UK feed-in tariff review: the result

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 13:59 (Solarpowerportal)

As the Solar Power Portal team came into the office this morning there were smiles on faces in the wake of George Osborne’s day of axe wielding drama. This, I suspect, is not the scene in many other buildings across London. It seems almost miraculous that after what is being labelled the ‘biggest round of cutbacks in generations’ the solar feed-in tariff escaped unscathed – for now at least. Read more

Will Consumers Ever Want to 'Hug the Stuffing' out of the Smart Grid?

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

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SiOnyx closes series B financing at US$12.5 million

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 1:15 (PV-Tech)

Coherent, Crosslink Capital and Vulcan Capital have joined veteran investors Polaris Venture Partners and Harris & Harris in the series B financing round for SiOnyx. The series closed at US$12.5 million and resulted in no changes to SiOnyx’s board of directors.  The companies funding is going towards the commercialization of its new semiconductor processing technique, which the company claims is an advancement for smaller, cheaper, high-performing silicon photonic devices. Read more

5N Plus granted US$500,000 in funding for Wisconsin plant

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 1:15 (PV-Tech)

5N Plus Corp was given US$500,000 in funding from the State Energy Program of Wisconsin, which will go towards purchasing equipment for the facilitation of the plants solar module recycling and creation of new jobs in DeForest, Wisconsin. The 60,500 square foot facility has a US$4 million investment behind it and is expected to be operational in the next few weeks. Along with its recycling capability, it will also be manufacturing specialty compounds for thin-film PV applications. Read more

Project Focus: Caltech reaches installed solar power goal with Perpetual?s 1.1MW installation

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 23:15 (PV-Tech)

Although the official ceremony to celebrate the installation of the 1.1MW solar energy system installed by Perpetual Energy Systems at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) won’t take place until the end of October, both organizations are celebrating not only the systems completion, but Caltech’s solar milestone. With this installation, Caltech has reached its goal to install 1.3MW of solar power by 2010 and will benefit from 1,646,668kWh of renewable energy in one year from the new system alone. Read more

Ascent Solar and GlobalWatt sign joint development agreement

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 23:11 (PV-Tech)

Ascent Solar Technologies has agreed to collaborate with GlobalWatt on a joint development for the production of new adaptable and retractable solar modules. The companies hope to develop a solar module that will last longer and then be able to recharge in a shorter amount of time while delivering optimal power. Read more

Project Focus: Vogt Solar provides public exhibition of 5MW solar park in UK

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

The first wave of solar park announcements in the UK is in full-swing. Many planned projects are designed to take advantage of the highest irradiance levels in the country which are found in Cornwall. However one of the pioneering sites and backed by a core team of experienced PV project developers and a former Q-Cells co-founder and CEO, Anton Milner is planning a 5MW crystalline-based plant in Bourn, Cambridge. Read more

Vogt Solar sets ?best practice? benchmark with planned PV park public exhibition

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 15:31 (Solarpowerportal)

Having site-selected in August, German-based Vogt Solar organized a day-long public exhibition for local residents and interested parties adjacent to the proposed utility-scale solar park. Read more

Order Focus: MKS Instruments signs US$20m contract for thin-film solar applications

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 15:15 (PV-Tech)

MKS Instruments has been awarded a contract from a major Chinese solar cell manufacturer for the supply of its new RF power supplies and matching networks, as well as a quantity of vacuum related products. Shipments are scheduled to begin in late December this year and will continue through early 2011. Read more

The Solar PV Transition: What Comes Next?

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

It was rather ironic timing. I had just finished a roundtable discussion at Solar Power International on what will happen to the solar industry beyond 2011 as the German feed-in tariff program ramps down, when ACORE President Mike Eckhart came up to me with a stunned look on his face. Read more

Eaton's New Solar Inverter Reliably Converts Sunlight into Clean Energy; Introduced at Solar Power International 2010

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Eaton S-MaxTM Series grid-tied solar inverter is designed to maximize energy harvest, operate reliably in harsh environments and adhere to high safety standards. Read more

Project Focus: Constellation to develop 5MW PV project in NJ

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 1:15 (PV-Tech)

Constellation Energy will be developing a 5.2MW DC solar PV system with Johnson Matthey and Preferred Unlimited on the Johnson Matthey facility in West Deptford, New Jersey. Constellation Energy will not only own the system, but also be responsible for its financing, operation and maintenance. In turn, Johnson Matthew will be able to purchase the electricity produced on the site under a 20-year PPA. Read more

Project Focus: Con Edison and Panda Power begin construction for 20MW solar farm

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 1:15 (PV-Tech)

Earlier this year, Con Edison Development and Panda Power Funds signed an agreement that would see the two companies collaborating on solar projects in the Northeast.  Their vision has come to fruition with the ground breaking ceremony of the Pilesgrove, New Jersey, solar farm, which is to be one of the largest solar projects in the U.S. Read more

POET welcomes final USDA rule that will help launch the biomass market for cellulosic ethanol

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

POET welcomed finalization of rules for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), saying it will help launch the biomass market near the site of their planned cellulosic ethanol plant. The final rule was announced in a speech by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. Read more

Vestas Lands 128 MW California Contract

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The order from Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is for delivery, commissioning and 15 years of service and maintenance of the turbines. Delivery is scheduled for the second half of next year for commissioning in early 2012. Read more

Hydro Headway

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The number of applications to build new hydropower projects in North America is on the rise amid pressure to reduce carbon emissions through the increased use of renewable resources for power production. Read more

Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Exploring and developing geothermal resources is expensive. But for one electric co-op in Alaska, it was too expensive. Read more

Project Focus: Sustainable Energy lands 2.44MW of business in Ontario Micro-FIT market

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 23:14 (PV-Tech)

Sustainable Energy Technologies Sunergy inverters and peripheral components have been selected for 244 ground-based Ontario micro-FIT projects. The systems, which hold a total capacity of 2.44MW, are being developed by an undisclosed solar power project developer and will have Sustainable Energy’s inverters delivered during the next six months. Read more

Waste-Based Energy, Present and Future

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

There is little doubt that the renewable energy sector will continue to grow in the United States due to concerns over the use of foreign energy supplies and the need to reduce carbon emissions. Read more

Growth Energy: Blender Pumps Effort by USDA The Right Step Forward

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The investments in ethanol infrastructure and development announced today by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack ? particularly a new initiative to encourage installation of blender pumps so consumers can choose their fuel and increased use of higher blends in the federal vehicle fleet ? will benefit every American by creating more jobs, cleaning the air, and strengthening our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, said Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters. Read more

Masdar Pushes Back Completion Date

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Among other key changes ? although the goal of being 100% powered by renewable energy remains ? "the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste city" is now set to purchase clean energy from outside rather than rely entirely on its on-site facilities. Read more

Renewable Energy Tax Credits: Keeping America at Work

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Recent stories and campaign ads have challenged renewable energy tax credits. Representing 85,000 people working in the American wind industry, we can say unequivocally that this tax credit has been one of the most effective public policies in existence for saving American jobs. Read more

Iosil to construct pilot production plant in Ohio

Thursday, 10.21.2010 - 1:15 (PV-Tech)

Iosil Energy has leased a 30,700 square foot facility from Meritex in Groveport, Ohio, as the location for its pilot manufacturing of high purity polysilicon. "Iosil is excited to be moving from a successful research and development phase to a manufacturing scale-up of its technology in Groveport, Ohio. We conducted a multi-location search for our pilot plant, and we feel that the Meritex property is the ideal solution. The property met all of our requirements for the business... Read more