TÜV Rheinland sets up spectral sensitivity measurement test stand for PV modules at Cologne site

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 23:25 (PV-Tech)

TÜV Rheinland has revealed its latest measurement testing in the form of a measurement system for spectral sensitivity and quantum efficiency of PV modules for crystalline and thin-film module manufacturers. The group has established a new spectral measuring station at its solar test center in Cologne, which can measure PV modules with an edge length up to 200cm. The measurement testing, conducted in wavelengths that range from 300 to 1,200 nanometers, is performed in increments of one nanometer. TÜV Rheinland points out that the testing is non-destructive since the modules can be connected to the terminals without interfering with the solar cell circuitry. Read more

Molecular Solar raising £5 million to commercialise new solar cells

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 17:39 (PV-Tech)

Molecular Solar, a spin-off company from the UK?s University of Warwick, is looking to raise £5 million in order to commercialise its flexible and lightweight solar cells. The funding will help the company establish its bespoke technology facility and successfully market the final product. Read more

IMS Research: Global PV inverter shipments declined to 4GW in Q1

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:56 (PV-Tech)

Not surprisingly, the PV inverter market has been impacted by the weak level of PV installations in the first quarter of 2011. According to IMS Research, global PV inverter shipments declined to 4GW in the first quarter, a 39% decline when compared to the previous quarter. Shipments fell 17% in the same quarter a year ago, primarily due to seasonality. Read more

Solectria Renewables Introduces SolrenView AIR

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:04 (Renewable Energy World)

Lawrence, MA ? May 26, 2011 ? Solectria Renewables, LLC, the leading U.S. PV inverter manufacturer, introduced SolrenViewTM AIR today, a cellular connection option now available for SolrenView web-based monitoring. SolrenView AIR gives owners the flexibility to take advantage of SolrenView monitoring options via a cellular connection when a wired connection is unavailable. Read more

Suntech revenues slip 7.2% to USD 877 million in Q1, 2011

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 13:06 (Solarserver)

On May 25th, 2011, Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011, reporting a 7.2% quarter-to-quarter decrease in revenues to USD 877 million and a 3.1% decrease in shipments. The world's largest PV manufacturer joins other large Chinese manufacturers in seeing only a small decrease in shipments and revenues in what was a very difficult quarter for some European and North American manufacturers. Read more

G24i, Texas Instruments sign strategic agreement for DSSC PV cells and nano-powered converter

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 0:22 (PV-Tech)

G24 Innovations (G24i) and Texas Instruments (TI) have entered into a strategic development agreement where they will mutually develop a technology platform that utilizes G24i?s solar cell technology with TI?s nano-powered converter. The two companies aim to create an original opportunity for global OEM?s to design new independent self-powering devices. Read more

Canadian CPV firm Morgan Solar closes US$16.5M Series B funding tranche; plans factory in San Diego

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 23:55 (PV-Tech)

Morgan Solar has closed the first installment of its Series B funding round with US$16.5 million. The funding will enable the company to increase its manufacturing and deployment for its Sun Simba concentrated PV module. Existing investors Inversiones Financieras Perseo, of the Iberdrola Group, and Nypro were joined by new investor, The Frost Group. Morgan Solar is in talks with strategic investors to close the remainder of the funding round. Read more

SunPower realizes 3.5MW rooftop solar system on Macy?s Arizona fulfillment center

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 22:22 (PV-Tech)

Macy?s Goodyear, Arizona online fulfillment center is modeling a new 3.5MW rooftop solar power system. SunPower designed and installed the solar project, which features a SunPower T5 Solar Roof Tile system, and will continue to support the center with operations and maintenance services. Read more

Order Focus: Suntech to supply up to 190MW of solar panels for solarhybrid projects

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 21:59 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power Holdings has formed a strategic partnership with solarhybrid, which will see Suntech provide up to 190MW of its solar panels for use in solarhybrid solar PV installations in 2011. The financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, although the deal will see Suntech provide its panels for a majority of solarhybrid?s German projects in 2011. Read more

Vermont Enacts First-in-nation Solar Registration

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 19:42 (Renewable Energy World)

Vermont has enacted a first-in-the-nation registration process for small solar systems, providing a national model for mitigating costly local solar permitting. Read more

Solar heating around the world: Intersolar Europe showcases latest trends and presents the ?ISOL Navigator?

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 19:41 (Solarserver)

The 2011 ISOL Navigator shines a light on current and future market developments in the field of solar thermal technology across 16 key countries from all corners of the globe. The study, conducted by the agency solrico from Bielefeld, Germany, examines both opportunities for and barriers to market growth based on responses from 300 solar heating system manufacturers and providers. Read more

CCID offers interpretation of energy component of China's 12th five-year plan: Solar thermal market continues to expand; domestic PV market will see a rapid growth

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 19:33 (Solarserver)

During the 11th Five-year Plan period ending 2010, China?s wind power, solar energy, nuclear energy and biomass industries saw a rapid development, with the total industry size expanding continuously. In the coming five years, China?s new energy industry is expected to maintain a steady development pace with the state?s policy supports and new energy technology advancement, CCID Consulting Co., Ltd. (Beijing, P.R.China) reports. Read more

SolarVision to construct 3MW PV plant in Ohio

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 19:00 (Solarserver)

On May 25th, 2011, SolarVision LLC (Westerville, Ohio, U.S.) gave the City of Celina, Ohio, U.S. USD 600,000 as a licensing fee to construct a 3MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. The company says that this will begin phase 1 of the Celina Renewable Energy Center, which will include the PV plant, a biogas plant and wetlands. Read more

Standard Solar Greens City of Atlantic City with 2,500 Panel Solar Electric System

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 17:32 (Renewable Energy World)

Standard Solar, Inc., a leader in the full-service development, installation and financing of solar electric systems for commercial, government and residential customers, today announced plans to develop a 598 kilowatt solar electric system for Atlantic City, New Jersey, marking its entrance into the New Jersey market. Read more

Molecular Solar will raise £5m for new technology facility

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 17:32 (Solarpowerportal)

Warwick University spinout Molecular Solar is to raise £5 million to create its own bespoke technology facility in order to bring its lightweight, flexible solar cells to the mainstream marketplace. Read more

Lanco Infratech, juwi join forces to build India?s largest solar plant

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 16:13 (PV-Tech)

Lanco Infratech and juwi Holding have won a contract to build India?s largest solar system in the city of Dhule. The 75MW solar plant will cost INR8.84 billion (US$195 million) and be completed by February 2012. Equipment suppliers for the record-breaking project are still to be confirmed. Read more

Former Suntech CFO named Sky Solar?s CEO

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:19 (PV-Tech)

Sky Solar has named Amy Zhang, Suntech?s former CFO, as its new CEO and executive director, succeeding founder and chairman Weili Su, who will focus on company?s strategic development and promoting its advanced technologies. Read more

Ikaros Solar receives MCS accreditation

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 14:04 (Solarpowerportal)

Ikaros Solar UK, which was set up earlier this year by entrepreneur Richard Tyzack, has achieved Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation.  The South Wales-based subsidiary in Technium Springboard in Cwmbran, Wales has been backed by the Welsh Assembly Government through a £500,000 grant from the Single Investment Fund (SIF) over the next three years. Read more

Construction begins on 5MW multi-technology solar park at Arizona College

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 13:26 (Solarserver)

On May 24th, 2011, a team of companies including Main Street Power Company Inc. (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.) broke ground on a project using five different solar technologies for a total of 5MW at Arizona Western College (Yuma, Arizona, U.S.). The project will involve five separate 1MW sites using concentrating photovoltaics (CPV), thin film modules, monocrystalline silicon modules and polycrystalline silicon modules. Read more

Magnolia Solar wins high-performance thin-film cell research award from NASA

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 13:02 (PV-Tech)

Magnolia Solar has been the recipient of a six-month research award from NASA for development of technologies aimed at increasing the power output of advanced photovoltaic systems for use in NASA?s space missions. The Phase I Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) award amounts to US$100,000, and will see Magnolia focus on increasing the current and voltage output of single-junction III-V cells. Read more

Applied Materials' Energy and Environmental Services sales rise 34% to USD 637 million in latest quarter including record net sales in solar business

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 13:01 (Solarserver)

On May 24th, 2011, Applied Materials Inc. (Santa Clara, California, U.S.) results for its latest financial quarter, reporting record sales in its Energy and Environmental Services (EES) division of USD 637 million. In the company's results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2011, which ended on May 1st, 2011, Applied's EES division also reported an 8% sequential decline in orders to USD 612 million, and an operating margin of 26.7%. Read more

SolarWorld ships 33MW of modules for Ontario PV plant

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 13:00 (Solarserver)

On May 25th, 2011, SolarWorld AG (Bonn, Germany) announced that it has begun transporting 33MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules by rail for a new PV plant planned for East-Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada. The company also announced that its shareholders have approved an increase in the company's annual dividend to EUR 0.19 (USD 0.27) per dividend-bearing share certificate, at its annual shareholders' meeting on May 24th, 2011. Read more

Canadian Solar provides modules for three new UK projects

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 12:59 (PV-Tech)

PV giant Canadian Solar is set to strengthen its presence within the UK by supplying 15MW of modules for three soon-to-be-completed systems. The farms, located in Churchtown, East Langford and Manor Farm, are being constructed by Spanish project developer Isolux and will utilise Canadian Solar?s CS6P modules. The projects are expected to be completed this June. Read more

Canadian Solar supplies modules for three new UK projects

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 12:59 (PV-Tech)

PV giant Canadian Solar is set to strengthen its presence within the UK by supplying 15MW of modules for three soon-to-be-completed systems. The farms, located in Churchtown, East Langford and Manor Farm, are being constructed by Spanish project developer Isolux and will utilise Canadian Solar?s CS6P modules. The projects are expected to be completed this June. Read more

New York considers creation of solar credit system

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 12:40 (Solarserver)

Legislation to require a minimum amount of solar generation and create a solar renewable energy credit (SREC) program is currently being considered in the U.S. state of New York. The "New York solar industry development and jobs act of 2011", which has also been presented a solution to "peak" electricity needs of New York City, went before the New York State Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee on May 24th, 2011. A similar identical bill has already passed a New York State Assembly committee. Read more

Solar Topps executes solar panel supply agreement with Schott Solar

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 2:21 (PV-Tech)

Solar Topps, a solar integrator in Arizona, and Schott Solar have entered into a new solar panel supply agreement. The agreement will see Schott?s solar panels used in future Solar Topps commercial solar power installations, which range from 30kW to 200kW. The solar installations will be based in various cities and business in Arizona including car dealerships, hotels and shopping centers in Tucson, Nogales, Yuma, Tempe and Phoenix. Read more

Miguel Pinilla named SunRun?s VP of engineering

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 0:52 (PV-Tech)

Dr. Miguel Pinilla will be leading SunRun?s engineers in developing the company?s software infrastructure for residential solar power delivery in the US as the new vice president of engineering. Pinilla comes to SunRun from SmartTurn (known now as RedPrairie) where he led technology development and innovation efforts for its inventory and warehousing applications. Read more

How Manomet Got It Backwards: Challenging the "Debt-then-dividend" Axiom

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:40 (Renewable Energy World)

This short article challenges the assumption that there is always a carbon debt incurred first and then a carbon dividend realized later (debt-then-dividend) when using woody biomass for energy. Read more

Wind Technology and Transmission Prepares for Future Demands

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In the next 10 years or so, technology trends onshore and offshore are expected to change significantly. Capacity onshore is typically in the range of 2.3-3 MW, constrained by the size (width, height, and length) that can be transported by truck. It's unlikely that future onshore turbines will become significantly larger, but they will, however, be smarter, and may be tailored for each specific location. Read more

Scientists at ZSW develop single-tool flexible CIGS PV cell deposition approach

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 0:25 (PV-Tech)

Scientists at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) have developed what they believe to be a breakthrough approach for the continuous roll-to-roll processing of CIGS thin film solar cells on plastic film. The Stuttgart-based team has devised a manufacturing scheme in which the main coating steps take place in a single system, claiming 10.2% conversion efficiencies on cells made using this prototype tool. Read more

Distributed Geothermal in California Can Add 7% of Supply -- What Feed-in Tariff Prices Are Necessary?

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 16:04 (Renewable Energy World)

Read more

Statement of NHA Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci on the passage of the Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 21:56 (Renewable Energy World)

The following is a statement from Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director of the National Hydropower Association, regarding the Senate Energy Committee's markup of S. 630, the Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2011: Read more

Green America ranks Southern Company as "dirtiest" U.S. utility

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 19:08 (Solarserver)

On May 24th, 2011, Green America (Washington D.C., U.S.) released a report on the United States' seven "dirtiest" utilities, ranking Southern Company (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.) as the nation's most environmentally irresponsible utility. The non-profit organization ranked the seven utilities on their dependence on coal, pollution, reliance on and expansion of nuclear power and anti-environmental lobbying expenditures, giving Southern Company an "F" in all four areas. Read more

Biden Says U.S. Will Lead Energy Revolution

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 15:45 (Renewable Energy World)

America, with its entrepreneurial spirit and innovative national labs, will lead the global clean-energy revolution and reap the economic and environmental benefits that go with it, Vice President Joe Biden vowed in a visit last week to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Read more

Positive Energy completes 2MW Greek system

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 12:01 (PV-Tech)

Positive Energy has finished construction of a 2MW solar park in the Greek prefecture of Lakonia. In addition to designing the system, Positive Energy supplied the equipment for the development, which is owned by Solar Gate. Read more

Scotland increases 2020 renewable energy target to 100%

Thursday, 5.26.2011 - 10:53 (Solarpowerportal)

The new Scottish Government has exceeded all expectations and increased its renewable energy target to 100% by 2020. First Minister Alex Salmond pledged to move “still faster and further” to secure Scotland’s place as the green energy powerhouse of Europe. Read more