U.S. Department of Commerce opens investigation into Chinese support of PV industry

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Department of Commerce has launched an investigation into alleged unfair practices by the Chinese government in support of its domestic solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, in response to a petition by seven PV manufacturers with U.S. operations. SolarWorld Industries Americas Inc. (Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S.), which led the petition, and the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) issued statements of support for the investigation, which could result in the imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties against PV imports from China. Read more

GT Advanced Technologies reports healthy quarter despite slow PV sales

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011 GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (Merrimack, New Hampshire, U.S.) released results for its most recent financial quarter, reporting a 5% quarter-to-quarter decrease in revenues to USD 218 million, a 24.7% operating margin, and net income of USD 36.9 million. GT's second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2012 ended October 1st, 2011. During this quarter the company reported USD 51 million in new orders from its polysilicon business, but only USD 3.4 million in orders for solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing equipment. Read more

Jeffries report: Solar dumping trends spell bad news for US manufacturers

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 19:56 (PV-Tech)

Higher module prices and lower demand will ensue for US-based cell and module manufacturers if countervailing duties are imposed in March 2012, according to a report by industry analyst company Jeffries. US companies, already undergoing financial difficulties given the market slowdown, will be greatly affected by the action, which could spell good times ahead for Taiwanese cell suppliers as Chinese module manufacturers attempt to dodge the stipulations of the countervailing duties by making their modules in other countries. Read more

Jefferies report: Solar dumping trends spell bad news for US manufacturers

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 19:56 (PV-Tech)

Higher module prices and lower demand will ensue for US-based cell and module manufacturers if countervailing duties are imposed in March 2012, according to a report by industry analyst company Jefferies. US companies, already undergoing financial difficulties given the market slowdown, will be greatly affected by the action, which could spell good times ahead for Taiwanese cell suppliers as Chinese module manufacturers attempt to dodge the stipulations of the countervailing duties by making their modules in other countries. Read more

US Department of Commerce begins investigation into CASM?s allegations against Chinese manufacturers

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 19:10 (PV-Tech)

Following petitions from the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing to the US Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission, a year-long investigation into allegations raised by the CASM against the export practices of Chinese manufacturers has commenced. Read more

German PV producer aleo solar AG boosts international revenue, reduces overall revenue forecast

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:59 (Solarserver)

aleo solar AG (Oldenburg / Prenzlau, Germany) on November 9th, 2011 announced that it generated revenue of EUR 344.6 million in the first nine months of 2011. This means that aleo solar's revenue decreased by 16.4% compared with the first nine months of 2010 (EUR 412.1 million). Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) came in at EUR 7.4 million (EUR 40.3 million), and the EBIT margin was 2.2 percent (9.8 percent). Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.37 (EUR 2.29); production volume rose to 246.2 megawatts (204.8 MW). Read more

California Energy Commission lists Skyline Solar CPV system as eligible for incentives

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:58 (Solarserver)

Skyline Solar (Mountain View, California, US) on November 7th, 2011 announced that its X14 System has been listed by the California Energy Commission (CEC) as an eligible product. CEC listing makes the Skyline X14 System eligible for California performance based incentives (PBI), and will drive faster adoption of Skyline Solar?s cost-efficient and field-proven concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) system. The news follows Skyline Solar?s announcement of its IEC 62688 certification at Solar Power International 2011. Read more

Siemens appoints Theodor Scheidegger CEO of Solar & Hydro Division

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:58 (Solarserver)

On November 9th, 2011 Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany) announced that it Theodor Scheidegger has been named the new CEO of the Solar & Hydro Division of Siemens Energy. The appointment is effective November 10th, 2011. Scheidegger served most recently as CEO of Sovello AG (Thalheim, Germany). Read more

FirstEnergy Ohio utilities meet compliance benchmarks through request for solar, renewable energy credits

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:57 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2011, FirstEnergy (Akron, Ohio) announced that its Ohio utilities ? Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and Toledo Edison ? held a successful request for proposal to secure 10-year renewable energy credits (RECs) and solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) to help meet the renewable energy benchmarks established under Ohio's energy law. Read more

Greg Barker meets with industry representatives to discuss our solar future

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:27 (Solarpowerportal)

Meeting with UK solar industry representatives this morning the Minister for Energy and Climate Greg Barker discussed his decision to cut the solar feed-in tariff by more than 50 percent, as well as defending the December 12 deadline. Addressing a room of 30 solar supporters, the Minister explained the reasons behind his recent announcement as well as outlining how the future policy for solar in the UK will be orchestrated.r Read more

Silicio Solar stops production in Puertollano

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:24 (PV-Tech)

Concern is growing amongst the 800 employees of silicon wafer manufacturer Silico Solar which will be closing the 300MW facility in Puertollano at the end of this month until at least February 2012. Silico has blamed this on the adverse PV market conditions. Read more

Arise?s German subsidiary files for insolvency

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 17:17 (PV-Tech)

Arise Technology Centre GmbH, the wholly-owned German subsidiary of Arise Technologies, has initiated structured insolvency proceedings following the company?s closure of its German operations in October. The Gelsenkirchen, Germany-based Technology Centre was established under a multi-faceted agreement with Scheuten Solar in October 2009. Read more

Building work begins on 250MW California Valley Solar Ranch

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 16:39 (PV-Tech)

More than three years after announcing the project, construction work is finally set to begin on NRG Energy and SunPower?s record-breaking 250MW California Valley Solar Ranch in San Luis Obispo. Read more

Phoenix Solar?s 2011 revenue down by almost 45%

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 16:18 (PV-Tech)

In the first nine months of 2011, consolidated revenues of Phoenix Solar were down by 44.7% to ?253.9 million, compared to ?459.3 million for the same period last year. On the other hand, in the third quarter of 2011, the company generated consolidated revenues of ?113.1 million in contrast with the third quarter of 2010 of ?95.3 million. Read more

Balancing Act: How Can We Deal with Variability?

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

As wind and large-scale solar become more dominant parts of the power generation portfolio, how do we best deal with the variability issue? Can the grid do it all, or demand-side management? Might the answer lie with rapid-response gas turbines that have come onto the market this year? Read more

Is CSP Facing Headwinds?

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Amid the turmoil that is currently afflicting the solar PV market in the U.S. it seems that another solar sector has sailed into troubled waters with little by way of a splash. Noticed or not, concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) is also nonetheless perhaps set to take a tumble given the current market portents. For instance, there have been a number of business failures in the sector and simultaneously project technology swaps away from CSP and to standard PV as that technology's costs have dramatically fallen. A constrained finance market has combined with these factors to see opportunities for CSP dwindle. Or has it? For while it is true that certain business models Read more

Indian solar projects in danger of missing January deadline

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:43 (PV-Tech)

More than one third of the PV projects handed out in India?s first national auction look set to miss their January completion deadline, according to an official at the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). Read more

S.A.G. Solarstrom continues sales growth: guides full-year sales up to ?280 million

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:21 (PV-Tech)

Standing out from the crowd with positive growth and margins, PV project developer, S.A.G. Solarstrom reported sales in the first nine months of 2011 of ?221.2 million, a 51.4% increase over the same period in 2010. EBIT margin also increased from ?7.5 million in the first six months of 2010 to ?11.7 million in 2011. Increased project business outside Germany contributed to the margin improvements, according to the company. Read more

UK solar companies take legal action against DECC FiT deadline

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 11:10 (Solarpowerportal)

Fighting back against Government’s proposal to reduce solar feed-in tariff rates and implement a cut-off point of December 12, Solarcentury has confirmed it is taking legal action against DECC... Read more

Skyline Solar system garners CEC eligibility, snags investment from First Hand Technology Value Fund

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 0:04 (PV-Tech)

Skyline Solar has scored two major goals with its announcement that its LCPV Skyline Solar X14 System has been listed by the California Energy Commission (CEC) followed with the news that Firsthand Technology Value Fund made a direct investment in the company. Read more

The 10 Biofuels Priorities for 2012

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 17:36 (Renewable Energy World)

In California, more than 350 delegates gathered at Advanced Biofuesl Markets to set industry priorities for the next six months,seal partnerships, and exchange outlooks on 2012. It didn't take long for the Top 10 priorities to become clear. Read more

U.S. Department of Defense launches renewable energy mapping tool

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 18:56 (Solarserver)

On November 8th, 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Natural Resources Defense Council have launched a new renewable energy mapping tool, the Renewable Energy and Defense (READ) Database. The planning tool will help ensure that energy development can move forward in locations that do not interfere with military activities or with environmentally sensitive landscapes. Read more

The Last Word: Plugging the Investment Gap

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Independent equity investment seems increasingly likely to play a prominent role in plugging a funding gap at the heart of Europe's renewable energy ambitions. What are the implications of this investment, both in pure private equity and in longer term pension and infrasctucture funds? Read more

Temperature Differences Give Rise to Electricity

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

More than half of today's energy consumption is squandered in useless waste heat, such as the heat from refrigerators and all sorts of gadgets and the heat from factories and power plants. The energy losses are even greater in cars. Automobile motors only manage to utilise 30 percent of the energy they generate, and the rest is lost. Part of the heat loss ends up as warm brakes and a hot exhaust pipe. Read more

IEA: Time is running out to control CO2 emissions

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:03 (Solarserver)

Calling for a "bold change in policy direction" towards lower-carbon technologies, on November 9th, 2011, the International Energy Agency (IEA, Paris, France) released the latest edition of its annual report on world energy usage. The IEA's World Energy Outlook 2011 states that without commitments on the part of national governments, the world will "lock itself" into an unstable, inefficient high-carbon energy system as demand increases from the developing world. Read more

Energy Conversion Devices suspends manufacturing, implements restructuring

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

On November 8th, 2011 Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (ECD, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.) announced that it has temporarily suspended all manufacturing operations, including furloughing 400 employees, and will execute on its restructuring plan. The company also released select preliminary results for its most recent financial quarter, stating that it expects to report quarterly revenue of roughly USD 22 million, a 66% decline year-over-year. The company further states that subsidiary United Solar Ovonics shipped 11 MW of PV products during the quarter. Read more

Australia passes carbon tax, USD 13 billion in support for clean energy industries

Thursday, 11.10.2011 - 12:15 (Solarserver)

The nation of Australia has passed a tax of AUD 23 per ton (USD 24 per ton) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which will go into effect on July 1st, 2012. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has backed the carbon tax as an essential step in building a clean energy economy. The tax is part of a legislative package which passed the Australian Senate on November 8th, 2011, including USD 13 billion in support for renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. Read more