JinkoSolar modules chosen for 5MW UK project

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 19:26 (PV-Tech)

AEE Renewables and EPC Graess Solartechnik have chosen JinkoSolar as module provider for a new 5MW PV project in the UK. The location of the system is yet to be disclosed, but when completed next year it will be one of the largest in the country. Read more

Conergy announces progress on 9.4 MW of PV plants, reports losses in first nine months of 2011

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 13:46 (Solarserver)

In the past week, Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany) has announced progress on two solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 9.4 MW. On November 9th, 2011 the company broke ground on a 8.2 MW PV plant in Grimmen, Germany and on November 15th, the company announced that it will build a 1.2 MW PV plant in Thalham (Obing), Germany. The company has also released financial results for the first three quarters of 2011, reporting a 14% decrease in revenues from the first nine months of 2010 to USD 771 million, but a 26% increase in international sales. The company also reported an EBIT margin of -24%, and is currently restructuring its operations. Read more

Four aleo solar module types pass ammonia test

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 11:16 (PV-Tech)

PV module manufacturer, aleo solar said that four of its module types had passed the ammonia resistance test by SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The ammonia certification adds to previous certification for use in other extreme conditions such as the slat spray test. Polycrystalline-based aleo modules S_16 and S_18 as well as the monocrystalline module types S_17 and S_19 have now been declared to be ammonia-resistant. Read more

SEMI: PV trade case must not become politicized

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 9:58 (Solarserver)

The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI, San Jose, California, U.S.) has released a statement expressing concern over the anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigation recently launched against Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers and its potential impact on the U.S. PV industry. SEMI states that it recognizes the importance of global trade policies and has long advocated for a strong, effective and enforceable international trading system. However, it warns that the current trade case must not become politicized. Read more

GE opens North American integrated logistics hub in Mississippi for solar, wind components

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 22:48 (PV-Tech)

GE has opened a new central logistics centre just 23 miles outside Memphis, Tennessee in Olive Branch, Mississippi. The new facility is expected to help GE enhance its customer response time for North America, especially as more solar and wind projects are developed in the region. GE Energy?s renewable energy services group will use the new logistics centre to distribute replacement wind turbine parts and solar technology components to customers throughout North America. Read more

SPG Solar installs 2.3MW PV system on wastewater reclamation facility in Arizona

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 22:38 (PV-Tech)

SPG Solar announced that its 2.3MW (DC) solar project at the Neely Wastewater Reclamation Facility in Gilbert, Arizona has been completed. The solar array, owned by a unit of Integrys Energy Services, was built over existing recharge basins at the reclamation facility and holds a savings tag of up to US$2 million for Gilbert over the next 20 years. Read more

Mainstream Energy to distribute 5MW of Solar Frontier CIS modules in North America

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 22:19 (PV-Tech)

Solar Frontier has entered into a distribution agreement with Mainstream Energy. The deal will see Mainstream sell and install 5MW of Solar Frontier?s CIS modules beginning in the fourth quarter of 2011. The CIS thin-film modules in the distribution agreement will be manufactured at Solar Frontier?s CIS factory in Miyazaki, Japan.  Solar Frontier noted that the agreement would increase its presence throughout the North American market. Read more

First Solar reaches 5GW manufacturing output milestone; begins production of 87W CdTe modules

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 21:48 (PV-Tech)

First Solar revealed that since it began commercial production in 2002, the company had officially reached a cumulative production of 5GW, or 66 million solar modules. ?This milestone helps advance our mission of providing clean solar electricity at affordable prices. Our ability to scale high-volume production has been a key factor in reducing the cost of renewable energy,? said Tymen DeJong, First Solar senior vice president of global manufacturing. Read more

Breaking News: UK 5MW project is planned to be finalised in early 2012

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 18:46 (Solarpowerportal)

China-based module provider JinkoSolar has today revealed plans to install a 5MW solar plant in the UK with AEE Renewables. Having already installed 9MW of large-scale solar in the UK, the companies are now considering a further project – despite the large-scale feed-in tariff cuts. Read more

Solar infrastructure provider Unirac Names Peter Lorenz as New CEO

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:40 (Solarserver)

Unirac (Albuquerque, N.M.) a Hilti Group Company and North America's leading provider of infrastructure for solar power systems, on November 16th, 2011 announced Peter Lorenz has been appointed as the company's new chief executive officer. Lorenz succeeds Douglas May who retired from the company at the end of October. Read more

Silicon Ranch announces its first solar PV project; largest privately-owned solar farm in Tennessee

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:40 (Solarserver)

Silicon Ranch Corporation (Nashville, Tennessee) on November 16th, 2011 announced that construction is underway in the city of Pulaski on a 1.4 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant, the largest privately owned solar installation in the state of Tennessee. The ground-mount solar energy system will be the centerpiece of Silicon Ranch?s master plan for a new solar park called, ?Pulaski Energy Park?. Read more

NanoSolar, EDF commission two PV projects totaling 6 MW in France, U.S.

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:39 (Solarserver)

On November 15th, 2011, Nanosolar Inc. (SAN JOSE, California, US) announced that it supplied Utility Panels for two separate solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling about 6 MW in France and the United States. The company delivered its 3-MW Nanosolar Utility Panels to EDF Energies Nouvelles that were installed this past summer and commissioned in September 2011 as part of EDF's larger solar farm in Gabardan, France. Read more

Fonroche to install 44MW system on Puerto Rico

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:30 (PV-Tech)

French renewable energy company Fonroche is investing US$115 million in a new 44MW solar farm in Puerto Rico, according to business daily Les Echos. Read more

Fonroche to install 44MW system in Puerto Rico

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:30 (PV-Tech)

French renewable energy company Fonroche is investing US$115 million in a new 44MW solar farm in Puerto Rico, according to business daily Les Echos. Read more

Applied Materials suffering from steep decline in orders and revenue from solar sector

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 16:57 (PV-Tech)

After a record revenue financial year, Applied Materials is experiencing a significant reduction in equipment orders and revenue from PV manufacturing customers. Though cancelations were minimal, backlog decreased by 26% to US$2.4 billion of which 14% is within its EES division, which includes PV equipment. Management expects PV related global CapEx to at fall by at least 50% in 2012 as manufacturer?s combat massive overcapacity and focus on cell efficiency improvements and technology buys. Read more

First incentive scheme for large-scale solar launched in Australia

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 16:23 (PV-Tech)

Australian Capital Territory is launching a new incentive scheme to promote large-scale solar in the state. It is Australia?s first scheme targeting larger systems and aims to help install projects totalling up to 210MW. Read more

Abengoa ramps up construction on Mojave Solar CSP plant

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 13:55 (Solarserver)

On November 14th, 2011 Abengoa SA (Seville, Spain) announced that it is ramping up construction on its Mojave Solar concentrating solar power (CSP) project in San Bernadino County, California, following regulatory approval of a power purchase agreement for the plant. The company states that only two months after beginning construction on the 280 MW plant, it now has 81 workers on-site and has signed 24 contracts with 19 suppliers in six U.S. states. Abengoa expects to commission the plant in 2014. Read more

FLS Energy starts work on 7,760 square meter solar thermal plant in North Carolina

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 13:50 (Solarserver)

On November 16th, 2011 FLS Energy Inc. (Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.) announced that it has begun construction on what will be one of the largest solar water heating projects in the United States for a poultry processor in North Carolina. When complete, the solar thermal plant at Prestage Foods' (St. Pauls, North Carolina, U.S.) turkey processing plant will feature 2,100 AET-40 modules, for a total of 7,760 square meters of collector area. The system will provide an estimated 380,000 liters of hot water per day, with an annual output of over 21 million BTUs. Read more

South Africa signs USD 250 million loan to support construction of concentrating solar power, wind plants

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 13:48 (Solarserver)

On November 14th, 2011 South Africa's Minister of Public Enterprises and Minister of Finance signed a USD 250 million loan agreement with the World Bank to finance renewable energy projects through state-run utility Eskom (Sandton, South Africa). The South African government states that this loan will be part of a financing package under its Clean Technology Fund, which will support the building of a 100 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant and a 100 MW wind plant. Read more

Phoenix Solar CFO leaving; appoints replacement

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 12:08 (PV-Tech)

Upon expiry of a recent five-year contract, long-standing employee and current CFO, Sabine Kauper will leave Phoenix Solar at the end of the year. Her replacement, Dr. Bernd Köhler comes from Siemens and will assume responsibility for finance, along with Personnel and Organisation Development, International Process and IT Management, Internal Audit and Law from January 1, 2012. Read more

Amtech post record revenues FY2011: guides losses as push-outs and capacity expansions slow

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 11:50 (PV-Tech)

Specialist PV equipment supplier,Amtech Systems posted record revenue of US$247 million for its 2011 financial year, more than double the previous year. Fourth quarter revenue was reported at US$59.9 million, up 32% from the prior year fourth quarter. Order backlog stood at US$85.9 million of which US$71.2 million was from the solar segment. However, bookings in the fourth quarter slowed to only US$4.7 million for solar with total bookings in the quarter standing at US$16.8 million. Read more

SolarWorld supplies 2MW of modules for Massachusetts school project

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 1:36 (PV-Tech)

SolarWorld advised that it had recently completed what it deems to be the largest solar installation for a private school in New England. The 8-acre, 2MW PV installation at Berkshire School features 8,332 of the company?s crystalline silicon solar panels and will be brought on line this fall. The project is one of three recently completed solar projects by SolarWorld that combined amount to 7MW of solar power. Read more

MEMC to supply 130MW of PV modules to Northland for Ontario power-plant projects

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 1:19 (PV-Tech)

MEMC Singapore, a unit of MEMC Electronic Materials, and Northland Power have signed a Master Module Supply Agreement for the purchase of solar PV modules to be manufactured in Newmarket, Ontario. The modules will be used for Northland?s 130MW Ontario solar portfolio and as part of a CAN$600 million investment by Northland for the construction of ground-mounted solar projects in Ontario. The monetary value of the deal was not disclosed. Read more

Meanwhile, Wind Industry Sees Big Gains ? Will it Last?

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 23:22 (Renewable Energy World)

As the controversies surrounding the solar industry heat up, the wind industry is keeping its cool as it bounces back from a rocky 2010. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Q3 report, the wind industry had more than 1,200 MW installed in the third quarter, and more than 8,400 MW under construction ? the most in any quarter since 2008. Read more

Standards for the Sea: How Can We Develop an Offshore Grid?

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 15:10 (Renewable Energy World)

The EU climate and energy package ? known as the 20-20-20 target ? places Europe as a world leader in the field of sustainable and renewable energy. By 2020, the continent could add around 600 TWh in new renewable electricity generation. Read more

Chu to Congress: 'We Can And Must Compete'

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 22:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Just as Congressional Republicans have sought to make Solyndra about more than Solyndra, Energy Secretary Steven Chu continued to broaden the scope of his department's loan program during testimony to members of Congress on Thursday. Read more

Amonix powers North Las Vegas manufacturing facility with CPV, wins gold-level LEED certification

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 17:41 (Solarserver)

Amonix Inc. (Seal Beach, Calif.), designer and manufacturer of utility-scale concentrating solar photovoltaic (CPV) power systems, on November 16th, 2011 announced their facilities in California and Nevada have won gold-level certification for their low environmental impact construction, and high energy and water efficiency from the U.S. Green Building Council?s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Read more

S-Day: U.S. Must Keep Its Eyes on the Clean Energy Prize, Despite Setbacks

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 15:44 (Renewable Energy World)

Today, November 17th, all eyes in the energy sector will be trained on Washington, where Secretary of Energy Steven Chu testifies before Congress regarding the failed Solyndra loan guarantee. Read more

Investment Continues to Flow into Marine Energy: Siemens and OpenHydro Ride the Tide

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 15:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Marine resources ? tidal, wave and ocean thermal ? are ripe for providing massive amounts of energy to coastal communities. But the technologies are still budding, preventing companies from realizing that available potential. Read more

Lib Dem councillors rebel against FiT cut deadline

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 14:23 (Solarpowerportal)

The rebellion against the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC) proposal to cut solar feed-in tariffs from December 12 is expected to gather momentum as Liberal Democrat councillors prepare to revolt. A large portion of councillors are now faced with angry solar supporters who fear imminent job cuts as a direct result of the deadline. Read more

Applied Materials: Q4 PV manufacturing equipment sales revenues fall 44%, new orders fall 73% in quarterly results

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 13:53 (Solarserver)

On November 16th, 2011 Applied Materials Inc. (Santa Clara, California, U.S.) released results for its most recent financial quarter and fiscal year (FY) 2011. The company reports a 44% decrease to USD 315 million in fourth quarter 2011 revenues from its Energy and Environmental Services (EES) division, with new orders falling 73% to USD 86 million. The division also reported an operating margin of 5% during the quarter. Overall, Applied Materials' net sales of USD 2.18 billion from its fourth quarter of 2011, which ended October 30th, 2011, represent a 24% decline from the previous year. However FY 2011 revenues of USD 10.5 billion are a 10% increase over FY 2010. Read more

Amonix earns pair of LEED certifications for facilities, will power Nevada site with own CPV system

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 1:50 (PV-Tech)

Amonix?s Seal Beach, California and North Las Vegas, Nevada facilities have earned gold-level certification for their low environmental impact from the US Green Building Council?s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The company?s buildings were rated in 13 environmental impact categories, including climate change, indoor environmental quality, resource depletion and water intake. Read more

DOE offers US$7 million in funding for efforts to reduce non-hardware costs of PV power systems

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 1:05 (PV-Tech)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) revealed its latest funding under the SunShot Initiative with a US$7 million effort for the reduction of non-hardware costs of residential and commercial PV installations. The funding will fall under the DOE?s SunShot Incubator Program and is set to support the development of tools and approaches that diminish non-hardware, or ?soft? costs, including installation, permitting, interconnection and inspection. The DOE noted that these expenses can make up half of the cost of a residential system stating that the Incubator program is a better way to buy, install and maintain a PV system at a more cost effective rate Read more

Peter Lorenz selected as new CEO for Unirac

Thursday, 11.17.2011 - 0:53 (PV-Tech)

As Douglas May, former CEO of Unirac, retired at the end of October, the company had been in search of a new executive and they have found a new leader in Peter Lorenz. The new CEO joins Unirac after serving as president of Quanta Services? Renewable Energy Services unit. Prior to his role with Quanta, Lorenz worked seven years with McKinsey & Company as an associate principal and specialized in finance assignments with Royal Dutch Shell from 1996 to 1999. Read more