Clark Crawford promoted to Soitec?s VP of sales and business development

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 20:45 (PV-Tech)

Soitec recently revealed that Clark Crawford has been named vice president of sales and business development US. Crawford will oversee sales, business and project developments and manage the La Jolla, California headquarters for the company. With a 25-year professional background Crawford is credited, among other achievements, with the sale and deployment of Soitec?s Concentrix CPV technology in the US market. Read more

Microinverter start-up, SPARQ partners with Sanmina-SCI for manufacturing

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 19:55 (PV-Tech)

Microinverter firm, SPARQ, headquartered in Kingston, Ontario is to have its new microinverters and communications hubs for PV systems manufactured by Sanmina-SCI at its Ottawa facility, which is certified for Ontario?s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program, and at Sanmina-SCI?s worldwide regional facilities for global distribution. Read more

SMA Makes PV System Design a Snap with Next-Generation Configuration Software

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 19:36 (Renewable Energy World)

?SMA has released its next-generation photovoltaic system design software: Sunny Design 2.0. Available for free download at www.SMA-America.com, Sunny Design 2.0 offers a variety of new features and a user-friendly interface that make PV array planning even easier. Read more

DuPont enabling new market opportunities for CdTe thin film manufacturers

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 19:13 (PV-Tech)

Already in evaluation as a substrate for thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) modules and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) applications, DuPont?s colourless polyimide film, ?Kapton? is also being developed for cadmium telluride (CdTe) applications that open-up new markets for the technology in the fields of lightweight, flexible and high-efficiency applications. Currently, the flexible thin-film market is dominated by a-Si and CIGS-based technologies. Read more

U.K. Smart Grids Need Smarter Security, Says Expert

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Open any energy industry journal, trade mag or website and one phrase will leap off the page: smart grids have dominated the conversation for generators, operators and commentators alike for years. And for good reason. As global population growth continues to accelerate in the coming decades, especially in urban areas, smart information and communication technologies will be at the forefront of the effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of utility systems and services ? everything from power to water to transport. Read more

Vermont passes comprehensive energy law including replacing permitting for small PV plants

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:45 (Solarserver)

On May 25th, 2011, Peter Shumlin, governor of the U.S. state of Vermont, signed into law a bill affecting multiple aspects of renewable energy development in the state. The new law includes the creation of a simplified registration system for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants 5kW and smaller, to replace permitting. The Vermont Energy Act of 2011 also provides funding for the state's Clean Energy Development Fund, expands the net metering program, including adding a credit for electricity generated, and revises and expands the state's SPEED program. Read more

Puma installs 1.9MW rooftop PV plant on Los Angeles facilities

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:25 (Solarserver)

On May 31st, 2011, Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. (El Dorado Hills, California, U.S.) announced the completion of a 1.9MW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at two Puma North America Inc. (Westford, Massachusetts, U.S.) warehouse and distribution facilities in the city of Los Angeles. The plant uses a light-gauge steel customer designed racking system, designed and installed by Premier Power, which the company says optimizes roof space while using fewer ballast blocks and traditional systems. Read more

Q-Cells develops 19.5% efficient polycrystalline PV cell

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 11:54 (Solarserver)

On June 1st, 2011, Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany) announced that it has developed a polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) cell with a conversion efficiency of 19.5%, as verified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Freiburg, Germany). The cell design is based on Q-Cell's Q.ANTUM cell concept, which has been nominated for the Instersolar Award 2011. Read more

Solar Power Network lands contract for 10MW of new rooftop PV projects in southwestern Ontario

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 23:27 (PV-Tech)

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) has given its approval to Solar Power Network (SPN) to proceed with its planned 10MW of solar panel installations on the rooftops of 35 southwest Ontario companies. The program sees the Ontario companies leasing their roof space to SPN, which then installs a 250kW solar array and allows for the renewable electricity the system produces to be fed back into the grid. Read more

US DOE offers US$45.6M conditional loan guarantee to Fotowatio for 20MW Nevada PV project

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 22:59 (PV-Tech)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has offered Fotowatio Renewable Ventures a US$45.6 million conditional loan guarantee for its 20MW solar PV project that will be constructed 25 miles outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Funds from 2009?s Recovery Act will be used to fund the project, which will use over 90,000 polycrystalline silicon modules on a single-axis horizontal tracker. Read more

Hanwha SolarOne, Photowatt Ontario establish 160MW supply deal for Ontario market

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 22:35 (PV-Tech)

Photowatt Ontario (PWO), a subsidiary of ATS Automation Tooling Systems (ATS), has agreed to produce and deliver nearly 160MW of Hanwha SolarOne PV modules for the Ontario marketplace over the next four years. Both parties advised that there is a possibility the production volume will increase by up to another 160MW over the deal?s lifetime. Module shipments are slated to begin in October once PWO inspects technical information from Hanwha SolarOne. Read more

SolarWorld supplies panels for 2.4MW solar PV installation at historical US Navy base Pearl Harbor

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 22:14 (PV-Tech)

Five buildings at US Navy base Pearl Harbor, known now as the Joint base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, in Oahu, Hawaii are in the midst of a US$15 million project, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Intended to increase the base?s energy independence by using renewable energy, a combined 2.4MW solar array has been installed using SolarWorld panels, which include its crystalline silicon technology, and is spread across five buildings at the historic base. Read more

US government invests US$27 million to help eliminate solar installation red tape

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 14:53 (PV-Tech)

As part of its SunShot Initiative, the US government is investing more than US$27 million to bring down the non-hardware installation costs of solar energy projects. Up to US$12.5 million of this will be allocated to the Rooftop Solar Challenge, which will help eliminate the administrative barriers for small-scale systems, while the remaining US$15 million is being used to streamline the installation process for local governments. Read more

Chinese PV producer Upsolar unveils new production platform in Portugal

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:38 (Solarserver)

Upsolar Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China), an international solar photovoltaic (PV) module supplier, on June 1st, 2011 announced the commissioning of its newest solar module manufacturing platform in Braga, Portugal, in partnership with a major Portuguese player. Designed and installed by a leading European automatic line producer, the Braga platform will have an overall annual capacity of up to 30MW. Read more

Martifer Solar wins its first 25MW PV project in India

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:32 (Solarserver)

Martifer Solar, a subsidiary of Martifer SGPS, on June 1st, 2011 announced its technical tie up with Louroux Bio Energies Ltd., a group company of Inspira Infrastructure Ltd., for setting up a 25MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation project in Gujarat (India). The project is being set-up near Rajkot in Gujarat, and is due to be delivered until the 31st of December 2011, in multiple phases. Read more

Government?s Green Deal may now support solar

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:28 (Solarpowerportal)

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has today released several documents containing some of the finer details of the upcoming Green Deal. Government’s self-dubbed ‘flagship energy saving plan’ is anticipated to transform the country’s homes, making them more energy efficient and cheaper to run... Read more

Canadian Solar signs agreement to build 600MW PV cell factory in Suzhou, China

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 11:47 (Solarserver)

On June 1st, 2011, Canadian Solar Inc. (Kitchener, Canada) announced that it has signed an agreement with Suzhou New District Economic Development Group Corporation and Suzhou Science and Technology City Development Company Ltd. to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) cell factory with an annual output of 600MW in Suzhou, China. Construction of the facility, which will produce Canadian Solar's ELPS and ESE high-efficiency PV cells, is expected to start as soon as local permits are completed, with a goal of full ramp-up in 2012. Read more

U.S. Bancorp and SolarCity announce new USD 158 million fund to finance solar projects

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 11:40 (Solarserver)

SolarCity (San Mateo, Calif.), on June 1st, 2011 announced the creation of a new fund to finance an additional USD 158 million in commercial and residential solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in 2011 in partnership with a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp. The USD 158 million fund increases SolarCity?s total solar project financing funds to more than USD 1 billion, and the company now has more than 14,000 solar customers, Solar City reports in a press release. Read more

GT Solar appoint John Granara as new corporate controller

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 11:07 (PV-Tech)

GT Solar International has appointed John Granara as its new vice of president finance, chief accounting officer and corporate controller. Granara succeeds Richard Johnson, who resigned last week to pursue other interests, and will start the role immediately. Read more

Gestamp Solar, Renault partner to deploy 60MW of PV systems at several of automaker?s French sites

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 6:13 (PV-Tech)

In what will be by far the biggest collective rooftop solar power system when completed, Renault has partnered with Gestamp Solar to install 60MW of PV panels across multiple buildings at several plants owned by the French automaker. The deployments will eventually cover a total area of 450,000 m2 and produce electricity equivalent to the power consumption of a town of 15,000. Read more

Martifer Solar, Louroux Bio Energies to collaborate on 25MW of solar projects in Gujarat, India

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 0:55 (PV-Tech)

Martifer Solar has signed an agreement with Louroux Bio Energies, which will see the two companies working together to install 25MW of solar PV projects near Rajkot, Gujarat, India. Working in multiple phases, the project should be delivered by the end of December. Read more

SolarBridge brings aboard Bill Mulligan as new board member and Bill Paape as CFO

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 0:36 (PV-Tech)

SolarBridge Technologies has appointed Bill Mulligan as its newest board member and Bill Paape as its CFO. Over fifty years of professional experience lies between the two men and the company looks forward to SolarBridge growing under their leadership. Read more

SolarCity launches new US$158M fund for commercial and solar projects with help from US Bancorp

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 0:07 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity is sporting a US$1 billion sum for its total solar project financing fund thanks to its newest fund to finance US$158 million in commercial and residential solar projects in 2011. SolarCity partnered with a subsidiary of US Bancorp for the solar fund and intends for the funds to finance its SolarLease and PPA offerings. The company is also looking to broaden its operation centers in the US with financing from the new fund. Read more

New BTEC Webcast on Successful European Biomass Policies and the Implications for the U.S.

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 17:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Attend the free webcast, "Brits, Brussels, and Biomass: The European Path Towards Renewable Heating," on Wednesday, June 15 at 12PM ET by the Biomass Thermal Energy Council (BTEC), and hear from three highly distinguished panelists on their countries' paths toward renewable heating and the implications for creating successful state and federal U.S. biomass policies. Read more

Zhengzhou, China Accelerates Big Plans for Biodiesel Sector

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:12 (Renewable Energy World)

The municipal government of Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, has been creating a roadmap for the development of the local biodiesel sector, setting guidelines, goals and policies in a move to regulate the market. In early April of this year, the government issued a formal plan for accelerating its development. Read more

Second Wind and Enisolar take aim at pent-up demand for higher-height wind data in Turkey's wind energy market

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 16:34 (Renewable Energy World)

The Turkish government's recent issue of long-delayed wind farm licenses has unleashed pent-up demand for wind data that Second Wind and Turkish renewable energy consultancy Enisolar are poised to meet head on. The two companies have reached an agreement for Enisolar to sell and service Second Wind Triton® Sonic Wind Profilers in the Turkish market, providing developers with the critical high-height data they need to secure financing for previously stalled projects. Read more

Siemens Energy to provide EPC services for Syncarpha Capital?s 3MW New Jersey plant

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 16:25 (PV-Tech)

Syncarpha Capital has chosen Siemens Energy to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for its new 3MW solar plant in Eastampton, New Jersey. Construction work on the ground-based system is set to begin shortly and grid connection is pencilled in for September. Read more

Mexico Advances Renewable Goals But "Much More" Could Be Done

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Mexico is on track to elevate its renewable power capacity to 5,700 MW or 7.5% of its energy matrix by 2017 but that is a drop in the bucket when considering the Aztec country's clean energy potential, according to industry observers. Read more

Pike report notes transformation of renewable energy business models

Thursday, 6.2.2011 - 12:01 (Solarserver)

On May 31st, 2011, Pike Research LLC (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.) announced the release of a white paper which states that business models in clean energy industries are being rapidly transformed against a backdrop of regulatory uncertainty. "Clean Energy: Ten Trends to Watch in 2011 and Beyond" notes the diversification of technologies in the solar sector, investor-owned utilities returning to ownership and development of renewable energy generation and the revival of direct current (DC) transmission and distribution. Read more