Bosch to build ?520 million integrated solar module manufacturing plant in Malaysia

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 15:29 (PV-Tech)

Cited as one of its largest single investments in manufacturing facilities in the long history of the company, Bosch is planning to invest over ?520 million in a new fully-integrated solar module manufacturing plant in Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia. Construction is expected to start by the end of 2011 with production scheduled to have begun by the end of 2013. When fully ramped in 2014, capacity is expected to reach a combined 640MW. The company noted that it still expects sales to pass the ?1 billion level this year. Read more

Snyder's-Lance completes Pennsylvania's largest PV plant

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 14:22 (Solarserver)

On June 21st, 2011, Snyder's-Lance Inc. (Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.) announced the completion of a 3.5MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant adjacent to its corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant in Hanover, Pennsylvania, U.S. The plant, which is comprised of over 15,000 PV modules and covers 10.5 hectares, is the largest in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Read more

AEG Power Solutions commissions its first hybrid PV and wind installation in New Caledonia and wins a second site with OPT

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:21 (Solarserver)

AEG Power Solutions (Zwanenberg, Netherlands) announces that the first "eco" hybrid power station is now fully operational. The complete integrated solution was part of a contract signed with OPT (Office des Postes &Telecommunications) in New Caledonia last year. It combines solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind energy with batteries, and a genset as emergency back-up. Read more

CleanPath initiates fund to invest USD 800 million in large-scale PV

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:11 (Solarserver)

On June 21st, 2011, CleanPath LLC (San Francisco, California, U.S.) announced that it will manage equity and credit facilities to invest over USD 800 million in more than 1GW of large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects over the next five years. The company states that it plans to help North America become the largest PV market by 2015 by reducing barriers to capital. Read more

Anwell secures USD 110 million funding for Chinese thin film PV plant

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:27 (Solarserver)

On June 20th, 2011, Anwell Technologies, Ltd. (Hong Kong, China) announced that it has secured RMB 700 million (USD 110 million) in funding for subsidiary Henan Sungen Solar Fab Company, Ltd. (China) from a provincial Chinese government authority. This funding will be used to increase the thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) production capacity at Sungen's production plant in An Yang, Henan Province, China. Read more

Standard Solar to build 1.5MW solar system in New Mexico

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 22:51 (PV-Tech)

Standard Solar will be making its entry into the New Mexico solar market with a 1.5MW solar PV system near Amalia in northern Taos County. Standard Solar signed a PPA with the Kit Carson Rural Electric Cooperative (KCEC), which will see KCEC purchase the power produced by the 1.5MW system over the next 25-years. Read more

Funding secured for 733MW of rooftop projects in 28 US States

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 20:29 (PV-Tech)

The U.S. Department of Energy?s Loan Programs Office has made a conditional commitment on loan guarantees to the tune of US$1.4 billion to support rooftop solar generation projects across 28 US States that will result in approximately 733MW of distributed solar energy. The total project size is approximately US$2.6 billion, entirely financed by the private sector, which includes consortium led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Prologis and NRG Energy. Read more

Sharp?s Tennessee manufacturing facility debuts new 259kW solar installation

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 20:28 (PV-Tech)

Sharp?s US solar panel manufacturing plant, Sharp Manufacturing Company of America (SMCA), located in Tennessee, celebrated its newest solar addition in the form of a 200kW roof-mounted and 59kW ground-mounted PV system. The company?s manufacturing facility used 1,174 of its own solar modules, essentially doubling the facilities solar electricity production. Read more

SunMaxx Solar Announces Solar Collector Wind Testing Results ? Collectors Tested to 130 MPH

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 20:02 (Renewable Energy World)

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Solar Merger: Real Goods To Snap Up Alteris

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 18:17 (Renewable Energy World)

Real Goods Solar said Wednesday it has signed an agreement to buy Alteris Renewables, a deal that will merge two solar installers from two opposite corners of the country. Read more

New green investment firm offers free solar power to UK homeowners

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 17:47 (Solarpowerportal)

Yorkshire-based Ethos Corporate Finance has secured multi-million pound funding to launch Solar Capital Limited, which will fund solar photovoltaics installations across the UK. The company will offer solar power to private homeowners in exchange for the feed-in tariff payments. Read more

ISIS Solar will provide 10MW of solar to Scotland?s Borders Machinery Ring

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 17:19 (Solarpowerportal)

ISIS Solar, the solar provider that rose to fame as one of the first to offer free solar installations, has completed a commercial solar deal with the Borders Machinery Ring. The Scotland-based cooperative, which includes some of the UK’s largest landowners, will see solar power offered to its 850-strong rural business membership in Southern Scotland. Read more

SunMaxx Solar Flat Plates Successfully Installed at the Legendary Harvard Yard

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 16:29 (Renewable Energy World)

SunMaxx Solar is proud to announce the successful installation of SunMaxx TitanPower Plus-SU2 flat plate collectors at Harvard University's Harvard Yard. The solar system was built atop the Canaday Hall building as part of a larger system that provides hot water to all of the buildings within Harvard Yard. Installed,engineered and designed by the SunMaxx Solar authorized installer LittleFoot Energy Corporation, who served as the prime contractor on the project, the collector array will provide approximately 773 MMBTU/year, which is an estimated 30% solar fraction. Read more

Solarbuzz expects major shift in solar PV markets as pipeline outside Europe reaches 25GW

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 16:09 (PV-Tech)

The photovoltaics market is expected to shift away from Europe and be dominated by installations in new emerging markets such as the US, China, India and other Asia-Pacific countries, according to three new ?Regional Downstream PV Market? reports issued by market research firm, Solarbuzz. Due to revised feed-in tariff systems in key European markets, Europe is now projected to represent 65% of world PV demand in 2011, down from 82% in 2010. Read more

SunPower to build North America?s largest rooftop solar system

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 16:08 (PV-Tech)

Gloucester Marine Terminal has enlisted the help of SunPower to build North America?s largest rooftop solar installation on its refrigerated warehouse near the Walt Whitman Bridge in New Jersey. Construction of the 9MW system, situated on the banks of the Delaware River, is already underway and will be finished in autumn. Read more

SunPower to build 9MW rooftop system on Gloucester Marine Terminal warehouse

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 16:08 (PV-Tech)

Gloucester Marine Terminal has enlisted the help of SunPower to build North America?s largest rooftop solar installation on its refrigerated warehouse near the Walt Whitman Bridge in New Jersey. Construction of the 9MW system, situated on the banks of the Delaware River, is already underway and will be finished in autumn. Read more

Staying Competitive in a Dynamic Solar Marketplace

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Anyone who visits this site regularly already knows that the solar marketplace is more competitive than ever thanks to more and more installers jumping on the solar bandwagon. As the price of solar continues to fall, residential and commercial demand is rising dramatically, attracting new players to the sector. Like any industry, solar installers have had to lower operating costs and unlock new revenue streams to stay competitive. A few ways to accomplish this are: Read more

SolarBridge Technologies secures USD 19 million in series C funding

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 14:12 (Solarserver)

SolarBridge Technologies (Austin, Texas), developer of module-integrated micro-inverters for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, announced it has secured USD 19 million in series C funding. The company has raised more than USD 46 million to date. The funds, raised from current investors as well as new financial and strategic investors, will be used to ramp up production capacity, expand sales support and logistics organizations and scale up research and development teams. Read more

Solvis lands solar PV funding in the U.K.

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 14:07 (Solarserver)

Renewable energy specialist, Solvis Energy Solutions (Hollins Mount, Bury, U.K.), has secured funding for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on homes in the North West at no cost to the homeowners, the company announces in a press release. Solvis has named MCS accredited installation company, Solar Choice, as the installer to fit the panels in the North West. Read more

Concentrating solar power: Chiyoda and Archimede Solar Energy sign cooperation agreement to develop CSP plants in MENA Region

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:26 (Solarserver)

Chiyoda Corporation (Yokohama) a Japanese engineering and construction firm, on June 21st, 2011 announced that Chiyoda has reached a Cooperation Agreement with the Italian company, Archimede Solar Energy ("ASE") to jointly explore business opportunities for concentrated solar power ("CSP") plant projects in the Middle East and North African countries ("MENA") region. Read more

OPEL Solar Asia, Ltd. continues growth in Chinese market, signs second utility HCPV agreement through its joint venture with Ecotech

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

OPEL Solar International Inc. (Shelton, Connecticut; Toronto, Ontario), a leading global supplier of high concentration photovoltaic ("HCPV") solar panels and other solar products including ground-based and rooftop tracker systems, on June 20th, 2011 announced that the Company has closed on a second agreement for its HCPV panels and dual axis trackers. This success in penetrating the China Market comes six months since the formation of OPEL Solar Asia ("OSA"). Read more

Applied Materials announces results of solar energy survey: Cost of PV panels lower than ever, Americans optimistic about future of technology

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:48 (Solarserver)

On June 20th, 2011 Applied Materials (Santa Clara, Calif.) announced the results of its third annual solar energy survey. ?The solstice is a time to recognize the power of the sun and raise awareness of the significant advancements that have been achieved with solar power technology and use, especially in the past few years,? said Dr. Charlie Gay, president of the Applied Materials Solar division. Read more

Solar-Konzept begins work on 28MW Bavarian PV plant

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:36 (Solarserver)

On June 21st, 2011, Solar-Konzept GmbH (Tangstedt, Germany) began construction on a 28MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on a former NATO airport in Bavaria. The companies expect the EUR 50 million (USD 72 million) plant, which will use REC ASA (Sandvika, Norway) PV modules, to completed by the end of 2011. Read more

Reliant Energy launches solar PV lease program

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:21 (Solarserver)

On June 21st, 2011, NRG Energy Inc. (Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.) subsidiary Reliant Energy launched a new solar lease program for electricity customers. The utility's Reliant Solar Solutions program will also guarantee the electricity production of systems provided, cover repairs for the life of the lease and provide a network of installers. Read more

Pennsylvania?s largest solar farm installed at snack food company?s headquarters

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:16 (PV-Tech)

Snack food producer and distributor Snyder?s-Lance has finished installing Pennsylvania?s largest ground-based solar array at its corporate headquarters in Hanover. The 3.5MW system is expected to generate 4.45 million kWh of electricity annually, which will help reduce energy costs at the site by up to 30%. Read more

Pima County Board of Supervisors approves FRV?s 25MW Arizona system

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 10:46 (PV-Tech)

The Pima County Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to approve Fotowatio Renewable Ventures? (FRV) planned solar system in Avra Valley, Arizona. When completed, the 25MW array will be Tucson Electric Power?s (TEP) largest single source of solar energy. Read more

Australia Making Waves in Solar

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 10:07 (Renewable Energy World)

The Australian government has selected two of the four large-scale projects that are the cornerstone of an aggressive effort to build 1,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power capacity. Read more

The 2011 Solar Summit unveils new conference platform, OPV to be special focus this year

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 2:19 (PV-Tech)

The fourth Solar Summit: International Conference on Highlights and Trends in Solar Energy will be taking place November 14 through 15 in Freiburg, Germany and will feature a new set up that will showcase an up-to-date annual review of solar energy conversion technologies and devote a section that emphasizes one special topic each year. This November organic photovoltaics (OPV) will take center stage as the conference features presentations and discussions on market and political issues with international speakers and industry experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE hosting the event. Read more

CleanPath plans to fund US$800 million for 1,000MW of large-scale PV projects

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 1:11 (PV-Tech)

CleanPath has revealed that its plans to invest US$800 million towards the development of 1,000MW of large-scale solar PV projects in North America over the next five years. The company will manage two revolving facilities in its investment by targeting large-scale solar projects that range in size from 5MW to over 100MW. Read more

SEMI India broadens representation of its advisory committee

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 0:38 (PV-Tech)

The SEMI India PV Advisory Committee has added new representatives in order to gain a more coverage of the solar PV industry in India. New committee members include representatives from AES Solar Energy, the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Siemens, SunEdison Energy India and Websol Energy Solutions. Read more

Biomass Thermal Financing and Carbon Credits Feature of June 29 BTEC Webinar

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 21:51 (Renewable Energy World)

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Southwest Windpower Personal Wind Systems Available for Purchase at Select Home Depot® Locations

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 15:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Southwest Windpower, the world's leading manufacturer of personal wind generators, is pleased to announce the Skystream install program, making the award winning Skystream 3.7® wind turbine available for purchase at select Home Depot® stores throughout the United States. This program will allow consumers access to Southwest Windpower's groundbreaking small wind system while helping reduce their energy bills and impact on the environment. Read more

For Renewable Progress, We Need to Stop Fighting About Light Bulbs

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:50 (Renewable Energy World)

Who would have thought that a debate about light bulbs could be such an eye opener? But this is exactly what former Governor Edward G. Rendell used to describe the state of politics today at the 2011 Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) in New York City. During his keynote address, Rendell voiced his frustration about the current state of Washington by depicting the GOP resistance about transitioning away from incandescent lightbulbs. “We're diddling around on BS while the rest of the world is kicking our butts,” he said. Rendell went on to call for a renewable energy standard, stating that we must to collaborate and fashion a bill that has something for everyone, Read more

Government will bring power to the people

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 12:27 (Solarpowerportal)

Furthering its intention to make localised energy a more realistic possibility for homeowners across the UK, Government has today published plans to bring power to the people. By listening to industry, consumer groups and the general public, the Coalition has been able to form its very own Microgeneration Strategy. Read more

Top 5 Coolest Ways Companies are Integrating Renewable Energy into the Grid

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 11:29 (Renewable Energy World)

Intermittent renewables at high penetrations will bring new challenges for the grid. But how big will they be? And is it true that wind and solar will necessarily need storage or natural gas back-up at high levels? Read more

DOE introduces new energy efficiency standard for voluntary adoption by worldwide organizations

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 0:23 (PV-Tech)

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently recognized the new global energy efficiency and energy management standard ISO 50001, which was developed to help organizations around the globe save money on their buildings and industrial facilities. The voluntary standard urges the organizations to use business practices that reduce energy use from equipment and facilities, requires them to use energy performance data to highlight cost-effective upgrades and underscores the design and installation of efficient energy systems and equipment. Read more

Independent Energy Solutions installs solar carport at Californian military base

Wednesday, 6.22.2011 - 13:18 (PV-Tech)

Independent Energy Solutions (IES) has installed a 936kW solar carport at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in southern California. The utility scale system, located at Pendleton?s new Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, can generate around 1.3 million kWh of electricity annually. Read more