Suntech marks 10th anniversary by passing 5GW-installed milestone

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 18:04 (PV-Tech)

With 10 years of operations under its belt, Suntech has marked the occasion by announcing that over 5GW of its PV modules have been installed across the globe. The world?s largest crystalline silicon module manufacturer is the first to attain this much-coveted landmark achievement, and has hinted that it intends to surpass the 10GW mark within the next two years. Read more

AEG Power Solutions inaugurates 400MW PV manufacturing facility

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 17:14 (PV-Tech)

AEG Power Solutions has inaugurated its new 400MW PV manufacturing factory in Bangalore, India. Initially, the 80,000-square-foot site, which employs 150 people, will produce AEG?s PV250 and PV500 series inverters, although plans are already underway to ramp up capacity to include uninterruptible power supplies. Read more

PV producer ARISE places German subsidiary in structured insolvency

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

On October 11th, 2011, ARISE Technologies Corporation (Waterloo, Ontario, U.S.) announced that it has placed subsidiary ARISE Technologies Deutschland GmbH (Bischofswerda, Germany) into structured insolvency. The company states that it has not yet been able to secure sufficient financing to expand the company's solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing facility and upgrade its process technology. As a result the continued operation of the company is not considered to be feasible. Read more

IMS Research: PV component profits 70% lower in Q4?11, but module suppliers still hold lion?s share

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 9:05 (Solarserver)

Photovoltaic (PV) component profits are set to fall by 70% year-on-year in Q4?11 according to new analysis from IMS Research (Wellingborough, UK). The market research firm?s analysis of the solar polysilicon, wafer, cell, module and inverter industries found 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

IMS report sees PV component profits, gross margins take sharp hit in Q4

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 1:05 (PV-Tech)

According to a new study by IMS Research, PV component profits are expected to fall by 70% year-on-year in Q4 2011. Furthermore, an examination of the polysilicon, wafer, cell, module and inverter industries led the research organization to conclude that the continuation of dropping prices in 2011 will cause gross margins for the whole PV industry to drop 17% to 12.4% in Q4. Read more

Premier Power developing 1.2MW rooftop PV system at Dependable Companies Los Angeles headquarters

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 0:26 (PV-Tech)

The Dependable Companies Los Angeles headquarters is undergoing a 1.2MW rooftop solar PV installation with the help of Premier Power and JinkoSolar. Premier has signed on to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for the project, while JinkoSolar will supply its solar modules. Read more

Silevo comes out of stealth with ?breakthrough? hybrid crystalline, thin-film PV module technology

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 0:11 (PV-Tech)

Silevo advised that it had exited its stealth mode with its new proprietary Triex technology. The hybrid solar solution is said to combine high-performance crystalline silicon N-type substrates, thin-film passivation layers and a tunneling oxide layer in one solar module. The solar module is powered by the company?s tunneling junction, which it states allows for the three materials to cohesively work together and produce high-efficiency, competitive module costs with optimum energy yield. Read more

PV production in India: Spire to deliver 25 MW module assembly line to Sonali Solar

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 21:06 (Solarserver)

Spire Corporation (Bedford, Mass.) on October 12th, 2011 announced it has been selected by Sonali Energees Pvt. Ltd. (Sonali Solar) of Gujarat, India to provide a 25 megawatt (MW) PV module turn-key assembly line. This assembly line includes a state-of-the-art Spi-EL Electroluminescence Tester and also has the ability to produce glass to glass modules for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) applications, Spire emphasizes. Read more

AETI unveils 1.0 MW and 1.5 MW ISIS 1000 volt solar PV inverters

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 21:04 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2011, American Electric Technologies Inc. (AETI, Houston, Texas, U.S.) unveiled new 1.0 MW and 1.5 MW models in its 1000 volt, Integrated Solar Inversion Station (ISIS) product line. The company states that its new 1.5 MW ISIS inversion system utilizes the industry's first 1.0 MW solar inverter architecture witness-tested to UL 1741 at 1000 volts. Read more

PV innovation: Canadian Solar unveils AC-module with integrated inverter at Solar Power International

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 20:54 (Solarserver)

Canadian Solar, Inc., (Kitchener, Ontario) on October 12th, 2011 launched its "Intelligrated" Power solar photovoltaic (PV) module series. Intelligrated Power integrates the intelligence of panel electronics with specially-designed modules to deliver state-of-the-art features that maximize system performance, simplify installation and improve safety, significantly reducing cost of design and installation, Canadian Solar reports in a press release. Read more

TSMC Revs Up CIGS Factory with Stion Technology

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 19:50 (Renewable Energy World)

The world's largest chip contract manufacturer is making good on its long-announced plan to enter the solar market with its own production lines. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC) announced Thursday it's outfitted its first solar factory with equipment and plans to begin shipment in the first quarter of 2012. Read more

Spire to deliver 25MW solar PV module assembly line to India

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 19:07 (PV-Tech)

Spire Corporation has been selected by Sonali Energees (Sonali Solar) of Gujarat, India to provide a 25MW PV module turn-key assembly line. This assembly line will include a state-of-the-art Spi-ELTM electroluminescence tester and also has the ability to produce glass-to-glass modules for BIPV applications. Read more

Carmanah appoints Bruce Cousins to CEO role

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 18:10 (PV-Tech)

Effective as of October 12, Bruce Cousins has been appointed CEO and a board director of Carmanah Technologies, specialists in self-contained solar LED lighting and solar power solutions. Cousins replaces Ted Lattimore, CEO since 2007, who announced his resignation in May this year. Read more

Carmanah Appoints Bruce Cousins as Chief Executive Officer

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 18:10 (PV-Tech)

Effective as of October 12, 2011, Bruce Cousins, has been appointed CEO and a board director of Carmanah Technologies Corporation, specialists in self-contained solar LED lighting and solar power solutions. Cousins replaces Ted Lattimore, who was CEO since 2007, who announced his resignation in May this year. ?We are very pleased to have Bruce joining Carmanah as CEO at this point in the company?s development,? stated board chair, Rob Cruickshank. Read more

The Question Day 23: How Can the U.S. Solar Industry Meet Expectations?

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 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

REC Partners Award Winners recognized at Global Partner Summit

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 16:26 (PV-Tech)

Five awards were given to recognize the partners REC during the Global Partner Summit in Italy. Luc Graré, Senior VP of sales and marketing cells and modules at REC Solar, said, ?We are very excited to recognize the strong commitment of our partners who have made a significant contribution to our sales and marketing activities over the last year?. Read more

NLP Solar Sales Training Webinar October 26th & 27th

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 16:03 (Renewable Energy World)

Read more

Solar Closes In on Grid Parity

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In the world of renewables, particularly solar, grid parity is a term that is bandied about a lot. But what does it actually mean, and when is it going to happen? Read more

NextEnergy capital completes 2MW project, launches new solar strategy

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 13:20 (Solarpowerportal)

NextEnergy Capital has marked the completion of its first utility-scale solar PV installation in the UK with the launch of a new solar strategy for the country. The bank’s WiseEnergy subsidiary will offer asset management services to institutional solar investors in the UK. Read more

SunEdison secures USD 300 million credit facility for solar PV projects in North America

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

On October 12th, 2011, SunEdison LLC (Beltsville, Maryland, U.S.) announced that it has secured a USD 300 million, three-year revolving credit facility arranged by Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. (New York, New York, U.S.) and Rabobank (Utrecht, The Netherlands). The credit facility will be used to finance utility and rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the United States and Canada. Read more

Chinese Neo Solar Power to invest 10 MW of PV cells in Sorrento Solar Farm

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 12:32 (Solarserver)

On October 11th, 2011, Blue Chip Energy LLC (BCE, Lake Mary, Florida, U.S.) announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Neo Solar Power Corporation (Hsinchu City, Taiwan) for an equity participation in BCE's 120 MW Sorrento Solar Farm solar photovoltaic (PV) project. Under the agreement, Neo Solar Power will contribute at least 10 MW of high-efficiency PV cells to the project, the first phase of which is currently under construction in Lake County, Florida, United States. These cells will be processed into PV modules by BCE subsidiary Advanced Solar Photonics LLC (Lake Mary, Florida, U.S.). Read more

JinkoSolar resumes production at Haining PV cell factory

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 12:20 (Solarserver)

On October 11th, 2011, JinkoSolar Holding Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced that it has resumed production at its solar photovoltaic (PV) cell factory in Haining City, China, after taking steps recommended by an environmental engineering firm and receiving approval from a local government body. The Haining facility suspended production on September 17th, 2011, following a series of events beginning with the leak of fluoride into a nearby waterway and culminating in an angry protest at the plant by local residents. Read more

Moser Baer completes India?s largest PV project

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 12:09 (PV-Tech)

Solar project developer Moser Baer Clean Energy has completed its 30MW PV plant in Gujarat, India. The system, situated in the district of Banaskantha, is the largest project installed in the country and cost US$95 million. Read more

SunEdison secures US$300 million credit facility for North American project pipeline

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 11:19 (PV-Tech)

SunEdison has secured a US$300 million credit facility from Deutsche Bank Securities and Rabobank to help fund its planned North American portfolio of utility and rooftop PV systems. The three-year non-recourse credit facility is one of the largest ever issued for solar projects. Read more

Sanjose Constructora awarded EPC contract for 9MW Spanish solar park

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 10:51 (PV-Tech)

Investment group OPDE has awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for its 9MW solar farm in Navarre, Spain to Sanjose Constructora. Under the terms of the ?19 million agreement, Sanjose will install 37,400 230W polycrystalline silicon panels, 16 500kW three-phase inverters and eight 1,250kVA transformation centres. Read more

SEIA, EuPD Research report: Extension of the U.S. Treasury Grant Program could create 37,000 U.S. solar jobs

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 8:56 (Solarserver)

On October 12th, 2011, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA, Washington D.C., U.S.) released a report by EuPD Research (Bonn, Germany) which finds that a one-year extension of the U.S. Treasury Grant Program (TGP) would create more than 37,000 U.S. jobs in 2012. "Economic Impact of Extending the Section 1603 Treasury Program" further states that an extension of the policy would result in nearly 2 GW of additional solar capacity by 2016. The study also looked at two- and five-year extensions of the TGP. Read more

Ohio National Guard Camp Perry completes 538kW installation featuring Nanosolar utility panels

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 1:25 (PV-Tech)

Camp Perry Ohio National Guard Base in Port Clinton, Ohio is home to 2,750 of Nanosolar?s utility panels, which are helping to power the recently completed 538kW solar installation. Ramanoff Electric managed the engineering, procurement and construction of the project. Read more

SolFocus and Granite Chief collaborate on deployment of solar power plants throughout Mexico

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 0:43 (PV-Tech)

Mexico-based Granite Chief has partnered with SolFocus to develop several megawatts of solar power plants throughout Mexico. The power plants will use CPV technology with Granite Chief leading the development of the projects and SolFocus providing the technology needed to complete the installations. Read more

Quick Win: Aviation Biofuels Offers Breakout for Clean Energy

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 17:57 (Renewable Energy World)

In Copenhagen this week, a coalition of companies and associations involved in aviation biofuels made a strong case for the sector not only as a quick win for biofuels, but as a quick win for clean energy as a whole. Read more

Officials Flip Switch for Base's Landfill Gas-to-energy Plant

Thursday, 10.13.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In a landmark ceremony Sept. 23, base and local officials flipped the switch on a $20 million generator plant that will produce 1.9 megawatts of renewable electric power and steam by burning landfill gas collected from a nearby landfill. Read more