ASP Sponsors GreenCities™ Florida

Lake Mary, Fl., May 26, 2009 – Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP), the cutting-edge developer of laser systems and one hundred percent American made monocrystalline solar panels recently sponsored Florida’s first GreenCities™ event in Orlando. This conference, an innovative sustainability conference for business, government and community was held May 20th and 21st, at the Orange County Convention Center.

“In sponsoring GreenCities™ Florida, Advanced Solar Photonics’ goal was to promote renewable energy in the state of Florida, said ASP’s Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Maureen McHale.

The conference offered a highly interactive, outcome-based portfolio of workshops presented with practical steps and specific plans for participating in the growing $400 billion green economy. State and national experts in green government, business, and technology provided practical tools, case studies, and resources. Additionally, numerous speakers' focused on sharing vital information driving today’s new green economy and moving Florida towards a sustainable future.

Orange County Mayor, Richard Crotty kicked off the event by cutting the green ribbon for the grand opening and dedication of Orange County's new Climate Change Education Center. Following the dedication ceremony, in addition to the Mayor, Senator Lee Constantine and Lt. Governor John Lushetsky participated in flipping the switch on Orange County's new one megawatt solar system on the rooftop of the convention center.

“We believe GreenCities™ Florida was an excellent opportunity for key people to meet and take the first steps towards changing Florida’s future which is why Advanced Solar Photonics not only had a booth in the tradeshow area, our CEO, Demitri Nikitin, was the keynote speaker at the sustainability in manufacturing session. Additionally, ASP sponsored the evening networking reception, at the Orlando Peabody Hotel, for all convention attendees. In the end, because of the connections we were able to make, it was well worth the sponsorship.” said McHale.

Advanced Solar Photonics, (ASP) located in Lake Mary, Florida employs an international team of technology driven professionals. ASP manufacturers cutting-edge solar panels and commercial solar products for the solar industry.

Media Contact:
Maureen McHale
Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager
mmchale@advancedsolarphotonics.com
407-829-2613 x317
www.advancedsolarphotonics.com

The Benefits of Solar Energy

Solar energy will benefit a lot of people and not only the rich. This is why some governments have increased funding for this type of technology because they are aware of its many benefits.
For one, solar energy is very cheap compared to other technologies. It is also renewable unlike coal or the rest which are non-renewable and hard to maintain.

It also improves the health of people since it does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions unlike kerosene lamps that give out fumes which are just as deadly as smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. It also reduces the incidents of fire that are often associated with the use of kerosene, candles, diesel fuel and gasoline for generators.

Solar energy is almost maintenance free because the solar cells used will last for 20 years or more before it has to be replaced. You just have to keep the panels clean so it is able to absorb sunlight and convert that into electricity.

These are also very useful in remote locations where power lines are not yet available. Some examples of these include fish houses, highway signs, marine applications, remote lighting and telecommunication.

If countries focus on solar energy and other renewable techniques, they will be able to conserve their foreign exchange because they no longer have to use it to pay for foreign oil. This money can then be used for other things such as health care, infrastructure projects and education.
Solar energy will also reduce your electricity bills because you are no longer dependent on electricity coming from the power company. The only downside to solar energy is the initial cost in setting it up.

Yes you will have to buy a lot of solar panels which are quite expensive but in the long run, you will be able to save more because you don’t have to pay for anything else to keep them running.
Should the cost of solar cells be beyond your budget, you can probably invest in used systems first then try to acquire the brand new ones later on.

Another benefit of using solar energy is that you get to conserve fossil fuels and other natural resources that are quickly diminishing as a direct result of an increase in the world’s population which could compromise the needs of the future generations.

So should people get into solar energy? The answer is yes because it is safe, cheap and good for the environment. You only have to worry when the sun isn’t shining because when this happens, rays from the sun won’t be able to produce electricity so you have to rely on other means to get power. The same also goes when there is a blackout or brownout because you will soon lose power from your solar system.

The demand for solar energy is increasing and you should join in. Aside from reducing your electric bill, homeowners who use solar energy may claim up to $2,000 in federal investment tax credit in the first year while businesses may claim a 30% federal investment tax credit.

Believe it or not, solar energy has one other benefit and that it increases the value of your home. According to home appraisers, a dollar decrease in your energy bill results in a $20 increase in its property value so do the math and you can easily figure out how much your home will be worth after you decide to invest in solar energy.

Can Hawaii get GREENER?

HONOLULU (AP) — Wind and solar power pioneers spent this week seeking their Holy Grail: the ability to easily sell renewable electricity for use on Hawaii's power grids.

Clean energy groups met with the state's major power company and regulators in an attempt to decide how much the utility would have to pay everyone from big clean energy developers to homeowners for their independently produced power. The five-day hearing at the Honolulu Country Club concluded Friday.

Setting a standard rate for renewable electricity is a key to Hawaii's transformation from the nation's most fossil-fuel dependent state to its most self-reliant.

"It really is the difference between us having a rapid development of large-scale renewable development in Hawaii, or having things stay the same," said Erik Kvam, chief executive officer for Zero Emissions.

This week's meetings provided the state Public Utilities Commission with information it will use to decide how to set prices for renewable energy and to make rulings on how much clean power can be accepted into each island's power grid.

If the regulators decide to enact the policy, called a feed-in tariff, Hawaii would become the first state in the nation to have these kinds of incentives for renewable energy.

"What is a fair price that will meet the needs of the developers but also protect the rate payers?" asked Peter Rosegg, a spokesman for Hawaiian Electric Co., which serves most of the state's power needs along with its subsidiaries, Maui Electric Co. and Hawaii Electric Light Co. "The question is in the details."

Hawaii depends on imported oil for about 90 percent of its energy, as it has for decades.Hawaiian Electric committed to work toward implementing feed-in tariffs when it signed on last year to Hawaii's Clean Energy Initiative, which aims to meet 40 percent of the state's energy needs through renewables by 2030.

The difficulty for the Public Utilities Commission will be finding a rate that encourages companies to invest in building renewable energy projects without forcing customers to pay much more for their power.

Following closing arguments Friday, the commissioners were left with more questions than answers, and they didn't appear close to making any ruling. A feed-in tariff will take months of additional debate and consideration before it's set.

"There's a lot of decisions that have to be made," said Carlito Caliboso, chairman of the commission. "There's a lot of balancing interests and policy we have to do."

Currently, companies that want to build expansive wind farms or solar projects have to go through a yearslong process with the state and Hawaiian Electric before they can get a contract to provide power to the grid.

With feed-in tariffs, companies would know how much they'd get paid for electricity from the start.

Some clean energy advocates worried that the commission wouldn't act fast enough or set a rate generous enough to attract "green" investment in Hawaii.

"If oil costs were still at $100 plus per barrel, our whole attitude at this hearing would be much different," said Jody Allione of Renewable Energy Consulting in her closing arguments.

The commissioners will have to think of ways to set fair rates for each island and ensure grid stability despite an influx of intermittent power, Rosegg said.

"The rate should make it attractive to developers, but much more importantly it should offer a long-term benefit to rate payers," said Doug Codiga, an attorney for Blue Planet Foundation, whose mission is to make Hawaii energy independent. "

There may be a short-term increase, it's possible, but over the long term the idea is that indigenous renewable energy is cheaper to rate payers than oil."

Advantages of Using Solar Energy

Are you burdened with your monthly home electric bills? No matter how you try to keep your consumption of electricity low, does it still hurt your pocket when payment is due? Have you pondered on ways on how you can eliminate this undesirable load from your budget? Well, worry no more. The answer to all these questions can actually be very simple: solar energy.

In homes, solar energy is a very good option since it is very efficient and environmentally friendly. All you have to do is invest on solar panels that will convert the heat coming from the sun to useful energy that you can use for numerous items in your household. These solar panels can be strategically placed on the part of your house where they will be in contact with the heat coming from the sun at all times. These devices can also supply heating and energy in your homes not only during the day but also at night time since they also have energy storage devices.

So how do they work?
These solar panels, or solar cells, are also known as photovoltaic cells (PV) that are in turn made of semiconductors such as silicon. When light hits the cells, it is absorbed and then transferred into the semiconductor which lets loose electrons allowing them to move freely. The PV then has the capacity to direct the electrons to flow in a certain direction which is now the current that we can use externally. Lights in your yard, for instance, can be made to work using solar energy. Calculators with small solar panels also function without the use of your standard batteries. Even heating your water can be made possible through the use of energy from sunlight. Watching television, turning on air-conditioning units, operating washing machines, and surfing the net for hours in your laptops can be just some household activities that can be done without the guilt or worry of high electricity bills if you are to use solar energy. And since heat coming from the sun is inexhaustible, there is no possibility of having blackouts in your entire home.Among the advantages of using solar energy are:

1) Environmental friendly
Being a renewable source of energy, it is highly sustainable and clean to use. Unlike nuclear energy and energy obtained from fossil fuels, solar energy does not leave behind waste products and is a non-polluting source of energy. It doesn’t have the dangers of nuclear technology.

2) Reduced cost
The best part about using solar energy probably is that it is free. Direct from the sun. Even thought, there are certain time where the weather conditions are cloudy and stormy where solar power may not be received, but such days are exceptions and not the rule. After the one-time investment in the solar energy device gets fully recovered, the energy that is provided by the sun is absolutely free and does not involve any further investments.

3) Independent or semi-independent
The semi-independent benefit of the solar energy includes offset utilization of energy consumption supplied and the ability to operate independently without requiring the support of any gas or power grid. Therefore solar energy can be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.

4) Little or no maintenance
Solar equipment requires less maintenance as compared to conventional energy equipment, resulting in significant cost saving. As the solar equipment do not require investment or expenditure in its maintenance, a large amount of maintenance cost can be saved. After installation, the solar energy systems do not need to be paid for the recurring costs.

New Solar Plant Opening in Florida Creates 1500 Jobs

Did you know a solar manufacturing plant is opening in Florida which will create 1500 jobs?

In case you missed the coverage on Fox35 or in the Orlando Business Journal in April, here's an update. Advanced Solar Photonics, located off Rinehart Road in Lake Mary, Florida is in the process of assembling a solar panel manufacturing line, which will bring 1500 new jobs to Central Florida.

Having secured a 318,000 square foot facility last year, ASP is in the assembly stage of developing two processing lines in the facility, which we call SolarFAB™. In the plant, ASP will manufacture both thin film and monocrystalline photovoltaic solar modules.

"As the only manufacturer of solar panels in the state of Florida our projects will focus on lowering Florida’s carbon footprint as we have projects pending with the local schools, universities, military bases, etc. We are also partnering with Florida utility companies to develop power purchase agreements where the utility company will purchase power generated from our solar farms. Additionally, we will provide solar panels and commercial solar energy generating systems to distributors throughout the world, " said Maureen McHale, Advanced Solar Photonics Director of Marketing and Public Relations.

"Our solar panels will be 100% Made in America from the material, components, and equipment used in production. We are very proud to be the only monocrystalline solar panel manufacturer in the United States that can say our panels are 100% Made in America," said McHale.

Currently, clean rooms are in place, equipment is being installed and a pilot line will be up and running within the next few weeks to allow for full certification. The first mono-crystalline panels are slated to come off the line by the end of July. Starting at 5MW in July ramping up to 100MW at the end of 2009 and every quarter thereafter ASP will increase our capacity by 50MW to be at 500MW of production capacity by 2011. This will be largest solar manufacturing plant in the United States.

Full thin film production is scheduled to ramp up by late 2010. ASP expects to hire approximately 200 people by the end of the summer and another 1300 over the next two years.

Media Contact:

Maureen McHale

mmchale@advancedsolarphotonics.com

407-804-1000 x317

11 Solar Power Facts

1) Fact: It takes 8 minutes 15 seconds for light to travel from the sun’s surface to earth.

2) Fact: Horace de Saussure (Swiss Scientist) invented the world’s first solar energy collector or ‘hot box’ in 1767.

3) Fact: In the 1830s British astronomer John Herschel used a solar energy collector box to cook food while on an expedition to Africa.

4) Fact: Albert Einstein won the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1921 for his experiments with solar energy.

5) Fact: Enough sunlight falls on the earth every minute to meet the world’s energy demands for a whole year.

6) Fact: You can install solar power in the remotest locations.

7) Fact: If there is a power outage in your home or business, you can still have electricity!

8) Fact: Over 40000 solar powered systems have been installed in the United Kingdom.

9) Fact: In the United States there are more than 15000 homes which are powered by solar energy.

10) Fact: Passive solar energy converts sunlight into usable heat without the assistance of other energy sources.

11) Fact: Solar energy will not pollute the planets air with carbon dioxide or other harmful emmisions.

Advanced Solar Photonics Solar Panels are 100% American Made

Lake Mary, Fl., May 6, 2009 – Advanced Solar Photonics (ASP) announced today that the company’s monocrystalline solar panels which are slated to come off the line in July of 2009, will be one hundred percent American made.

“We are very proud to be the only monocrystalline solar panel manufacturer that can say our panels are completely made in the United States,” said ASPs’ Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Maureen McHale.


Currently, clean rooms are in place, equipment is being installed and a pilot line will be up and running within the next few weeks to allow for full certification. Starting at 5MW in July and ramping up to 100MW at the end of 2009, ASP will increase production capacity by 50MW every quarter thereafter to be at 500MW by 2011. Additionally, full thin film production is scheduled to ramp up to 40MW by late 2010.


“Our SolarFAB™ facility will not only be largest thin film and monocrystalline solar manufacturing plant in the United States, but unlike any other company, 100% of the components and materials for our monocrystalline panels will be made in America. Even the equipment used for production is made in the United States.” said McHale.


This new facility will not only manufacture American made solar products, but will also be responsible for the creation of green jobs. ASP expects to hire approximately 200 people by the end of the summer of 2009 and another 1300 over the next two years.


Advanced Solar Photonics, (ASP) located in Lake Mary, Florida employs an international team of technology driven professionals. ASP’s cutting-edge laser equipment for solar panel processing, solar cells, and commercial solar products for the solar industry is applicable to both the silicon and thin-film processes.

Media Contact:
Maureen McHale
Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager
mmchale@advancedsolarphotonics.com
407-829-2613 x317
www.advancedsolarphotonics.com

ASP Featured Again!

As seen on:









Advanced Solar Photonics has expanded its SolarFAB solar panel manufacturing facility to produce 40MW of thin film and up to 500MW of monocrystalline solar panels.

Advanced Solar Photonics, (ASP), has increased the product line for its previously announced SolarFAB™ project in Lake Mary, Florida to include not only thin film, but also mono-crystalline solar modules.

“Originally, our SolarFab™ production plant would only manufacture thin film modules, up to 40MW. However, due to high response for our panels, Advanced Solar Photonics will not only be producing thin film, but also mono-crystalline panels,” said Maureen McHale, Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager for ASP. “This new silicon line would initially be 25MW, ramping up to 50MW in a fairly short span of time. Within 2 years it's possible we'll be at 500MW of monocrystalline modules.”

Having securing a 318,000 square foot facility within the last year, ASP is in the assembly stage of developing the two lines. Clean rooms are in place, equipment is starting to arrive and a pilot line will be up and running within the next few weeks. The first mono-crystalline panels are slated to some off the line by the end of the summer, 2009. Full thin film production is scheduled to ramp up by late 2010.

“Adding another dimension to the manufacturing plant not only allows us to meet customer demands, it also increases job creation for the Central Florida area. Up from projecting approximately 200 green jobs, we now estimate SolarFAB™ will employ 1500 people,” said McHale.

With the dependence on foreign oil, environmental degradation and the vulnerability of power networks, SolarFAB™ SunPanels™, both thin film and the new mono-crystalline, will help meet government and consumers’ growing demand for increasingly efficient and cost- effective solar power.

Advanced Solar Photonics, located in Lake Mary, Florida employs an international team of technology driven professionals. Reaching out to the photovoltaic industry, ASP strives to lower manufacturing costs utilizing proven patented technology geared to improve and lower the cost per kilowatt. This technology is applicable to both the silicon and thin film processes.

ASP in the News - on Nanowerk

As seen on Nanowerk – the world's most comprehensive nanotechnology and nanoscience resources...

Advanced Solar Photonics Expands SolarFAB Facility to Manufacture Thin Film and Mono-Crystalline Solar Modules

(Nanowerk News) Advanced Solar Photonics, (ASP), the cutting-edge developer of laser marking, scribing, edge deletion and edge isolation systems for the solar industry, has increased the product line for its previously announced SolarFAB™ project in Lake Mary, Florida to include not only thin film, but also mono-crystalline solar modules.

“Originally, our SolarFab™ production plant would only manufacture thin film modules, up to 40MW. However, due to high response for our panels, Advanced Solar Photonics will not only be producing thin film, but also mono-crystalline panels,” said Maureen McHale, Corporate Marketing and Public Relations Manager for ASP. “This new silicon line would initially be 25MW, ramping up to 50MW in a fairly short span of time. Within 2 years it's possible we'll be at 500MW of monocrystalline modules.”

Having securing a 318,000 square foot facility within the last year, ASP is in the assembly stage of developing the two lines. Clean rooms are in place, equipment is starting to arrive and a pilot line will be up and running within the next few weeks. The first mono-crystalline panels are slated to some off the line by the end of the summer, 2009. Full thin film production is scheduled to ramp up by late 2010.

“Adding another dimension to the manufacturing plant not only allows us to meet customer demands, it also increases job creation for the Central Florida area. Up from projecting approximately 200 green jobs, we now estimate SolarFAB™ will employ 1500 people,” said McHale.

With the dependence on foreign oil, environmental degradation and the vulnerability of power networks, SolarFAB™ SunPanels™, both thin film and the new mono-crystalline, will help meet government and consumers’ growing demand for increasingly efficient and cost- effective solar power.

Advanced Solar Photonics (advancedsolarphotonics.com), located in Lake Mary, Florida employs an international team of technology driven professionals. Reaching out to the photovoltaic industry, ASP strives to lower manufacturing costs utilizing proven patented technology geared to improve and lower the cost per kilowatt. This technology is applicable to both the silicon and thin film processes.