Xinyu City, China: LDK Provides Update on Polysilicon Plant Construction Progress. LDK Solar, a manufacturer of multi- crystalline solar wafers, held an equipment installation celebration ceremony today for its 1,000 metric ton (MT) annualized capacity polysilicon plant in Xinyu, China.

Seoul, Korea: DC Chemical Raises Polysilicon Capacity. DC Chemical's board of directors has approved plans to expand the company's polysilicon manufacturing facilities. Specifically, the company plans to invest 880 billion won to build a No.3 polysilicon plant with 10,000 metric tons of annual capacity at its Gunsan plant site.

Sandvika, Norway: REC Commits to Phase 1 of Singapore Manufacturing Investment. Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC) has decided to invest close to NOK 13 billion in the first phase of an integrated manufacturing complex for production of wafers, cells and modules in Singapore.

Yorktown Heights, NY, USA: IBM and Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co-operate on Thin Film Development. Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd and IBM are collaborating to establish new, low-cost methods for bringing the next generation of solar energy products to market

Blaubeuren, Germany: Centrotherm Receives Solar Cell Manufacturing Equipment Order from Hyundai Heavy. Cell and Silicon equipment manufacturer, centrotherm photovoltaics AG, has received an order from Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.

Dongguan, China: DuPont Expands Production of Metallization Paste System. To meet the needs of the fast-growing photovoltaic solar energy market, DuPont will expand production of DuPont Solamet® thick film metallization pastes at its Electronic Materials DuPont Dongguan Ltd. (EMDD) facility.

Bedford, MA, USA: Spire Receives Order for Indian Module Assembly Line. Spire Corporation has received a contract from PLG Power Limited (PLG Group) to provide a state-of-the-art, turnkey photovoltaic module assembly line in India.

Boading, China: Baoding Yingli Moves into Polysilicon Manufacturing. Baoding Yingli said today the company is exploring the possibility of undertaking a green field project to manufacture polysilicon with 3,000 metric tons annual capacity in Baoding, China.

Bedford, MA, USA: Spire to Provide Turnkey Solar Module Manufacturing Line to BTCP in Russia. Spire Corporation has received a contract from Bogoroditsk Plant of Techno-Chemical Products (BTCP) to provide a photovoltaic module assembly line for the company's operations in Russia.

San Jose, CA, USA: SunPower to Build New Cell Plant in Malaysia. SunPower Corporation will build its next solar cell fabrication plant in Malaysia. When fully operational, Fab 3 is expected to have a nameplate rating in excess of 1-gigawatt of annual production capacity.

Blaubeuren, Germany: Centrosolar to Construct Portuguese Cell Plant. The recently formed joint-venture between QIMONDA and the CENTROSOLAR Group is planning to construct a production facility for Itarion Solar Lda for silicon-based solar cells at Vila do Conde in Portugal.

Herøya, Norway: REC Expands Production Capacity. REC has today approved plans to invest up to NOK 400 million to upgrade and extend the production capacity at the existing plants at the Herøya manufacturing complex.

Pasadena, CA, USA: Jacobs Receives Contract for New Polysilicon Plant. Jacobs Engineering Group has received a contract from Estelux to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services for a new polysilicon manufacturing facility at the existing petrochemical site in Ferrara, Italy.

Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany: Solibro Inaugurates its First Thin Film Production Line. Solibro GmbH inaugurated its first production line in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany last Friday.

Irvine, CA, USA: Quantum and Asola to Raise Module Manufacturing Capacity to 45MW. Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies' German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, is expanding its annual solar module manufacturing capacity to 45 MW, in response to increasing demand for photovoltaic power systems in Europe.

Padova, Italy: SILFAB SpA Selects CDI Corporation for Polysilicon Plant Engineering Contract. SILFAB SpA has chosen CDI Corporation to provide technology integration, basic engineering and detailed engineering services for its solar grade polysilicon manufacturing project to be built in Borgofranco d'Ivrea, Italy.

Valasske Mezirici, Czech Republic: Schott Solar Expands Module Manufacturing Facility. SCHOTT Solar officially opened today its expanded module production facilities in Valasske Mezirici, including new production lines with modern logistics, with more than 230 honorary guests in attendance.

Grossroehrsdorf, Germany: Sunfilm to Expand Thin Film Solar Module Production. Due to strong demand for its solar modules, Sunfilm AG has awarded Applied Materials, Inc. a contract for a second Applied SunFab™ Thin Film Line.

Santa Clara, CA, USA: Applied Materials Sign Multi-Year Service Agreement with T-Solar. Applied has signed a multi-year agreement to provide the SunFab Performance Service to T-Solar Global S.A. of Spain for the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line.

Munich, Germany: Centrosolar and Qimonda in Cell Manufacture Joint Venture. CENTROSOLAR Group AG and Qimonda AG have entered into a venture for the production of crystalline solar cells. The production plant will be established near Porto (Portugal) next to the existing semiconductor factory of Qimonda.

Lansing, MI, USA: Legislature Passes Plan to Allow for Hemlock Semiconductor Expansion. State Representatives Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City) and Andy Coulouris (D-Saginaw) today voted to give final approval to a plan that clears the way for nearly $1 billion to be invested in the expansion of the Hemlock Semiconductor in Saginaw County

Atlanta, GA, USA: Suniva to Locate Solar Cell Manufacturing Facility in Atlanta Metro Area. Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value crystalline silicon solar cells, today announced plans to locate its first solar cell factory in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Hemlock, MI, USA: Hemlock Semiconductor Starts Production at New Polysilicon Facility. Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation has begun production at its new polysilicon facility that will nearly double its output of polycrystalline silicon to serve the needs of the semiconductor and fast-growing solar energy industries.

Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany: Q-Cells Plans Mexican Thin Film Investment. Q-Cells AG has agreed with the Mexican Federal Government to build a production complex for thin-film modules.