IMS Research predicts PV component profit slide in Q4?11

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 16:33 (Solarpowerportal)

According to the latest analysis from photovoltaics market specialists IMS Research PV components profits are set to fall by 70 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of this year. The analysis of the global polysilicon, wafer, cell, module and inverter industries found that that collapsing prices throughout 2011 will cause gross margins for the whole PV industry combined to slide by 17 percentage points to just 12.4% in Q4’11. Read more

Power-One lowers third-quarter revenue expectation on weaker-than-projected demand

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 15:32 (PV-Tech)

Only a few weeks before releasing third-quarter 2011 financial results on October 27, 2011, inverter supplier, Power-One has reduced guidance for the quarter. Power-One expects revenue to be in the range of US$240-US$245 million, down from previous guidance of US$265 million-US$280 million. The company cited weaker than expected demand for lower revenue expectation. Sales in the second-quarter were US$180 million. Read more

Power-One lowers third quarter revenue expectation on weaker than projected demand

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 15:32 (PV-Tech)

Only a few weeks before releasing third quarter 2011 financial results on October 27, 2011, inverter supplier, Power-One has reduced guidance for the quarter. Power-One expects revenue to be in the range of US$240-US$245 million, down from previous guidance of US$265 million-US$280 million. The company cited weaker than expected demand for lower revenue expectation. Sales in the second quarter were US$180 million. Read more

Community share issue launched at Herefordshire sports centre

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 14:20 (Solarpowerportal)

As part of Herefordshire’s h.Energy Week Leominster Community Solar Co-op will launch the first share issue for community ownership of its large solar photovoltaic array on the roof of the Bridge Street Sports Centre in Leominster. The 49kW array is expected to generate enough solar electricity to save approximately 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Read more

Array Technologies ships tracking systems for 50 MW-DC project in California

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:38 (Solarserver)

On October 6th, 2011, Array Technologies Inc. (Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.) announced its first shipments of tracking systems for use in a 50 MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Sacramento County, California. The company is supplying horizontal, single-axis tracking systems and ground-mounted racks for the project, which is being developed by Recurrent Energy LLC (San Francisco, California, U.S.) for Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD, Sacramento, California, U.S.). Read more

PROINSO reaches 1 GW of PV module, inverter sales

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:46 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, PROINSO SL (Fustiñana, Spain) announced that it has reached more than 1 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) module and inverter sales since its inception in 2005. The company reached this record with the supply of 1.4 MW of modules and inverters for a rooftop PV plant in Spain. PROINSO reports sales of 198 MW of PV modules and inverters from January to September 2011. Read more

Solar Industry: 1603 Extension Would Add 37,000 Jobs

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 20:29 (Renewable Energy World)

The solar industry on Wednesday launched its opening salvo to build support for an extension of a Treasury Department program its says has the potential to add tens of thousands of jobs while continuing to spur billions in private investment. Read more

Donauer Solartechnik to unveil new mounting system at Solar Power UK

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 19:02 (Solarpowerportal)

The Europe’s leading distributor of photovoltaic products Donauer Solartechnik will unveil the company’s new mounting frame - the Futura Siplex system with snap-in functions at the three day ‘Solar Power UK’ exhibition opening in Birmingham on October 26. Read more

Centrosolar introduces new mounting system at Solar Power UK 2011

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 18:56 (PV-Tech)

Centrosolar will present a new, flat roof mounting system for PV modules at Solar Power UK 2011. The Ceniq system enables PV systems to be installed on flat foil roofs at an angle of up to three degrees, without damaging the roof cladding in the process. Read more

Solar Verticals and "Balance of System" Valuations

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 17:51 (Renewable Energy World)

Tom Konrad has kindly provided an opportunity for me to contribute a response to his recent piece "Inverter Stocks: A Value BOS Play on Solar." I'm grateful for the opportunity because it gives me the chance to discuss these stocks and along the way to clear up some misconceptions it seems may exist regarding Green Alpha's portfolios and our vision of the next economy. Read more

Solarwatt extends module warranty to 10 years

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 17:49 (Solarpowerportal)

Crystalline solar module manufacturer Solarwatt has extended its product warranty for all modules from five to 10 years. For this period, the company guarantees all of its delivered modules will be free of material and processing defects effecting operation. Read more

The Question Day 22: How Can the U.S. Solar Industry Meet Expectations?

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 17:40 (Renewable Energy World)

RenewableEnergyWorld asked solar executives and our social media community to lend their voices and define what three strategies they think will lead to a thriving solar industry. Answers were varied, and many valid opinions were brought to light. Responses will be updated here daily, and feel free to look at previous insights by clicking on the page links below. Read more

New Jersey Oak Solar project equipped with SPT systems

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 16:12 (PV-Tech)

US project developer Lincoln Renewable Energy is equipping its New Jersey Oak Solar project with Solar Power Technologies? monitoring and management systems. When completed later this year, the 10MW system in Fairfield Township, Cumberland will be one of the largest non-utility-owned solar project on the East Coast. Read more

Solar M&A activity in Q3 signals start of industry consolidation, says Mercom Capital

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 15:21 (PV-Tech)

According to the latest quarterly report from Mercom Capital Group, M&A activity in the third quarter could signal the start of a period of consolidation within the PV industry. Mercom Capital reported that there was US$563 million spent in 20 M&A transactions in the quarter with details disclosed for only eight of these deals. Read more

Donauer Solartechnik presents new mounting system at Solar Power UK 2011

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:35 (PV-Tech)

At Solar Power UK 2011, Donauer Solartechnik, a specialist distributor of PV products, off-grid solutions and e-mobility, will be presenting its new mounting frame: the Futura Siplex system with snap-in functions. Read more

Upsolar's PV modules receive "Made in EU" certification

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:31 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, Upsolar Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China), an international provider of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, announced that its products earned "Made in EU" certification from the Institute of Industrial Certification for Mechanics (ICIM). Read more

German Solar system company mp-tec wins Plus X Award for innovative tracking system

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:25 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, mp-tec GmbH & Co. KG (Eberswalde, Germany) announced that its solar tracking system has received the Plus X Award, the world's major innovation prize for technology, sports and lifestyle in the categories "High Quality" and "Functionality" in the Energy product group. Read more

Centrosolar introduces CENIQ mounting system at Solar Power UK

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:23 (Solarpowerportal)

Centrosolar is to present its aerodynamic flat roof mounting system for photovoltaic modules at the Solar Power UK exhibition, which is taking place at the ICC in Birmingham from October 26 - 28. The CENIQ system, which was first unveiled back in June, enables photovoltaic systems to be installed on flat roofs with minimum weight load and without damaging the roof cladding. Read more

PV producer Solaria wins award from Popular Mechanics for product innovation

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:16 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, Popular Mechanics announced that Solaria Corp. (Fremont, California) has received annual breakthrough awards. Solaria has been awarded for its innovative photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are used in large-scale tracking systems that follow the sun, employing new technology in a standard solar module size and shape. The modules are robust and high performance while using significantly less silicon material than traditional panels. Read more

ENER-G Switch2 unveils comprehensive renewable data management system

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:59 (Solarpowerportal)

A new and complete renewable data management service offered by the UK metering and billing specialist ENER-G Switch2 will help funders and landlords who have invested in solar energy to gain maximum benfit of the feed-in tariff revenue on time. Read more

Solarwatt signs distribution agreement with Denmark?s Solarglas

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:46 (PV-Tech)

German PV manufacturer Solarwatt has signalled its intention to move into the Scandinavian solar market by signing a distribution agreement with Danish firm Solarglas. The agreement will see Solarglas, which is based in Denmark?s second city, Aarhus, market Solarwatt?s modules and system solutions to its growing number of clients in the residential and business sectors. Read more

Phoenix Solar downgrades outlook for FY 2011

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:38 (Solarserver)

On October 11th, 2011, Phoenix Solar AG (Sulzemoos, Germany) downgraded its revenue outlook for fiscal year (FY) 2011 to between EUR 350 to 400 million (USD 478 to 546 million). The company also expects consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR -42 to -49 million (USD -57 to -67 million) over the course of the year. Read more

Mercom Capital: Solar industry funding in 3Q 2011 increased by 5%; M&A activity is picking up

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:32 (Solarserver)

On October 11th, 2011, Mercom Capital Group LLC (Austin, Texas, U.S.) released a report on third quarter 2011 funding and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity for the solar industry. The company recorded USD 372 million in venture capital (VC) funding, a 5% increase over the second quarter of 2011, and USD 563 million in mergers and acquisitions. Read more

Engensa completes UK?s first Solar Frontier thin-film installation

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:22 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK’s exclusive provider of Solar Frontier thin-film panels, Engensa has recently completed the country’s first ever installation of the panels.   Read more

Kicking-off the domestic market: Nobel Prize Winner, Prof. Zhores I. Alferov to open Solar Russia 2011

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:20 (Solarserver)

Prof. Zhores I. Alferov, the winner of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics and member of the Russian State Parliament, the Duma, will open "Solar Russia 2011", a part of the RUSNANOTECH Forum to be held on October 27th, in Moscow?s Expocenter. The event, organized by RUSNANO with the principal institutional partnership of PV RUSSIA, the Russian Solar Energy Industry Association representing all major companies in the country and Solar PV Consulting, aims at kicking-off the domestic photovoltaics (PV) market in the country in a sustainable way. Read more

CanSIA recommends creation of solar tax credit to Canadian government

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 11:53 (Solarserver)

On the heels of a Liberal Party victory in Ontario, on October 6th, 2011, the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA, Ottawa, Canada) presented a list of recommended actions to support the growth of the nation's industry to the Canadian House of Commons Finance Committee. The organization's recommendations include the creation of a 30% solar investment tax credit, a "green bonds" program and a USD 200,000 annual fund to develop and maintain solar technology standards and codes. Read more

Trinity funds to drive Brightergy?s US expansion

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 11:27 (PV-Tech)

Brightergy is increasing its presence in the North American solar market by opening a new office in Boston. To help fund this new site and its expanding product portfolio, the company has secured financial backing from Trinity Private Equity Group. Read more

Seraphim modules certified by Italian testing body

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 11:02 (PV-Tech)

Seraphim Solar System?s modules have passed the Italian Certification Authority?s ICIM (Istituto di Certificazione Industriale per la Meccanica) evaluation. ICIM?s assessment covered Seraphim?s entire management system and the certification will be a boon to the Changzhou-based firm?s hopes of establishing itself in Italy?s highly-competitive PV industry. Read more

Energy Tax Credits Need Extension, GEA Tells House Committee

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 21:58 (Renewable Energy World)

The extension of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) to geothermal energy in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 has been a principal factor in the growth of geothermal energy, according to a statement submitted to the Select Revenue Measures and Oversight subcommittees by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). But, many geothermal projects will not be completed by the current tax credit expiration deadline, which will undermine future industry growth according to the GEA. Read more

Energy Entrepreneurs Flock to Renewables Bonanza

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

We hear a lot about the job-building benefits of renewable energy when it draws manufacturers and developers to local communities. Less talked about are those who arrive well before the shovels, steel, factories and jobs. These are the green energy entrepreneurs ? the creative thinkers and risk takers responsible for the rise of clean energy ventures over the last decade. Read more

Yingli Green Energy sets new and improved PV module warranty terms

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 13:21 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd. (Baoding, China) announced new and improved limited warranties for its solar photovoltaic (PV) product line of reliable and bankable modules. Read more

GCL-Poly to supply 1 GW of Quasi-Mono Wafers to Tainergy Tech

Wednesday, 10.12.2011 - 12:24 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong, China) announced that it has signed a letter of intent to supply 1 GW of GCL "Quasi-Mono Wafers" to Tainergy Tech Company Ltd. (Chungli City, Taiwan) over the next five years. GCL-Poly states that its new Quasi-Mono Wafers possess higher conversion efficiencies and offer cost advantages over other silicon wafers. The company further states that the Quasi-Mono Wafers' degradation rate is lower than that of conventional monocrystalline wafers. Read more