SMA Inverters Chosen for 475kW Demonstration System at Senior Housing Community

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 19:01 (Renewable Energy World)

Due to its success since coming online last summer, the nearly 500kW photovoltaic system at the Vintage Oaks senior affordable housing community in Citrus Heights, Calif., has become a demonstration system for other properties by developer USA Properties Fund, Inc. Based on their quality and reliability, 98 Sunny Boy inverters from SMA America were chosen to convert the direct current (DC) collected by the solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity for use throughout the neighborhood. Read more

Photon International survey sees solar cell production potentially increasing 80% to 67GW in 2011

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 17:17 (PV-Tech)

An annual survey of cell manufacturers published in the March 2011 issue of Photon International highlights a significant increase in solar cell production that could result in new capacity growing by 80% in 2011 and roughly reach a global capacity of 67GW. This comes on the back of reported cell production figures reaching 27.2GW in 2010, up 118%, compared with 12.5GW produced in 2009 Read more

PHOTON International survey sees solar cell production potentially increasing 80% to 67GW in 2011

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 17:17 (PV-Tech)

An annual survey of cell manufacturers published in the March 2011 issue of PHOTON International, highlights a significant increase in solar cell production that could result in new capacity growing by 80% in 2011 and roughly reach a global capacity of 67GW. This comes on the back of reported cell production figures reaching 27.2GW in 2010, up 118%, compared with 12.5GW produced in 2009 Read more

Conergy expects substantial decrease in German PV market demand in 2011

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 16:41 (PV-Tech)

According to Conergy?s management, the module manufacturer remains cautiously optimistic about its business success in 2011, despite expectations that the reduction in the German feed-in tariff is expected to lead to a substantial decrease in the industry?s most important solar market, Germany. Read more

Q-Cells guides almost flat sales in 2011; CIGS modules achieve 13.4% new efficiency world record

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 15:28 (PV-Tech)

Although there were no specifics mentioned in the financial forecast for 2011 provided by Q-Cells as it announced full year financial results, sales are set to be at around the same level as last year. As previously reported, Q-Cells sales increased by 70% to ?1.35 billion in 2010. In its annual report, 2011 sales guidance is between ?1.3 billion and ?1.5 billion. Read more

Q-Cells guides almost flat sales in 2011: CIGS modules achieve 13.4% new efficiency world record

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 15:28 (PV-Tech)

Although there were no specifics mentioned in the financial forecast for 2011 provided by Q-Cells as it announced full year financial results, sales are set to be at around the same level as last year. As previously reported, Q-Cells sales increased by 70% to ?1.35 billion in 2010. In its annual report, 2011 sales guidance is between ?1.3 billion and ?1.5 billion. Read more

Debut of the first practical "artificial leaf": MIT Professor mimics photosynthesis with advanced solar cell

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 13:43 (Solarserver)

Scientists on March 27th, 2011 claimed one of the milestones in the drive for sustainable energy with the development of the first practical artificial leaf. Speaking at the 241st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society at Anaheim, California, they described an advanced solar cell the size of a poker card that mimics the process, called photosynthesis, that green plants use to convert sunlight and water into energy. Read more

David W. King to succeed Amy Zhang as Chief Financial Officer of Suntech

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 13:30 (Solarserver)

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China), the world's largest producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, on March 29th, 2011 announced that Mr. David W. King will succeed Ms. Amy Zhang as Suntech's Chief Financial Officer. Mr. King will join the Company in April 2011 and will overlap with Ms. Zhang in early April for transitional purposes. Read more

TEP program to install 11 MW of rooftop PV in Arizona

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 13:23 (Solarserver)

On March 28th, 2011, Tucson Electric Power Company (Tucson, Arizona, U.S.) unveiled a new program to install 11 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants on public buildings in Arizona over the next three years. TEP has awarded SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) a contract to supply its T5 Solar Roof Tile products for use in the program. Read more

Simon Bransfield-Garth selected as OPV developer Eight19?s first CEO

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 1:53 (PV-Tech)

Dr. Simon Bransfield-Garth has been selected by Eight19, an organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology developer, as the company?s first chief executive officer. His appointment comes after a September 2010, US$7.4 million investment from the Carbon Trust and French chemical company Rhodia for the commercialization of OPV technology that will be created at Cambridge University?s Cavendish Laboratory; to which Eight19 is closely associated. Read more

Petaluma School District Installs Solar Power System At Multiple School Locations Utilizing Panels From Sharp

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 18:51 (Renewable Energy World)

The Petaluma School District recently flipped the switch on a 4,508-panel 1 Megawatt Solar Power System. The system, using Sharp's NUU235F1 235 watt solar modules, was designed and installed by Cupertino Electric, Inc. (www.cei.com) and is comprised of two arrays mounted on canopies at the Casa Grande High School and Petaluma High School campuses. The system is projected to reduce the district's annual energy costs and supply the school district with enough solar energy over a 20-year period to offset the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 4,302 passenger vehicles. Read more

Sharp Solar Panels Power Array At Washington DC Sheridan School

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 18:41 (Renewable Energy World)

The Sheridan School in Washington, D.C., recently flipped the switch on a 3,800 square foot roof-mounted solar power array. This solar installation, comprised of 252 224 watt panels from Sharp Solar, is one of the largest in the District, and it will provide 56 kilowatts of energy. Working with Rockville, Maryland-based Clean Currents Solar, Sheridan was able to tap Washington, DC's $2 million-a-year Renewable Energy Incentive Program (REIP) to help fund the project. The school is expecting a complete payback of their investment in the solar array within ten years. Sheridan students are particularly excited by plans to install a digital readout in the lobby of the school Read more

Italian government to reduce solar incentives every year until 2014

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 17:35 (PV-Tech)

The Italian government looks likely to reduce feed-in tariff (FiT) incentives every year until 2014, according to the first draft of its new renewable energy bill leaked from the Gazzetta Ufficiale. The draft also outlined the government?s intention to devote ?6.9 billion to the development of the solar sector. Read more

First Solar, juwi sign sponsorship deal with cycling team

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 15:10 (PV-Tech)

First Solar and juwi solar have become the latest names in the solar industry to enter into the world of sports sponsorship after they signed a joint contract with an amateur U.S. road cycling team. Read more

Centrosolar revenues increase 31% to USD 569 million in 2010

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 13:05 (Solarserver)

On March 15th, 2011, Centrosolar Group AG (Munich, Germany) announced financial results for 2010, reporting a 31% increase in annual revenue of EUR 404 million (USD 569 million). The company also increased its EBIT almost four-fold to EUR 26.6 million (USD 37.5 million). Read more

Does the UN have the answers to promote solar in North Africa and Middle East?

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 12:11 (Renewable Energy World)

The UNESCO Regional Cairo Bureau has been an active player promoting the adoption of alternative energy in the MENA region. Dr Nazar Hassan, Deputy Director of the UNESCO Regional Cairo Bureau has been working on a strategy that benefits both the nations within MENA, and the industry heavyweights that can serve the energy demand and contribute to the local economy. Read more

Wagner Solar donates 3% of Sanyo module sales in April to help earthquake victims

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 11:17 (PV-Tech)

PV equipment supplier Wagner Solar UK will donate 3% from all sales of Sanyo modules in April to the relief fund for the recent Sendai earthquake in Japan, reports Solar Power Portal. The funds will go to World Vision, who are helping the victims and the rebuilding process in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami which struck the T?hoku region on March 11. Read more

Solar Nation finalizes 876kW rooftop solar installation at a New Jersey distribution center

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 2:07 (PV-Tech)

Solar Nation has installed and commissioned a 876kW solar power system on the rooftop of Sunham Home Fashions distribution center in New Providence, New Jersey. The 130,000 square foot system , which was designed, engineered and installed by Solar Nation, utilizes 3,575 SolarWorld 245W solar panels, two SMA American inverters and a Draker Laboratories web-based monitoring system. Read more

Pictometry offers aerial rooftop images, measurement tools to U.S. solar integrators

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 0:08 (PV-Tech)

Pictometry Online is extending its 3-D like, high resolution aerial images to solar contractors, which the company states will allow for a better and more accurate calculation of solar exposure, panel placement, sizing, roof pitch and square footage for a solar installation on either a residential or commercial building. Read more

Top 11 Algae Biofuel and Biochemical Trends From 2011-2020

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 7:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The following article is an excerpt from a technology, investment, and market study titled Algae 2020, Vol 2 (2011 update) from market research firm Emerging Markets Online. The excerpt provides a summary of findings and highlights 11 key trends for the algae industry from 2011 to the year 2020. Read more

Juhl Wind Secures Financing and Continues Construction on $21.7 Million Valley View Wind Farm

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 15:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Juhl Wind Secures Financing and Continues Construction on $21.7 Million Valley View Wind Farm Read more

DERlab welcomes four new members

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 23:40 (PV-Tech)

The Association of European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories (DERlab) has admitted four new members to its organization in the form of the VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, the Interdisciplinary Center for Reliability, Security and Trust at the University of Luxembourg, K.U. Leuven for the new knowledge institute Energy Ville and Sandia National Laboratories from the U.S. Read more

2010 Clean Energy Patents at NEW High- Clean Energy Patent Growth Index

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 15:54 (Renewable Energy World)

Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. is pleased to announce the 2010 year end, and 4th quarter, results for the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI) by the firm's Cleantech Group. Read more

Order Focus: Teal Electronics receives US$1-million order from Energy Innovations

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 12:56 (PV-Tech)

SL Industries subsidiary Teal Electronics has received a US$1-million order from Energy Innovations for its latest grid-tied power supply. The power supply will provide start-up electricity from the grid for Energy Innovations? highly-concentrated photovoltaic (HCPV) Sunflower tracking system. Read more

Daqo New Energy starts building work on new Chinese polysilicon facility

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 12:16 (PV-Tech)

Leading Chinese polysilicon manufacturer Daqo New Energy has started work on phase two of its new facility in Shihezi, Xinjiang. Manufacturing will begin in the second half of 2012, with an initial capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes. Read more

Germans Push for More Renewable Energy; Offshore Wind To Benefit

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 6:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Germany's federal government has hatched a plan to accelerate the expansion of the country's energy grid to transport more renewable energy, particularly from offshore wind farms, after Japan's nuclear disaster alerted voters in the Europe's largest electricity market of the pressing need for non-nuclear power. Read more

Garbage: To Burn or To Bury

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 6:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Europe burns heaps of garbage, getting lots of electricity and some heat. The United States does not. Proponents say incineration shrinks the waste and produces heat and electricity while reducing the need for landfills and the diesel-drinking trucks tasked with taking trash to often-distant burial grounds. Read more

Infinite Energy introduce the UK?s first modular solar car park canopy

Tuesday, 3.29.2011 - 10:47 (Solarpowerportal)

Infinite Energy, in partnership with Screwfast, has launched the UK’s first modular solar car park canopy. ElectroPort can be installed on any car park, generating solar energy that can be used both onsite as well as forming a charging point for electric cars. The system is designed and built in the UK. Read more