First Solar modules receive MCS accreditation

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 17:24 (Solarpowerportal)

First Solar has become the latest solar module manufacturer to receive the UK Government's Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation. The certification, which is a prerequisite in order to sell PV systems in the UK under the feed-in tariff (FiT), has been awarded to the company’s thin-film Series 3 modules. Read more

Enphase Energy Launches Third-Gen Microinverters with 25-Year Warranty

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Enphase Energy launches its third-generation microinverter today. the company hopes this will keep it ahead of its competitors in an increasingly crowded market. Read more

SMA releases new PV system design software Sunny Design 2.0

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:56 (Solarserver)

On June 2nd, 2011, SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) announced the release of new photovoltaic (PV) system design software. Sunny Design 2.0, which offers new features and user interface, is available for free download on the SMA-America website. Read more

GE completes U.K. smart meter test

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:56 (Solarserver)

On June 2nd, 2011, General Electric Company (GE, Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.) announced the results of a three month test of smart meters in the village of North Leigh in the United Kingdom, stating that the meters allowed the community to reduce its energy consumption by 10% over three months. The company states that the North Leigh project will be used to shape the U.K. government's strategy for the roll-out of smart meters, as well as to determine the most effective methods of influencing consumers to reduce energy usage. Read more

Siemens to supply EPC services for 3 MW New Jersey PV plant

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:14 (Solarserver)

Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany) announced that it has been chosen by Syncarpha Capital (New York, New York, U.S.) to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for a 3 MW ground-based solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Eastampton in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Construction started in May 2011, with a target to commission the plant in September 2011. Read more

GCL-Poly teams with Goldpoly for need for 300MW wafer plant in Quanzhou

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 12:35 (PV-Tech)

China-based c-Si solar cell manufacturer, Goldpoly has teamed with GCL-Poly (Suzhou) New Energy, a subsidiary of GCL-Poly Energy Holdings to build a 300MW wafer plant in Quanzhou dedicated to Goldpoly?s requirements. According to GCL-Poly, the new plant location in the south-eastern region of mainland China could be a springboard for GCL to enter the Taiwan market. Read more

GCL-Poly teams with Goldpoly on 300MW wafer plant in Quanzhou

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 12:35 (PV-Tech)

China-based c-Si solar cell manufacturer Goldpoly has teamed with GCL-Poly (Suzhou) New Energy, a subsidiary of GCL-Poly Energy Holdings, to build a 300MW wafer plant in Quanzhou dedicated to Goldpoly?s requirements. According to GCL-Poly, the new plant location in the southeastern region of mainland China could be a springboard for GCL to enter the Taiwan market. Read more

Intersolar EU: KLA-Tencor?s FabVision Solar provides real-time defect analysis for PV cell makers

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

KLA-Tencor has introduced FabVision Solar, a new integrated solution designed to help crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cell manufacturers improve production yield and profitability by enabling them to react more quickly to metrology and defectivity excursions. The software package pulls the company?s ICOS PVI-6 optical inspection system data through a wide range of analysis and monitoring features to provide better control and improve visibility into the manufacturing process. Read more

Martifer Solar developing 8MW of rooftop PV projects in Belgium

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 21:26 (PV-Tech)

Martifer Solar is nearing the end of its 8MW installation for 40 rooftop PV systems in the Flanders region of Belgium. Construction on the projects began in May with connection to the grid expected by June 30. Martifer Solar is overseeing the engineering, procurement and construction of the projects along with the operation and maintenance of the installations for the third-party owners. Read more

Spire Corporation's Solar Team to Exhibit at Intersolar EU

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 20:54 (Renewable Energy World)

Spire Corporation (Nasdaq: SPIR), a global solar company providing capital equipment and turn-key manufacturing lines to produce photovoltaic (PV) modules and providing Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) integration services for solar systems, announced today that its Senior Sales Team will exhibit at Intersolar Europe from June 8th through 10th at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre in Munich, Germany. The show is the world's largest solar industry exhibition. Read more

Order Focus: Solar Frontier advances its African market presence with multi-megawatt HopSol deal

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 20:53 (PV-Tech)

Swiss PV solution company HopSol has entered into a three-year contract with Solar Frontier. The deal will have a market focus in Southern Africa with Solar Frontier delivering double digit megawatts of its CIS solar panels for solar projects in countries such as Namibia, Botswana and the Republic of South Africa. The companies did not reveal the financial details of the supply deal. Read more

Tenesol completes first turnkey project in Italy

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 18:44 (PV-Tech)

Tenesol has finished work on its first turnkey solar project in Italy. The 100kW system is located on an organic farm in Ispica City, Sicily and has the potential to generate 150,000kWh of electricity per annum for the farm. All the electricity not used by the farm will be fed into the local electricity grid. Read more

First Solar gains access to UK solar market with MCS certification

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 17:30 (PV-Tech)

Despite changes expected to the UK feed-in tariff that would make large-scale projects uneconomical, while retaining incentives for the residential rooftop market, First Solar has gained Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification for its CdTe thin-film modules.The MCS accreditation applies to First Solar?s Series 3 modules FS-370 to FS-385. Read more

Government underestimating solar potential, claims Barker

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 15:42 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK has underestimated the potential of solar power and needs to re-evaluate its role in the country’s energy generation portfolio, according to Greg Barker. These comments were made in response to a report from the STA, which claims that inadequate support from the Government is clipping the wings of its fledgling solar industry. Read more

Passive Solar Home Plans Now Available From Sierra Solar Systems

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 14:18 (Renewable Energy World)

Create a sustainable home design that heats and cools itself naturally, without the headache of finding an architect or starting from scratch. Read more

Astonfield, T-Solar partner to build Indian PV plants

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:57 (Solarserver)

On June 1st, 2011, Astonfield Renewable Resources Ltd. (Kolkata, India) announced that it has entered into a partnership with Grupo T-Solar Global S.A. (Madrid, Spain) to develop and commission solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in India. The first project to be completed through the partnership will be Astonfield's 5 MW PV plant in Osiyan, Rajasthan, India, which will use T-Solar's 5.7 square meter amorphous silicon thin-film PV modules. Read more

Greenleaf-TNX and Cenergy Power to construct 1.75 MW "Nickel 1" solar PV project

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:56 (Solarserver)

Greenleaf-TNX (Kern County, Calif.) and Cenergy Power on June 3rd, 2011 announced that they have reached definitive agreement for the development, funding, and construction of a 1.75 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in Kern County, California, known as the "Nickel 1" solar facility. Read more

Solar industry saved from extra feed-in tariff cuts in Germany

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:52 (PV-Tech)

The German cabinet, under the leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel has removed a controversial proposals to include an extra 6% cut to the German feed-in tariff next year. The German cabinet today agreed on closing all its nuclear power plants between 2015 and 2022. Although wind energy will be supported at higher rates to secure 35% of its energy needs come from renewables, the solar industry retains support but without the extra FiT reductions. Read more

PV producer Hanwha SolarOne obtains RMB 525 million syndicated loan led by Bank of Shanghai

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:23 (Solarserver)

Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China), a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots, wafers and solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules in China, has obtained a three-year loan for working capital in an amount of RMB 525 million (approx. USD 80 million), from a syndicate led by Bank of Shanghai. The other members of the syndicate were Shanghai Commercial Bank of Hong Kong and The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank of Taiwan. The agreement provides for loans in both USD and RMB. Read more

Petra Solar presents national "smart solar" plan for Jordan; signs MOUs for up to 200 MW of PV development

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:21 (Solarserver)

Petra Solar Inc. (South Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.) has announced that it presented a national "smart solar energy plan" for Jordan at the Jordan - U.S. Business Forum on May 21st-22nd, 2011 in Amman, Jordan. "Let Jordan Shine" proposes a combination of solar and smart grid technology. The company has signed three initial agreements for the development of up to 200 MW of PV, as a first step towards the development of the plan. Read more

PV junctions: Molex presents next generation "SolarSpec"-Box for smart functionality, optimized by SolarEdge chipsets at Intersolar Europe

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:16 (Solarserver)

Molex Incorporated (Wallorf, Germany) is introducing its new "SolarSpec" Smart Junction Box making it easy for manufacturers of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to provide their products with module-embedded safety and monitoring functions, as well as convenient, safe and dependable connection facilities. Read more

The Rise of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 12:30 (Renewable Energy World)

With big government help, a solar thermal power (CSP) technology boom seems to be coming in the United States. Regulators have issued permits for about a dozen power plant projects and construction is underway for a few. But the three main challenges for building a project ? permits, finance and technology -- remain big concerns for technology and project developers. Read more

Intersolar EU: KLA-Tencor to showcase yield management systems in Munich

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 12:27 (PV-Tech)

This week will see Munich play host to the Intersolar Europe 2011 exhibition at the city?s Trade Fair Centre, and among the companies on display will be KLA-Tencor. The Californian-based firm will be showcasing its portfolio of yield management systems and also use the event in the Bavarian capital to launch a new software solution for solar cell producers. Read more

Financial Innovation is Blowin' in the Wind

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 18:37 (Renewable Energy World)

Wind power is cheap, clean, uses no water, and emits no pollutants. Yet wind is far from a perfect source of electricity, since the wind blows when and where it will. Read more

New Battery Design Could Give Electric Vehicles a Jolt

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 17:06 (Renewable Energy World)

A radically new approach to the design of batteries, developed by researchers at MIT, could provide a lightweight and inexpensive alternative to existing batteries for electric vehicles and the power grid. The technology could even make "refueling" such batteries as quick and easy as pumping gas into a conventional car. Read more

Government underestimating solar potential, claims climate change minister

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 15:42 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK has underestimated the potential of solar power and needs to reevaluate its role in the country’s energy generation portfolio, according to climate change minister Greg Barker. These comments were made in response to a report issued last week by the Solar Trade Association (STA), which claims that inadequate support from the UK Government is clipping the wings of its fledgling solar industry. Read more

Chinese banks to loan USD 179 million to Yingli Green Energy subsidiary

Monday, 6.6.2011 - 13:19 (Solarserver)

On June 2nd, 2011, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) announced that subsidiary Yingli Energy (China) Company Ltd. has received a five-year, USD 179 million loan from the China Citic Bank (CITIC), Shijiazhuang Branch and the Bank of China (BOC), Baoding Branch. CITIC will act as the lead arranger and BOC will act as the correspondent bank for the loan. Read more