SunPower
Encyclopedia
SunPower Corporation designs and manufactures high-efficiency crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, roof tiles and solar panel
s based on a silicon
all-back-contact solar cell
invented at Stanford University
. SunPower Corporation is publicly traded on the NASDAQ
as SPWRA and SPWRB. SunPower Corporation is a component of the Dow Jones Oil and Gas Index DJUSEN.
In February 2010, SunPower corporation acquired Europe's SunRay Renewable Energy for $277 million.
On 29 April 2011, Total S.A.
agreed to buy 60% of SunPower for US$1.38 billion.
On June 23, 2010, SunPower Corp announced that it has produced a full-scale solar cell with a sunlight to electricity conversion efficiency of 24.2 percent at its manufacturing plant in the Philippines. This is a new world record, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), for large area silicon wafers.
technology. The company maintains a market-leading position in Spain with more than 61 megawatts installed or under construction; recently completed a 2.2-megawatt solar power plant in Mungyeong
, Korea; and the largest solar installation in the U.S., the 15-megawatt Nellis Solar Power Plant
in Nevada.
On October 6, 2008, Agilent Technologies
and SunPower Corporation announced that a 1-megawatt solar tracking system at Agilent's campus will start producing electricity in mid-October. The system features a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) parking lot
canopy structure with nearly 3,500 SunPower solar panels that track the sun throughout the day. The design of SunPower's tracking solar system will generate up to 25 percent more energy for Agilent than a similarly sized flat, rooftop system, the company said. As a result, Agilent's solar parking canopy is the largest solar energy generator in Sonoma County, California.
SunPower donated the solar cells for the NASA
/AeroVironment
Pathfinder-Plus high-altitude UAV, which then set an altitude record of 80201 feet (24,445.3 m) for solar-powered and propeller-driven aircraft.
On August 4, 2010, SunPower Corporation announced it has completed a 505-kilowatt solar power installation for Horizon Power
, a government-owned utility providing power to remote and regional communities and resource operations in the Marble Bar and Nullagine areas of the east Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The ground-mounted SunPower T20 Tracker installation is the largest solar tracking system in Australia, and powers the world's first high penetration, hybrid solar-diesel power stations. The power stations will generate approximately 1,048 megawatt hours of solar energy per year and will produce 60 percent to 90 percent of daily electricity needs for the remote communities. This project was supported by the Australian Government through the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program and implemented by the Office of Energy in Western Australia.
In 2011, SunPower and Ford announced they would give Ford electric car buyers an option to install a residential solar panel placed as part of the rooftop that will charge the electric car.
Photovoltaic module
A solar panel is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells...
s based on a silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
all-back-contact solar cell
Solar cell
A solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
invented at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. SunPower Corporation is publicly traded on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
as SPWRA and SPWRB. SunPower Corporation is a component of the Dow Jones Oil and Gas Index DJUSEN.
History
In January 2007, SunPower corporation acquired PowerLight Corporation, a leading global provider of large-scale solar power systems.In February 2010, SunPower corporation acquired Europe's SunRay Renewable Energy for $277 million.
On 29 April 2011, Total S.A.
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
agreed to buy 60% of SunPower for US$1.38 billion.
Cells
SunPower 125mm-wide single-crystal silicon solar cells are based on a rear-contact design that eliminates front-side metallization, maximizes the working cell area, eliminates redundant wires and makes automated production easier. Forming the junction at the rear of the cell, combined with a clever surface treatment, allows it to trap and convert much more of the available photons into mobile electrons—yielding a jump in efficiency. The cell employs several other tricks to boost efficiency, including an oxide passivation layer on the backside to deny regions for unwanted hole-electron recombination.On June 23, 2010, SunPower Corp announced that it has produced a full-scale solar cell with a sunlight to electricity conversion efficiency of 24.2 percent at its manufacturing plant in the Philippines. This is a new world record, confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), for large area silicon wafers.
Installations
SunPower has recently announced a number of projects around the world that utilize its patented solar trackerSolar tracker
A solar tracker is a generic term used to describe devices that orient various payloads toward the sun. Payloads can be photovoltaic panels, reflectors, lenses or other optical devices....
technology. The company maintains a market-leading position in Spain with more than 61 megawatts installed or under construction; recently completed a 2.2-megawatt solar power plant in Mungyeong
Mungyeong
Mungyeong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk Province, South Korea. The local government, economy, and transportation networks are all centered in Jeomchon, the principal town. Mungyeong has a lengthy history, and is known today for its various historic and scenic tourist attractions...
, Korea; and the largest solar installation in the U.S., the 15-megawatt Nellis Solar Power Plant
Nellis Solar Power Plant
The Nellis Solar Power Plant is located within Nellis Air Force Base in Clark County, Nevada, on the northeast side of Las Vegas. The Nellis solar energy system will generate in excess of 25 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and supply more than 25 percent of the power used...
in Nevada.
On October 6, 2008, Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies , or Agilent, is a company that designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments and equipment for measurement and evaluation...
and SunPower Corporation announced that a 1-megawatt solar tracking system at Agilent's campus will start producing electricity in mid-October. The system features a 3 acres (12,140.6 m²) parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
canopy structure with nearly 3,500 SunPower solar panels that track the sun throughout the day. The design of SunPower's tracking solar system will generate up to 25 percent more energy for Agilent than a similarly sized flat, rooftop system, the company said. As a result, Agilent's solar parking canopy is the largest solar energy generator in Sonoma County, California.
SunPower donated the solar cells for the NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
/AeroVironment
AeroVironment
AeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971...
Pathfinder-Plus high-altitude UAV, which then set an altitude record of 80201 feet (24,445.3 m) for solar-powered and propeller-driven aircraft.
On August 4, 2010, SunPower Corporation announced it has completed a 505-kilowatt solar power installation for Horizon Power
Horizon Power
Horizon Power is a commercially focused, State Government-owned power company that provides power supplies to Western Australia. It is responsible for generating, procuring, distributing and retailing electricity to residential, industrial and commercial customers and resource developments in its...
, a government-owned utility providing power to remote and regional communities and resource operations in the Marble Bar and Nullagine areas of the east Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The ground-mounted SunPower T20 Tracker installation is the largest solar tracking system in Australia, and powers the world's first high penetration, hybrid solar-diesel power stations. The power stations will generate approximately 1,048 megawatt hours of solar energy per year and will produce 60 percent to 90 percent of daily electricity needs for the remote communities. This project was supported by the Australian Government through the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program and implemented by the Office of Energy in Western Australia.
In 2011, SunPower and Ford announced they would give Ford electric car buyers an option to install a residential solar panel placed as part of the rooftop that will charge the electric car.
Retail renewable electricity
SunPower has announced that it plans to compete with retail electric rates by reducing system cost by 50% by 2012.See also
- Renewable energy companies on the stock exchange
- First SolarFirst SolarFirst Solar, Inc. is an American manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic modules, or solar panels, and a provider to PV power plants of supporting services that include finance, construction, maintenance and end-of-life panel recycling...
- Green technology
- Helios PrototypeHelios PrototypeThe NASA Pathfinder, NASA Pathfinder Plus, NASA Centurion and NASA Helios Prototype were an evolutionary series of solar- and fuel-cell-system-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. AeroVironment, Inc. developed the vehicles under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology program...
- Photovoltaic array
- PhotovoltaicsPhotovoltaicsPhotovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material...
- Power purchase agreementPower Purchase AgreementPower Purchase Agreements are contracts between two parties, one who generates electricity for the purpose of sale and one who is looking to purchase electricity . There are various forms of Power Purchase Agreements; these are differentiated by the source of energy harnessed...
- Renewable energyRenewable energyRenewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
- Serpa solar power plant in Portugal
- Solar panelPhotovoltaic moduleA solar panel is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells...
- Solar powerSolar powerSolar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
- Solar shingle
- Solar trackerSolar trackerA solar tracker is a generic term used to describe devices that orient various payloads toward the sun. Payloads can be photovoltaic panels, reflectors, lenses or other optical devices....
- Suntech PowerSuntech PowerSuntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. is the world's largest producer of solar panels, with 1,800MW of annual production capacity by the end of 2010. With offices or production facilities in every major market, Suntech has delivered more than 13,000,000 solar panels to thousands of companies in more...
- Timeline of solar energy