits and detriments of solar power.

"This analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of how much energy it takes to manufacture an organic solar cell, which has a significant impact on both the cost and environmental impact of the technology," said Brian Landi, a faculty advisor on the project.

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Bring solar power back to the White House

A few of us have spent the past week carefully transporting a relic of American history down the East Coast, trying to return it to the White House, where it belongs.

It's not a painting spirited from the Lincoln Bedroom or an antique sideboard stolen from the Roosevelt Room by some long-ago servant. No, this relic comes from the somewhat more prosaic Carter roof. It's a solar panel, one of a large array installed on top of the White House in June 1979.

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4 Solar Power Rebates You May Not Know About

It will take a perfect storm of converging forces to push solar power into the limelight as a practical source of reliable power. So far, concerns about climate change, diminishing oil reserves and environmental impacts have all contributed to the growing demand for alternative sources of energy. And for consumers, solar is starting to look pretty enticing thanks to government incentives. Find out what you can get for choosing to solar to power your home.

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Thinking about solar? It's easier to start small

Residential solar power is becoming more like a box lunch than a seven-course gourmet meal.

A number of companies are taking advantage of technical advances, notably microinverters, to make buying a handful of solar panels, rather than a roof full, a viable option. That doesn't mean that everyone can install their own electric panels, but it can lower the cost of entry for solar.

Green Ray Solar this week is expected to announce UL certification for a solar panel that puts out alternating current, rather than direct current as most solar photovoltaic panels do today. AC panels can be simpler to install and wire together than traditional panels, which makes a piecemeal approach easier, said Miles Russell, the CEO of Green Ray Solar.

Read more from this CNET Blog - http://bit.ly/clcUQD

Apartment builders going green with Dallas projects

The Ilume, home to apartments and shops on Cedar Springs, recycled construction waste, used materials with recycled components and installed lighting that conserves electricity as well as low-flow plumbing fixtures.

But the developer hopes another amenity catches renters' attention: lower utility bills.

UDR is promising that residents in the 464-unit property will save $380 to $550 a year in utility costs because of energy-efficient construction.

"We think it will differentiate us somewhat in the marketplace," said Doug Walker, senior vice president of asset quality for UDR.

The Belmont has a silver award in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

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