UTSA’s president, Ricardo Romo. ‘This projectepitomizes the institute’s new focus on scienceand technology and their influences on thepeople of Texas. This is a high-visibility project,and one that will educate children and adultsalike on the benefits of solar power.’

‘Renewable energy is a key component of theCPS Strategic Energy Plan, and we willcontinue to support research on projects like theSolar Power Station,’ says CPS general manager,Milton Lee. ‘Presently, wind-generated energycomprises 4% of our peak electrical demand,and we will increase our percentage ofrenewable energy to 10% by 2015.’

For more information on Institute of Texan Culturesat the University of Texas in San Antonio, go to:www.texancultures.utsa.edu

Smart Power M5 inverterat green building eventMassachusetts-based Beacon Power Corpor-ation presented its new Smart Power M5inverter at the 2nd Annual Greenbuild Confer-ence & Exposition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania– the largest gathering of green buildingdesigners and architects in the US.

The Smart Power M5 is a high-performance 5 kW inverter for grid-connected solar powerapplications. It incorporates a range of comp-onents in a compact, integrated system, includ-ing inverter, charge controller with maximumpower point tracking, switchgear and batterybackup. In a grid outage the M5 will continue toprovide PV (or battery) power to critical loads;traditional grid-tied inverters without backup donot function when primary power fails.

For more information on Beacon Power, go to:www.beaconpower.com

Daystar Tech files for IPOCalifornia-based Daystar Technologies hasfiled with the US Securities & ExchangeCommission to go public. It was selling 1million units for $9–11 each, with each unitmade up of one share of common stock and awarrant to buy a share of common stock.

DayStar Technologies has developed patentedand proprietary technologies for solar cells,packaged modules, complete PV power systems,and the associated manufacturing technology.

A primary innovation is a high-performance,thin-film solar cell module fabricated on flexiblesheet metal that offers manufacturing advantagesover conventional silicon and other thin-film PVtechnologies. By replacing the sheet metal withvery lightweight specialty foils, the company has

also created a high specific power (W/kg) solarcell for orbital and airborne vehicles such ashigh-altitude airships.

Daystar is seeking a listing on the NasdaqSmallCap Market. Its total revenues were$72 300 for the nine months to September 30,2003, a decrease of $292 200 (or 80%) from thecorresponding period in 2002. However, it hadposted a net loss of $809 600, an increase of$687 500 over the 2002 period, due in part fromlost revenues from the expiration of governmentresearch contracts.

For more information on Daystar Technologies, go to: www.daystartech.com

Solar power monitorwins design awardKyocera’s Econonavit monitor for domesticsolar power generation, which was releasedonto the market in June, has received the GoodDesign Award 2003, sponsored by the JapanIndustrial Design Promotion Organization(JIDPO). The monitor displays in real timedata on the power generated by the domesticsolar power generation system, as well as datarelating to power consumption in the house.

The Econonavit was commended for manyaspects, including its design concept, novel pre-sentation of information, innovative lifestylefeatures, ecological design and ability to blendwith house interiors. It is also regarded as adesign to promote future technology.

The device is claimed to be first of its kind inthe industry to feature wireless data trans-mission, which enables it to be set at anylocation in the house. The screen incorporates acolor liquid crystal – also an industry first – toshow a variety of menus in color graphs andanimations, such as a comparison of annual,monthly and daily data, conversion of environ-mental indicators and a memorial display.

The data transmission unit receives powergeneration data from the power conditioner,with power consumption data measured by thecurrent sensor in the residential power distrib-ution panel. Data are transmitted wirelessly fromthe transmission unit and displayed on themonitor’s main unit.

Unlike conventional indoor wall-fixedmonitors, the use of wireless data commun-ication makes it possible to use the unit anywherein the house. As the monitor is designed to eitherhang on a wall or stand on a desk, it can beinstalled wherever the family prefers.

The monitor displays not only the amount ofpower generation and the status of buying andselling power, but also the real-time powerconsumption of the household. This feature

3December 2003 Photovoltaics Bulletin

NEWS

IN BRIEF

PV powers chip makerKettle Foods Inc has installed the PacificNorthwest’s largest PV power plant on theroof of one of the natural food company’spotato chip warehouses in Oregon. It willuse the power to run potato chip manu-facturing equipment; the PV system willproduce 3–5% of the plant’s energyannually, even on cloudy winter days.

Spire risks Nasdaq delistingMassachusetts-based Spire Corporation couldbe delisted from the Nasdaq NationalMarket, with Nasdaq insisting that thecompany files with the US Securities &Exchange Commission two amended Form10-QSBs for the financial quarters endingJune 30 and September 30 this year.

If Spire does not produce the forms, itfaces being removed from Nasdaq, with itsstock then likely to be traded on the over-the-counter bulletin board. Spire has theoption to apply for an extension to thedeadlines set by Nasdaq, but there is noguarantee of an extension being granted.

World’s biggest PV plant for PortugalBP, Amper Central Solar, the Portuguesegovernment’s General Directorate of Energyand the Portuguese Investment Agency havesigned an agreement to cooperate on theinstallation of the world’s biggest PV powerplant at Moura, Portugal according to aCanal de Negocios report.

The 64 MW plant will cost an estimated�250 million, the report says, adding thatthe project will create 150 jobs directly and1000 indirectly. Work is scheduled to startby the end of the year.

UK council pleases residents with PVAccording to a report in the HuddersfieldDaily Examiner newspaper in the UK,residents in 30 houses and flats inRavensthorpe are trying out solar panels.

Many of the residents have opted for aspecial tariff – meaning they can sell excesselectricity back to their supplier at the sameprice that they buy it.

Kirklees Council, working with housingdeveloper Kirklees Community Assoc-iation, developed the scheme. Councilsfrom Germany, the Netherlands and Spainhave also been involved in the project, andare watching the results closely.

A two-year monitoring program is underway, as a condition of the European Comm-ission and UK Department of Trade &Industry funding for the scheme. Theproject team will examine its technicalaspects and the attitudes of residents. Othersolar energy projects are expected to follow.