RASIRC Steamers used by Fraunhofer ISE for high-efficiency PV cell production

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 21:27 (Solarserver)

On May 26th, 2011, RASIRC (San Diego, California, U.S.) announced that its RASIRC Steamers were found by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) to create 20.2% efficient back-contact silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Fraunhofer used the steamers to deliver ultra-pure water vapor for both its metal wrap through (MWT) and passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cell manufacturing processes. Read more

Samsung Electronics to sell PV cell business to Samsung SDI

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 21:27 (Solarserver)

Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) has announced that it will sell its recently developed solar photovoltaic (PV) cell business to Samsung SDI Company Ltd. (Suwon, South Korea) for USD 148 million. Samsung SDI will take over the PV cell business on July 1st, 2011. Samsung Electronics states that the purpose of the transaction is to manage the company's resources more efficiently and maintain focus on its key businesses. Read more

Rena?s owner buys 15% stake in Roth & Rau; advises that Rena is not looking to out-bid Meyer Burger

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 19:11 (PV-Tech)

As the possible acquisition of Roth & Rau by Meyer Burger Technology continues, Jürgen Gutekunst of Gutekunst Holding and owner and manager of Rena bought a 15.06% share of Roth & Rau voting rights. Roth & Rau advised that upon the information its management board had received, the acquisition by Gutekunst stemmed from the business relationship he has participated in with the company in the development and marking of production technologies for crystalline and silicon solar cells. Read more

Canadian Solar modules used for 8MW French power plant

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 18:19 (PV-Tech)

EOSOL Energies Nouvelles has used 35,000 CS6P modules supplied by Canadian Solar for an 8MW PV power plant now operational in Villeneuve de Marsan, Aquitaine in south western France. The power plant also uses inverters, electrical monitoring systems from Siemens. Read more

EU maintains exception for PV modules in RoHS

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 12:51 (Solarserver)

On May 27th, 2011, the Council of the European Union revised and clarified its Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS), maintaining an exception for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. This ruling means that cadmium telluride PV modules, such as those produced by First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.), can continue to be sold in the European Union. Read more

CNPV becomes first Chinese PV company to receive triple management accreditation from TUV Rheinland

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 12:50 (Solarserver)

CNPV Solar Power SA (Dongying, China), an integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products, on May 27th, 2011 announced that it has passed the OHSAS 18001 international standards for occupational health and safety after auditing by TUV Rheinland. CNPV continues to charge through the certifications accreditations as part of its commitment to business excellence. Recognising that the rigours of external assessment bring much higher benefit than the approval itself, the Company continues to stretch its targets and "punch above its weight". Read more

Solectria unveils cell phone PV inverter monitoring option

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 12:50 (Solarserver)

On May 26th, 2011, Solectria Renewables LLC (Lawrence, Massachusetts, U.S.) introduced a remote cellular phone option for its web-based inverter monitoring solution. The company states that SolrenView AIR is factory installed and configured for easier start-up, and like the web-based SolrenView allows for real-time reporting of solar photovoltaic (PV) system production. Read more

BIPV: Ruukki developes fully-integrated solar PV facade

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 21:28 (Solarserver)

Ruukki, a marketing brand of Rautaruukki Corporation (Helsinki, Finland) developed a photovoltaic (BIPV) system that has been fully integrated into a facade to convert sun rays into energy. The solar power system does not depend on the sun's warmth, only its radiation. The electricity generated is used either to meet the building's own needs or is fed into the electricity grid. Read more

Telvent selected to implement distributed control system for 100 MW solar thermal power plant in Abu Dhabi

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 21:28 (Solarserver)

Telvent (Rockville, Md.), a real-time IT solutions and information provider, on May 27th, 2011 announced that it has been selected to design, install and manage the distributed control system (DCS) for Shams Power Company's Shams-1 solar thermal power plant in MadinatZayed, 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Read more

Order Focus: Solvis and Relatio enter into long-term cooperation agreement for 2011

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 19:56 (PV-Tech)

Module manufacturer Solvis has entered into a long-term cooperation agreement with solar system integrator Relatio, which will see Relatio market half of Solvis? full annual capacity in Germany during 2011 by installing Solvis modules on its roof and field projects. Read more

TÜV Rheinland certifies CNPV with OHSAS 18001 accreditation

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 18:30 (PV-Tech)

OHSAS 18001, an international occupational health and safety standard certification, has been awarded to CNPV Solar Power after an auditing from TÜV Rheinland. The international certification is intended to help organizations control occupational health and safety risks in their business. Read more

Project Focus: 8MW French power plant uses 35,000 modules from Canadian Solar

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 18:19 (PV-Tech)

EOSOL Energies Nouvelles has used 35,000 CS6P modules supplied by Canadian Solar for an 8MW PV power plant now operational in Villeneuve de Marsan, Aquitaine in south western France. The power plant also uses inverters, electrical monitoring systems from Siemens. Read more

Order Focus: Kemper receives orders from Greece and Israel for its KemTrack solar tracker

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 18:09 (PV-Tech)

Kemper Solar has revealed that it has received orders from customers in Greece, Israel and other international locations for its KemTrack solar trackers. The financial details, along with the name of each customer, were not disclosed, although Kemper advised that the deliveries would be made later this year. Kemper Solar officials cited the company?s participation in different international trade shows as the key to their recent success. Read more

SolConTec completes first PV plant in Italy

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 17:57 (PV-Tech)

Munich-based system integrator SolConTec International has had a 994KW PV power plant connected to the Italian grid by Enel on May 26th and complies with the Conto Energia III tariffs. The Servigliano plant is located in the Marche region of Italy and employs Phono Solar PS-FM190 Watt monocrystalline modules on a 3.2395 hectare site. Siemens supplied the central inverter. Read more

Project Focus: SolConTec completes first of several PV plants in Italy

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 17:57 (PV-Tech)

Munich-based system integrator SolConTec International has had a 994KW PV power plant connected to the Italian grid by Enel on May 26th and complies with the Conto Energia III tariffs. The Servigliano plant is located in the Marche region of Italy and employs Phono Solar PS-FM190 Watt monocrystalline modules on a 3.2395 hectare site. Siemens supplied the central inverter. Read more

Order Focus: UK-based Cleaner Air Solutions orders 3MW of SolarEdge power optimizers

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 13:36 (PV-Tech)

Power optimizer firm, SolarEdge Technologies and UK-based installer and distributor, Cleaner Air Solutions have entered into a new distribution partnership. Cleaner Air Solutions ordered 3MW of SolarEdge power optimizers and solar inverters, which is expected to be the start of an expected higher level of purchases as the expected peak installation time of summer months approaches. Read more

Solar Power Partners and JCM Capital sign another 6 MW of rooftop PV projects in Ontario

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 12:58 (Solarserver)

Solar Power Partners (SPP; Mill Valley, Calif.) and JCM Capital (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on May 30th, 2011 jointly announced that they have signed an agreement with Rumble Energy, to provide full development, construction and long-term equity financing for a 6 MW portfolio of commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop installations located throughout Ontario. Read more

Solar power optimization: Cleaner Air Solutions to install over 3 MW of SolarEdge systems in the U.K.

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 12:51 (Solarserver)

SolarEdge Technologies (Hod Hasharon, Israel), a leading global provider of end-to-end solar power optimization systems, and Cleaner Air Solutions (Durham, United Kingdom), one of the largest providers of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the UK, announce a new distribution partnership increasing SolarEdge?s activities in the UK. In the first quarter of 2011 Cleaner Air Solutions ordered 3MW of SolarEdge power optimizers and solar PV inverters. The run rate is expected to rise through the spring and summer. Read more

China keeps top spot in Ernst & Young Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 21:28 (Solarserver)

On May 26th, 2011, Ernst & Young released the latest edition of its global "Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices", which states that China remains by far the most promising location to pursue future renewable energy business opportunities. The report places the United States in second place and India in third, as well as stating that nations around the world are increasingly broadening the scope of their renewable energy portfolios amid "challenging market conditions". Read more

Germany sets timeline for all nuclear plant shutdowns: puts pressure on PV to cut costs

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 17:04 (PV-Tech)

A dramatic u-turn by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel was officially proclaimed earlier today with the announcement that all nuclear plants in the country would be shutdown permanently by 2021. Initially, eight of Germany?s oldest nuclear plants will shutdown immediately and the remaining plants phased-out of the next ten-years but three plants could remain operation until 2022 in case the addition of replacement new energy sources, primarily renewable have not been completed. Read more

Berkeley Lab report shows how California can meet aggressive emissions reduction targets

Monday, 5.30.2011 - 13:00 (Solarserver)

On May 24th, 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley, California, U.S.) announced the release of a report which states that California is capable of reaching its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. "California?s Energy Future - The View to 2050", offers a series of energy system "portraits" which show how California can meet these targets despite a projected 49% increase in population and a doubling in energy demand. Read more