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NEWS ARTICLE : Silicon ingot maker Solaicx customizes gear for solar
EE Times
 Publication Date: March 26, 2009
PORTLAND, Ore. — Solar cell ingot manufacturer Solaicx has developed its own manufacturing process for wafers used in solar panels. The result, it claims, is much higher solar conversion efficiencies.
Solaicx's efforts to differentiate itself from traditional manufacturers of silicon ingots for solar applications has resulted in its receiving the Progressive Manufacturing 100 award for its proprietary manufacturing process. The process for crystalline silicon photovoltaics was cited for consistently high efficiency.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Stimulus bill’s renewable energy provisions could boost Oregon
Portland Business Journal
Publication Date: March 2, 2009
Tim Ruch spent Monday wading through the federal stimulus package trying to figure out what it means for Ra Energy LLC, a solar water heating company.
That was followed by other solar energy companies asking him what it means.
John Sedgwick, vice president and co-founder of Solaicx Inc., the Santa Clara, Calif., company that makes silicon wafers for solar panels at a North Portland plant, said the stimulus should increase U.S. interest among the company’s foreign business partners.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Semiconductor Technologies Have Proven Insufficient For Solar Silicon Ingot producers have recognized the benefits of solar-specific processes, such as the continuous Czchralski technique.
By John Sedgwick, VP of Marketing and Sales for Solaicx
Published in Solar Industry Magazine
In 2007, the solar industry eclipsed the semiconductor industry in terms of silicon demand for the first time in history. As the solar industry continues to scale, hand-me-down silicon processing technologies from the semiconductor industry will no longer suffice.
Instead, a fully scaled and cost competitive solar industry will require solar-specific solutions that focus on throughput and quality consistent with solar applications.
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PRESS RELEASE: Solaicx Wins Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award
Solar Ingot Manufacturer Honored Second Time for Innovative Manufacturing Process
Santa Clara, Calif. and Portland, Ore. – March 25, 2009 – Solaicx, a leading manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers optimized for solar applications, was recently awarded the Progressive Manufacturing 100 Award (PM100). This is the second year in a row that Managing Automation has honored Solaicx for its progressive core business, the management of its operations and the optimization of its advanced manufacturing technologies.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Pacific Northwest Could Create 63,000 Green Jobs by 2025
Earth2Tech
Publication date: October 6, 2008
"Solar photovoltaic manufacturing alone could provide 22,560 new jobs to the region. On that front, Oregon's BETC is already working and has helped attract four solar manufacturers to the state over the past year and a half, including SolarWorld, Solaicx, Sun Silicon and — most recently — Sanyo. In an economic climate that's causing fears of a recession and lost jobs, the green job trend is offering a rare area of growth."
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NEWS ARTICLE: Sun Sun Sun, Here it Comes
Oregon Business Magazine
Publication Date: June 2008 print edition
“Solaicx CEO Bob Ford says government support played a role in the decision to set up in Portland, but the region’s reliable, low-cost power was also a factor, as was the available workforce. ‘There were five crystal-growing operations already here and some of them were closing down,’ he says. ‘That means you have an immediately available pool of workers who understand the process.’ The company has hired more than 50 people and is accepting applications for crystal growers and wire saw operators. Ford predicts the number of jobs will double by the end of the year as the company works out the kinks in its new process and gears up to meet demand. ‘The solar industry is a locomotive that has already left the station,’ he proclaims, ‘and it is accelerating.’”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Where Does Green Business Thrive?
Sustainable Industries Magazine
Publication Date: June 9, 2008
“In June 2007, Santa Clara, Calif.–based Solaicx announced it would locate a manufacturing facility in Portland; that facility is already operating and employs 50 people. In November 2007, Carlsbad, Calif.–based Peak Sun Silicon announced plans to build a silicon manufacturing facility in Millersburg that would employ about 50 people and produce 50 metric tons of silicon by the end of 2008. Both companies cited the BETC, along with the state’s renewable portfolio standard, location on the West Coast and Oregon’s low energy costs, as a prime reasons to locate in Oregon. The focus on developing a solar cluster also helped because of the manufacturing efficiencies it would create.”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Attracting Jobs in a Competitive World
The Oregonian
Publication Date: April 15, 2008
“Oregon has been the target of surprisingly strong interest from the newly emerging photovoltaic solar industry. With the arrival of Solaicx in Portland and SolarWorld in Hillsboro, the state can actually brag about becoming the solar manufacturing capital of North America.”
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AWARD/RECOGNITION: Managing Automation Designates Solaicx as a 2008 Progressive Manufacturing Winner in the Innovation Mastery Category
Managing Automation
Publication Date:
March 10, 2008
“Managing Automation, a Thomas Publishing Company, LLC publication, has announced the winners of its fourth annual Progressive Manufacturing 50 Awards. The Awards Program has significantly expanded since its inception in March of 2005 and recognizes manufacturers that are being progressive in their businesses, in the management of their operations and in their use of advanced technologies... Judges evaluated and scored nominated projects based on the following criteria: project scope, business impact, customer impact, technology use and scale.”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Jobs Play Role in ‘Sustainable’ Future for City
Portland Tribune
Publication Date: March 4, 2008
“A report released last year by the American Solar Energy Society estimated that renewable energy and energy-efficiency industries now generate around 8.5 million jobs and nearly $1 trillion in revenue. The report, “Economic Drivers for the 21st Century,” estimated that the impact could grow to 40 million U.S. jobs and $4.5 trillion by 2030.
“Jeff Jones, vice president of manufacturing at the North Portland Solaicx plant, agreed. ‘The growth in this field is at 30 to 40 percent a year, and that could go on for 30 years or more,’ said Jones, whose company produces monocrystalline silicon ingots used in solar panels.”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Melting the Ingot with Bob Ford, CEO of Solaicx
Greentech Media
Publication Date: February 28, 2008
“Bob’s company is a triple threat to the global silicon shortage, attacking it through low cost production, better supply utilization, and a higher quality output. Solaicx’s ‘whole process is about cost reduction” that “directly attacks the grams per watt.’
“Instead of relying on the traditional batch processing method for silicon wafers, Bob and his team have developed an innovative continuous processing method that achieves ‘far higher throughput on an equal footing basis – producing 4 or 5 times more than the average grower.’”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Reflections on the Solar Industry: An Interview with John Sedgwick
Cleantechnica
Publication Date: February 28, 2008
“I see nothing stopping this market from continuing to grow at 30%-50% per year for the foreseeable future. We have not even scratched the surface of the total electricity market. We are not even a .001% perhaps of the total market, so the upside market is enormous.”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Solaicx Anticipates Growth, Even if Economy Slows
Energy Priorities
Publication Date: February 25, 2008
Podcast: Read More
NEWS ARTICLE: Coffee Break: Jeff Jones
The Oregonian
Publication Date: January 29, 2008
“The opportunity: ‘You're seeing the beginnings of an industry show up here,’ said Jones, 59, whose title is vice president of manufacturing. ‘We're on the front end of it.’ With all the spare chip-manufacturing capacity and talent in the region, he said, Oregon has an opportunity to capture a lot more industry growth.”
NEWS ARTICLE: Land of Opportunity
Photon International
Publication Date: December 2007
“This year, Solaicx expects to produce 10 MW of wafers at its existing pilot line in Santa Clara and its new production plant in Portland. Next year, the company forecasts wafer output of 75 MW. ‘We really believe we have a breakthrough technology in single crystal silicon,’ Ford said, ‘It’s an exciting time for a little company like Solaicx."
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PRESS RELEASE: Oregon Governor Kulongoski
Cuts Ribbon for Solaicx Solar Manufacturing Plant -
Silicon Ingot and Wafer Company Brings Jobs, Economic
Development to Portland
 Santa Clara, Calif. and Portland, Ore. – November
20, 2007 – Solaicx, a leading manufacturer of
monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers optimized
for photovoltaic applications, today held an opening
ceremony for its new manufacturing facility in Portland,
Ore., at which Governor Ted Kulongoski cut a ceremonial
ribbon inaugurating the plant’s operations.
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RELATED NEWS ARTICLES:
- Energy Priorities
Magazine: Solaicx Begins Full-Scale Production of "Solar-Optimized"
Silicon Wafers in Oregon Article/Podcast
- OPB
News: Solar Power Start-Up Opens Portland Factory Article/Radio
Broadcast
- Oregon Live: PDF
Article Forbes: PDF
Article
 Portland Business
Journal: The sun is starting to shine
on Oregon's solar industry Artice
NEWS ARTICLE: Solar Manufacturers Flock to
Oregon – Responding to Growing Demand
Energy
Biz Magazine
Publication Date: September/October 2007
“Most people don’t link solar energy with
rainy Oregon. However, two solar product manufacturers
will have new plants up and running in the state by
the second half of 2008 attracted largely by the state’s
skilled workforce and its ability to help meet the industry’s
growing demand for solar photovoltaic systems.”
Read
Article - PDF
AWARD/RECOGNITION: Solaicx Wins Recognition
as a GoingGreen 100 Company
Santa Clara, Calif. – September 10,
2007 – Solaicx, a leading manufacturer of monocrystalline
silicon ingots and wafers optimized for photovoltaic applications,
today announced that it has been selected by AlwaysOn as a winner
of the 2007 GoingGreen 100 award. The final list of companies
was selected from among hundreds nominated by the top venture
capital firms as well as other green technology insiders. Criteria
used in the selection process include innovation, market potential,
commercialization, media buzz and stakeholder value creation.
For more information, see: http://alwayson.goingon.com/permalink/post/18632
AWARD/RECOGNITION: Top Ten Startups in Greentech
Greentech
Media
Publication date: 9/4/2007
“Welcome to our inaugural list of the Top 10
Startups in Greentech. Here, we'll be highlighting and
ranking our picks for the best private greentech companies.
We've scoured the market looking for startups that share
the enviable traits of a strong founding team, impressive
financing from folks who know this industry and a technology
or business approach with the potential to upset the
status quo and make a lasting market impact within three
years. It's best if they have customers, and better
- but not essential - if they're cash-flow positive.”
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NEWS ARTICLE: Branching Out in the Silicon
Forest
Photon
International
Publication Date: September 2007
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Article - PDF
PRESS RELEASE: Solaicx Hires Former Cypress
Semiconductor Finance Executive: Silicon Valley
Financial Leader Lends Skills to Solar Manufacturer
Santa Clara, Calif. – August 15, 2007 –
Solaicx®, a leading manufacturer of mono-crystalline
silicon ingots and wafers optimized for photovoltaic
applications, today announced that Jeff Osorio has joined
the company as chief financial officer. Mr. Osorio,
former corporate controller and interim CFO of Cypress
Semiconductor, comes to Solaicx following the announcement
of a large production expansion into a new manufacturing
facility in Portland, Oregon.
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AWARD/RECOGNITION: AlwaysOn Names Solaicx
as one of the Top 100 Private Companies
Santa Clara, Calif. – July 18, 2007 – Solaicx,
a leading manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers
optimized for photovoltaic applications, today announced that
it has been selected from a pool of over 1,000 technology companies
as one of AlwaysOn’s Top 100 Private Companies for 2007.
Over the past five years, the prestigious list has acknowledged
promising entrepreneurial opportunities and investments in the
global technology industry. Important criteria for the award include
exceptional innovation, market potential, customer adoption, media
buzz and investor value creation. For more information, see: http://alwayson.goingon.com/permalink/post/15899
PRESS RELEASE: Solaicx to Locate Manufacturing
Plant in Portland, Oregon: Company is the second
solar company to locate in the state this year
Date: June 12, 2007
Source: Oregon Economic Development Association
PORTLAND, Ore. - Solaicx, a leading manufacturer of
mono-crystalline silicon ingots and wafers used in the
solar energy industry, announced today that it will
be locating its first high-volume manufacturing facility
in Portland. For the past five years the company has
developed manufacturing technologies that produce low-cost,
high-efficiency silicon wafers for the photovoltaic
(PV) industry that have been produced at the company’s
pilot manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, Calif.
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PRESS RELEASE: Solaicx Announces Major
New Solar Facility in Portland - Oregon Governor
Commends Company for Creating Jobs, Renewable Energy
Santa Clara, Calif. - June 12, 2007 - Solaicx, a leading
manufacturer of mono-crystalline silicon ingots and
wafers optimized for photovoltaic applications, today
announced it has selected a new facility for silicon
manufacturing in the City of Portland, Ore. The signing
of a lease for the 136,000-square-foot facility, located
in the Portland Rivergate Industrial District, represents
a major milestone for the company and follows a successful
financing round lead by the D.E. Shaw Group. A formal
plant opening and ribbon-cutting event will take place
later this year.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Solaicx Lands $27.1M
- Single crystal silicon wafer maker prepares for move
to larger production facility.
Red
Herring
By Adena DeMonte
Publication Date: May 7, 2007
Solaicx on Tuesday said it has received an additional
$27.1 million in funding, giving the solar wafer developer
the funds it needs to boost production.
Santa Clara, California-based Solaicx, a Red Herring
North America 100 company for 2007, has developed a
new process for making single-crystal silicon wafers—designed
specifically for solar panels—more efficiently
and cheaply.
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AWARD/RECOGNITION: Solaicx Receives the 2007
Red Herring 100 Award
SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Solaicx,
a leading manufacturer of mono-crystalline silicon wafers
and ingots optimized for photovoltaic applications,
today announced that the company has been named to Red
Herring's prestigious list of the top 100 private technology
companies in North America for 2007. Selected from an
applicant pool of over 800 leading companies, Red Herring
recognizes the North America 100 for their part in driving
the future of technology.
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More
NEWS ARTICLE: Here Comes the Sun
CNN Money.com
(Business 2.0 Magazine)
By Tom McNichol and Michael V. Copeland
Publication Date: 3/2/07
Silicon Valley has changed the world once. Now, thanks
to a wave of investment and innovation in solar power,
it's on to the next revolution: A massive disruption
of the U.S. electricity market.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Bright Prospects - Energy:
Solar power is in the ascendant.
The
Economist
Publication Date: 03/10/07
Quote: "Last year Microsoft outfitted its campus
in Silicon Valley with a solar system from SunPower,
a local company that makes high-efficiency (and, some
say, the world's best-looking) solar panels. A few months
later Microsoft's arch-rival, Google, began building
something on an even
grander scale of this may yet be topped by Wal-Mart...In
just one hour the Earth receives more energy from the
sun than human beings consume during an entire year.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Continuous Growth - Solaicx
commercializes innovative monocrystalline ingot process
PHOTON
International
Publication Date: 02/07
Quote: "After starting out with much fanfare
a few years ago, PV pioneer
Bill Yerkes' monocrystalline wafer company Solaicx had
been eerily quiet of late. But stealthily, Solaicx has
been delivering wafers to an unnamed partner for the
past year. By the end of 2007, the Santa Clara, California-headquartered
company plans to install 12 full-scale continuous growth
Czochralski furnaces capable of producing 48 MW at a
new plant in Portland, Oregon.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Solar Energy's
Cloudy Past
San
Francisco Chronicle.com
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer
Publication Date: 02/16/04
Advocates say 50-year-old industry is finally in a
position to heat up.
Fifty years ago, scientists at Bell Laboratories unveiled
the first modern solar cell, using a silicon semiconductor
to convert light into electricity. Their demonstration
inspired a 1954 New York Times article to predict that
solar cells would eventually lead "to the realization
of one of mankind's most cherished dreams -- the harnessing
of the almost limitless energy of the sun.''
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NEWS ARTICLE: Investment Boom for Solar
Energy Start-Up
Solar
Access.com
Publication Date: 1/28/04
Solaicx, a new player in the solar photovoltaic (PV)
field announced it has over-subscribed its US $1 million
start-up financing round from private investors and
will deliver on its promise to offer solar electricity
as a cost-competitive alternative to traditional electricity.
The funding closely follows several company achievements,
including the opening of a new office and laboratory
in Los Gatos, California, the filing of a number of
core U.S. patents, the addition of solar energy pioneer
Bill Yerkes as CTO and progress towards revenue generation.
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NEWS ARTICLE: Technology, Bright Ideas
Forbes.com
Elizabeth Corcoran
Publication Date: 11/24/03
A handful of young companies are producing new ways
to harness solar energy. The sun never shines in the
basement laboratory on the University of California,
Berkeley campus, where graduate students Delia Milliron
and Ilan Gur spend their days. But that isn't stopping
them from doing some of today's most advanced work in
solar-cell technology.
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