Satcon board names Aaron Gomolak as new EVP/CFO/treasurer

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 23:05 (PV-Tech)

The board of Satcon Technology has named Aaron Gomolak to be its executive VP, CFO, and treasurer, replacing replacing Donald Peck. Gomolak joined the PV inverter and power conversion company in May 2008, most recently serving as the senior VP of global operations. Read more

IKEA commissions 1.8 MW rooftop PV plant in California

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 22:43 (Solarserver)

On May 11th, 2011, IKEA (Delft, The Netherlands) announced that it has commissioned a 1.8 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of its southwestern U.S. distribution center in Tejon, California. The company notes that it has operational PV plants at four other stores in the United States, with systems currently being installed at nine other locations. Read more

CEC confirms 98% efficiency for Advanced Energy 500 kW inverters

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 22:40 (Solarserver)

On May 11th, 2011, Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.) announced that the California Energy Commission has rated its 500 kW Solaron solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters at 98% efficiency. The company states that this is the highest efficiency of any inverter in its power class, noting that it also held the previous industry benchmarks at 97% and 97.5%. Read more

Conservatives threaten to discard Ontario's feed-in tariff

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 14:00 (Solarserver)

Describing his actions as "relief for families on their hydro bills", Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party Leader Tim Hudak has vowed to scrap the Canadian Province's feed-in tariff if elected. Conservatives hope to regain a majority in 2011 provincial elections and replace current Ontario Premier and Liberal Party Leader Dalton McGuinty, to whom Mr. Hudak assigns credit for the policy. Read more

pvXchange receives investment from WHEB Partners

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 13:17 (PV-Tech)

WHEB Partners, a major clean technology private equity firm, has invested in pvXchange, the global B2B exchange platform for photovoltaic components. Founded in 2004 in Berlin, Germany, pvXchange is active in markets in Europe, the US, Canada and East Asia, and is a regular contributor of spot price market updates in the Photovoltaics International journal.  The amount of the investment was not disclosed. Read more

GT Solar sees productivity pop in multicrystalline ingot growing tool

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 23:11 (PV-Tech)

GT Solar has improved productivity on its latest-generation multicrystalline ingot growth system. The process on the DSS650, which produces ingots >625kg, has been enhanced by 44% over the earlier generation DSS450 tool, as a result of reduced cycle time, while maintaining high crystal quality and mass ingot yield, according to the company. Read more

Community Energy Solar, Exelon Generation sign PPA, REC deal for 6MW PV project in Pennsylvania

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 22:54 (PV-Tech)

Community Energy Solar and Exelon Generation signed a 15-year power purchase and renewable energy credit agreement for a 6MW solar PV project in Lancaster County, PA. The deal will support the construction of what is being called the largest solar plant in Pennsylvania, consisting of about 25,000 modules deployed on approximately 30 acres. Read more

SMA Solar inverter sales plummet during quarter; sees demand picking up, expects better second half

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 22:29 (PV-Tech)

Although SMA Solar Technology first-quarter 2011 sales exceeded its guidance, the amount still fell below its Q1 and Q4 2010 figures. After selling 1.019GW of inverters during the period, the company?s revenues reached ?255.9 million during the period, compared with the previous year?s ?339.3 million for the same quarter. Customers? continued high inventory levels, changes in incentive programs of important European solar markets, and the expectation of further falling module prices were attributed as reasons for a decline in demand for its products. Read more

Cogentrix: Solar Thermal Tech a Tough Sell, CPV Finds Takers

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 21:39 (Renewable Energy World)

Goldman Sachs' power generation company, Cogentrix Energy, bought two decades-old solar thermal power plants in California in 2009 to gain a foothold in the solar market. But these days, the company is more interested in developing other technologies. Read more

Canadian Solar revenues decline 2.1% to USD 443 million in 1Q 2011

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 14:32 (Solarserver)

On May 11th, 2011, Canadian Solar Inc. (Kitchener, Canada) announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011, reporting a 2.1% quarter-to-quarter decrease in revenues to USD 443 million and a net income of USD 5.9 million. The company increased its shipments to 244 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules during the quarter, with sales to European markets accounting for 75.7% of revenues. Read more

P2 Solar, Photonix to develop Indian PV plants

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 14:29 (Solarserver)

On May 11th, 2011, P2 Solar Inc. (Vancouver, Canada) announced an agreement with Photonix Solar Private Ltd. (Pune, India) to jointly develop solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in India. Through the agreement, P2 will provide EPC services on an as-needed basis to Photonix clients. Read more

S.A.G. Solarstrom AG: Result in first quarter substantiates planning for 2011

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 14:27 (Solarserver)

S.A.G. Solarstrom AG (Freiburg, Germany) has achieved sales of EUR 78.9 million in the first three months of 2011 (Q1 of 2010: ?31.3 million) and an EBIT of EUR 5.1 million (Q1 of 2010: ?1.6 million). The major part of total sales was achieved abroad. The Group was thus able to overcompensate for the weak German solar photovoltaic (PV) market. The significant growth in sales and earnings was essentially borne by the business area Project Planning and Plant Construction, with the 48 MWP project in Northern Italy. Read more

SolarWorld AG increases PV shipments by 32 percent in first quarter

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 13:57 (Solarserver)

In Q1 2011, SolarWorld AG (Bonn. Germay) increased its shipments of solar wafers and solar photovoltaic (PV) modules significantly. Compared to the first three months of the previous year, the company boosted group-wide shipments by 32 percent to 185 (Q1 2010: 139) MW. A major contributing factor was the strong business abroad, above all in the United States. The group-wide foreign quota in shipments rose to 77 percent (Q1 2010: 49%). Read more

Intersolar AWARD: Intersolar Europe unveils short list for solar industry innovation prize

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 13:52 (Solarserver)

On June 8, the world's largest exhibition for the solar industry will honor the industry's innovative strength by presenting the Intersolar AWARD for pioneering products and services in the categories "Photovoltaics", "Solar Thermal Technology" and "PV Production Technology". For the first time, exhibitors from Intersolar India were invited to take part in the competition alongside those from Intersolar Europe and Intersolar North America. The top ten submissions from each category have now been nominated for the Intersolar AWARD. Read more

eIQ Energy?s Parallel Solar technology selected for 1.2-Megawatt array at Granite Construction facility

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 13:48 (Solarserver)

eIQ Energy, Inc. (San Jose, Calif.) on May 12th, 2011 announced that it has signed an agreement with Granite Construction Incorporated to provide Parallel Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology for a new 1.2 megawatt solar PV installation at Granite?s aggregate and hot mix facility in Coalinga, Calif. Parallel solar, which allows solar modules to be connected in parallel, offers substantially lower balance-of-system costs and better lifetime energy harvest than traditional series wiring. Read more

Local community funds Suffolk school solar system

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 12:53 (Solarpowerportal)

Adding to the rising number of community energy projects in the UK, Nayland Primary School has unveiled its 15.54kW solar installation in Suffolk. Made possible by the Green Energy Nayland scheme, the school will now benefit from free electricity and bill savings for over 25 years. Read more

Concergy finish solar system for world?s largest carrot producer

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 11:59 (PV-Tech)

Conergy USA has finished work on a 230kW solar system for the world?s largest carrot producer, Grimmway Enterprises. Over 1,000 modules make up the ground-mounted system, which will help reduce the electricity bill of farm in Arvin, California by 50%. Read more

Conergy finish solar system for world?s largest carrot producer

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 11:59 (PV-Tech)

Conergy USA has finished work on a 230kW solar system for the world?s largest carrot producer, Grimmway Enterprises. Over 1,000 modules make up the ground-mounted system, which will help reduce the electricity bill of farm in Arvin, California by 50%. Read more

Solarcentury partners with Triodos Bank for UK solar development

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 10:30 (Solarpowerportal)

Commercial and public organisations who want to generate their own electricity from solar power can now benefit from a new partnership formed between ethical banking specialist Triodos Bank and Solarcentury, the UK-based solar energy company. Through the affiliation, Triodos Bank will own solar installations, making it easier for more people to take advantage of the sun’s power. Read more

Solarcentury partners with Tridos Bank for UK solar development

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 10:30 (Solarpowerportal)

Commercial and public organisations who want to generate their own electricity from solar power can now benefit from a new partnership formed between ethical banking specialist Tridos Bank and Solarcentury, the UK-based solar energy company. Through the affiliation, Tridos Bank will own solar installations, making it easier for more people to take advantage of the sun’s power. Read more

SMA Solar Technology AG: Managing Board confirms forecast for the year 2011 despite weak first quarter

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 9:16 (Solarserver)

SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) adheres to its sales and earnings forecast for 2011 despite declining business figures in the first quarter. Sales of EUR 255.9 million in the first three months of this year exceeded the company?s forecast, but remained below the previous year's figure (Q1 2010: EUR 339.3 million). The customers' continued high inventory levels of solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters, changes in incentive programs of important European solar markets and the expectation of further falling module prices led to a decline in demand for solar inverters in the reporting period. Read more

Statement of NHA Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci on H.R. 795, the Small-Scale Hydropower Enhancement Act of 2011

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 20:50 (Renewable Energy World)

The following is a statement from Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director of the National Hydropower Association: Read more

Blue Mountain Dissapoints; Nevada Geothermal Power Looks Like a Takeover Target

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 17:18 (Renewable Energy World)

When Raser Technologies (RZTIQ.OB) declared bankruptcy at the end of April, I shrugged it off. I saw the writing on the wall for Raser in September 2009, when they failed to get a DOE loan guarantee. But part of the letdown also had to do with resource risk: the company was producing consistently less power from their 10MW (rated) Thermo plant than expected. Read more

No Nukes, No Problem? Germany's Race for a Renewable Future

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 18:43 (Renewable Energy World)

During the last several years, there has been talk of a global "renaissance of nuclear energy". That was yesterday. Today, the tragic disaster in Fukushima, Japan, has raised worrying questions about the safety standards of existing nuclear power plants. Read more

Magnum Energy releases MagWeb Wireless Monitoring ME-MW-W

Friday, 5.13.2011 - 1:42 (Renewable Energy World)

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