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Sharp to Begin Mass Production of Thin-Film Solar PV

Sharp Corporation announced it will introduce a system to mass-produce thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules at its Katsuragi Plant in Nara Prefecture this September. The 2 billion yen production system will have an annual capacity of 15 megawatts (MW). Thin-film solar technology requires a very tiny amount of silicon compared to crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, and additionally, can be used in applications that offer attractive design features such as “illuminating solar panels (Lumiwall)” where they are combined with LEDs, and see-through type solar panels that permit natural light to pass through. Sharp’s crystalline thin-film tandem cells are based on a proprietary architecture that integrates amorphous silicon technology with crystalline thin-film silicon technology to boost conversion efficiency by 50% compared to existing solar cells. The company says compared with existing Sharp products, conversion efficiency will be increased from 7 – 11%.

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39% of S&P 100 Issue Annual Environmental Reports

A growing number of the largest publicly traded U.S. companies are reporting annually on their environmental and social performance just as they do on their financial performance, according to a new study by the Social Investment Research Analysts Network (SIRAN). Among the key findings of a SIRAN analysis of the reporting practices companies in the S&P 100 Index: * More than half of the S&P 100 Index (58 companies) have special sections of their websites dedicated to sharing information about their social and environmental policies and performance. * Almost 40 percent of the S&P 100 Index (39 companies) now issue annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports. * Nearly a quarter of the S&P 100 Index (24 companies) say they base their CSR reports on the widely recognized external standard provided by the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. Twenty of the companies included an index to GRI indicators in their reports. Six of the companies met the highest standard of reporting fully “in accordance” with the GRI guidelines. Of those companies issuing annual CSR reports, 62% say their reports are based on the GRI standards, and just over half (51%) include an index to GRI indicators. For the full […]

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