Suntech Enters Solar Research Partnership with Silex Solar and the University of New South Wales     

By Jianmin Zhang   

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Silex Solar will together research advanced technology to further improve the power conversion efficiencies of crystalline silicon solar cells.
   The three-year collaborative research project on May 11th received an AUD5 million grant from the Australian Solar Institute (ASI), the largest award given to any of the 87 grant applicants in the ASI's first competitive funding call. In addition, both Silex Solar and Suntech will contribute more than AUD6 million in direct funding and in-kind research resources over the next three years to support research operations.
   "Our goal, by the end of this project, is to drive solar electricity generation past grid parity against retail electricity prices in more than 50% of the world's markets," said Dr. Stuart Wenham, Chief Technology Officer for Suntech and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics at UNSW.
   Suntech nearly doubled its R & D investments in 2009 to US$29 million, up from US$15 million in 2008. Globally, Suntech employs 380 full-time solar R & D engineers and professionals who work across China, Japan, Germany, the United States, and Australia. The company expects further R & D investment growth in the coming years, creating cutting-edge technology to advance the use of solar power everywhere under the sun.