CHINA, ISRAEL TO PARTNER ON SUN

China’s Suntech, Israel Electric May Team Up on Solar Power
Alisa Odenheirmer (w/Stephanie Wong, Louis Meixler, Heather Langan), May 11, 2010 (Bloomberg BusinessWeek)

"Suntech Power Holdings Co., the world’s largest maker of polysilicon solar-power modules, may team up with Israel Electric Corp Ltd. on solar-power projects…

"The two companies are discussing cooperation on research and development of solar-power technology, as well as teaming up to build power plants with existing technology…"

China is progressively taking over PV production. (click to enlarge)

"Israel is seeking to boost economic cooperation with China as growth falters in Europe, one of its main trading partners. The government is hoping to capitalize on technologies, especially cleantech, to attract Chinese investment…China is seeking to meet more of its energy needs from solar power and other renewable sources, after pledging to cut carbon-dioxide emissions per unit of economic output 40 percent from 2005 levels by 2020.

"Wuxi, China-based Suntech and state-owned Israel Electric may develop a joint research and development team that would seek to make solar energy production more efficient…The team could be based in Israel or in Israel and China, and could in that case meet five or six times a year…"

They both want a piece of all this. (click to enlarge)

"The efficiency of existing technology, which is based on silicon…converts only about 19 percent of the sun’s energy into electricity…Based on research being done in its newly established Technology Innovation Center, Israel Electric believes that the use of polymers, instead of silicon, may…boost efficiency to 40 or 50 percent…

"Suntech and Israel Electric may also team up to build solar energy power plants with existing technology…Israel Electric may supply the engineering and project management, while Suntech could supply financing and equipment…The two companies could build power plants in countries that Israel Electric is already familiar with, such as Italy…The U.S…Germany and…Mediterranean countries…"