U.S. Senators introduce bill to address PV permitting issues

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:51 (Solarserver)

U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), John Boozman (R-Arkansas) and Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) have introduced a bill to address solar photovoltaic (PV) permitting issues and to set a goal to install 10 million PV systems on homes and businesses by 2020. Among other measures, the 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011 will provide grants, including challenge grants, to communities to help make the solar energy permitting processes less costly and more efficient. Read more

National Grid provides USD 225,000 to develop PV testing center at University of Albany's CNSE

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:45 (Solarserver)

On June 2nd, 2011, National Grid plc (London, U.K.) presented a USD 225,000 grant to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University of Albany (Albany, New York, U.S.) to develop, install and demonstrate a center to test and monitor solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. National Grid states that the Photovoltaic Control and Monitoring Center (PVMC) will enable gathering of real-time research data to provide designers, architects and installers with feedback to accelerate the installation of more rooftop PV systems across New York. Read more

Premier Power to build 1.12MW-DC PV plant at California wastewater reclamation facility

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:38 (Solarserver)

On June 3rd, 2011, Laguna County Sanitation District (Orcutt, California, U.S.) and Premier Power Renewable Energy Inc. (El Dorado Hills, California, U.S.) announced that they will build a 1.12MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at the district's wastewater reclamation facility. The solar installation will comprise over 4,000 PV modules on a 16,000 square meter site. Construction on the system is anticipated to begin in June 2011, with commissioning projected for September 2011. Read more

SDG&E releases roadmap for smart grid deployment

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:35 (Solarserver)

On June 6th, 2011, San Diego Gas and Electric Company (SDG&E, San Diego, California, U.S.) released a ten-year roadmap for the development of a smart grid in its service area over the next ten years. SDG&E's plan outlines smart grid developments in nine key areas, including customer empowerment, growth of renewable energy generation, electric vehicle growth and reliability and safety. Read more

Belectric, Smart Energy to team on development, financing of US utility-scale PV power plants

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:12 (PV-Tech)

Belectric and Smart Energy Capital said that they have created a joint venture to develop and finance utility-grade photovoltaic power plants. The partnership will focus on multimegawatt sites in the United States, and will develop projects on a greenfield basis as well as through acquisitions from qualified developers. Read more

Romag increases workforce to meet rising PV demand

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 12:36 (Solarpowerportal)

Specialist glass manufacturer Romag, which has recently been acquired by the Gentoo Group, has appointed 20 new staff members in order to meet demand for its increasing product portfolio, which includes solar photovoltaics. Read more

Dow begins work on new Powerhouse BIPV shingle factory in Michigan

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 12:27 (Solarserver)

On June 1st, 2011, Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Michigan, U.S.) announced that it has begun construction of a new facility to manufacture its Powerhouse building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) shingles at its Michigan Operations Site in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company expects its new facility to begin production in late 2012, and to ramp-up production to 220MW by 2015. Read more

GCL-Poly, Goldpoly to build 300MW wafer plant

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 12:20 (Solarserver)

On June 6th, 2011, GCL-Poly (Suzhou) New Energy Ltd. and Goldpoly New Energy Holdings Ltd. (Jinjiang, China) announced that they will build a silicon wafer plant with an annual production capacity of 300MW in Quanzhou, China. The plant will manufacture wafers to solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturer Goldpoly's specifications. GCL-Poly (Suzhou) is a subsidiary of GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong, China). Read more

Enfinity commissions 3MW PV plant on rail tunnel in Belgium

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 11:44 (Solarserver)

On June 6th, 2011, Enfinity (Waregem, Belgium) announced the commissioning of a 3MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the roof of a high-speed rail tunnel in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant will produce electricity for the railway infrastructure on the Antwerp North-South junction, including signaling, lighting and heating railway stations, as well as powering the trains. Read more

Intersolar EU: Schott?s solar module excels in TÜV Rheinland?s 2010 energy yield test

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 0:23 (PV-Tech)

Schott Solar?s Poly 225 PV modules received top honors after TÜV Rheinland completed its 2010 energy yield testing. The Schott module beat out 12 other competitors in a test that used real energy yield instead of climatic chamber tests and power measurements with a sun simulator. The test was carried out for a full year under real solar radiation conditions, with Schott?s Poly 225 placing first. Read more

LDK Solar sees revenues slightly fall from Q4, but remains confident on Q2 and full year guidance

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 23:44 (PV-Tech)

LDK Solar released its unaudited financial results for its first quarter, which ended March 31. While the company did see its gross margin increase both year-over-year and sequentially, revenue and sales were lower in comparison to its fourth quarter 2010 results. Q1 2011 revenue reached US$766.3 million, a 16.8% sequential drop from Q4 2010?s US$920.9 million. However, in a year-to-year comparison, sales grew 120.5% from US$347.6 million in Q1 2010. Read more

Intersolar EU: AUO expands its European presence and PV module portfolio

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 22:01 (PV-Tech)

Au Optronics (AUO) announced that it is working on strengthening its presence in the European solar market by working with its partners in Germany, Italy, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the UK, while simultaneously focusing on escalating its business in the Middle East and Asian solar markets. As the company gets ready for its exhibition at Intersolar Europe June 8 through June 10, it advised that its latest 2MW ground-mounted project in Viglas, Slovakia would be using AUO?s EcoDuo PM220P00 module, which will be on display at the convention. Read more

Intersolar EU: Franzen incorporates Odersun CIGS PV modules in solar-integrated building façades

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 21:27 (PV-Tech)

The Franzen Group, a façade and solar system developer, is teaming up with Odersun, whereby the solar module manufacturer?s CIGS PV modules will be integrated into Franzen?s BIPV projects. The companies intend for their partnership to enhance the use of solar technology in curtain wall type, rear-ventilated façades. Franzen Ingenieur and Montagebau will provide consulting services for the design through installation periods of the solar integrated façades while Odersun supplies its modules for existing façades systems and to individualized specifications. Read more

Borrego Solar consulting and development services division achieves milestone

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:08 (PV-Tech)

Borrego Solar Systems revealed that its solar consulting and development services division has reached a milestone by advising on over 180MW of utility-scale solar project for independent power producers (IPP) and private landowners. The unit was created so that customers would be able to receive an analysis of a solar project?s viability, thereby helping IPPs and landowners possibly avoid a process that, over time, can cost millions of dollars while a customer looks into installing a utility-scale solar project. Read more

GE Adds eSolar and Wind to Natural Power Plant Design in Turkey

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 20:00 (Renewable Energy World)

General Electric wants to be a big renewable energy player but doesn't want to give up its bread-and-butter business of building fossil fuel power plants. So what does the company do? They are now offering hybrid power plants that make use of natural gas and solar -- and they may add wind to really mix things up. Read more

TÜV Rheinland confers IEC certification to Oerlikon Solar ThinFab modules

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 19:39 (PV-Tech)

Oerlikon Solar?s ThinFab thin-film silicon solar modules, which range up to 147Wp, have been confirmed to have passed all performance and safety requirements for IEC 61646 and IEC 61730. TÜV Rheinland conducted the testing, including accelerated lifetime tests for heat, freezing, thermal cycles, humidity and UV exposure, over several months and included a round of mechanical impact tests before certification was granted. Read more

Intersolar EU: Aide Solar signs deal with Hikari Solar for sales, distribution in several regions

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 19:17 (PV-Tech)

Chinese PV module producer Aide Solar has signed a multiregion sales and distribution partnership with Hikari Solar and established its European regional headquarters in Madrid, Spain, with sales offices there and in Bari, Italy, and Munich, Germany. Hikari will work as Aide?s authorized partner in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Read more

Intersolar EU: Canadian Solar rolls out 19.5%-efficient monocrystalline PV cells; sees Q4 shipments

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 18:54 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar said its new ELPS solar cell technology can achieve up to 19.5% conversion efficiency for its monocrystalline cells and up to 18% for polycrystalline. During the fourth quarter, the high-efficiency cells are expected to be in production and modules incorporating them to ship, according to the company. These products and more will be among the firm?s offerings at Intersolar Europe. Read more

Intersolar EU: Enfinity completes 3MW solar installation on high-speed rail tunnel in Belgium

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 17:02 (PV-Tech)

Belgian rail network operator Infrabel has opened its new Paris to Amsterdam high-speed rail link tunnel, which features 16,000 solar panels on its 3.4km rooftop. The plant will produce electricity for the railway infrastructure on the Antwerp North-South junction, including signaling, lighting and heating railway stations, as well as powering the trains. Read more

Intersolar EU: Constellation Energy selects Satcon for 65MW of US installations

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 16:36 (PV-Tech)

Satcon Technology inverters have been selected by Constellation Energy for 65MW of photovoltaic power projects across the US. The installations will feature thin-film and polycrystalline technology and will be both rooftop and ground mounted. The largest of these solar power projects is for an aggregate 25MW of ground mounted PV power plants near Sacramento, CA. Read more

Can Solar Survive Without Incentives?

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 15:20 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2007, I wrote an article entitled "Selling Solar Without Incentives." The point I was trying to make then was that we shouldn't use incentives as a crutch for supporting the business of solar. My perspective on solar then and now is on Photovoltaics (PV). Too many times, I have seen companies depend upon it's livelihood from the government (whether the government be City, State or Federal), only to fail when the rules changed?and they always do. Read more

Work begins on 4.6MW plant at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 14:33 (Solarpowerportal)

Becoming the first car manufacturer in the country to install a large-scale solar system, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK has today announced a £10 million project, which it is executing in partnership with British Gas. Since receiving approval from the local planning authority, the company is now ploughing ahead with the 4.6MW... Read more

Krannich Solar becomes the first UK distributor for Bosch and Samsung

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 13:29 (Solarpowerportal)

Krannich Solar has partnered with Bosch and Samsung to form their first distribution partnerships in the UK. Both brands have gained MCS accreditation, and have not partnered with anyone else for distribution within the UK solar market. Read more

The Solar Building signs two product distribution agreements

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 13:13 (Solarpowerportal)

The Solar Building, the trade brand for The Solar Building Company, has secured exclusive distribution agreements with Samil Power and CETC48. The company will now provide Samil Power’s range of grid tied inverters and accessories alongside CETC48’s monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules for customers in the UK. Read more

Wagner Solar provides one-day PV training session in London

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 12:17 (Solarpowerportal)

The Wagner Academy solar training school is holding a one-day training event featuring photovoltaic module and inverter product training from Sanyo and SMA. Taking place on Tuesday July 19 at The Building Centre in Central London, the session will also feature a presentation from CREST (Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology), where the Head of Applied Photovoltaics Research Group Professor Ralph Gottschalg will speak on the importance of type testing for ensuring quality in performance. Read more

GE Energy enters into investment and licensing agreement with eSolar

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 12:12 (Solarserver)

On June 6th, 2011, GE Energy (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.) announced that it has entered into an investment and licensing agreement with eSolar Inc. (Burbank, California, U.S.) that it says will enable it to deploy hybrid concentrating solar power (CSP) / natural gas generation technology worldwide. MetCap Energy Investments (Istanbul, Turkey) plans to collaborate with GE in making the investment, which will provide GE with an exclusive license to deploy eSolar's CSP technology. Read more

PV in Africa: Solar Frontier expands into growth markets in sunbelt countries

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 11:55 (Solarserver)

Solar Frontier (Tokyo, Japan) has signed a three-year contract in the double digit megawatt range with HopSol (Wilen), a Swiss-based photovoltaic (PV) solutions firm with market focus in Southern Africa. This first deal including Africa comes at the height of momentum for Solar Frontier in Europe, where several contracts with large and highly reputable solar industry providers have already established a strong pipeline for Solar Frontier?s gigawatt-scale capacity. Read more

San Diego's New CPV Solar Giant

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 11:54 (Renewable Energy World)

With a 150 MW project planned in San Diego and a 25-year PPA in place, CPV has at last entered the commercial arena. Standing in the New Mexico desert, a 1 MW Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) power plant is establishing a route for the emergence of this utility-scale technology. Installation of this first pilot commercial deployment began in the summer of 2010 and the plant was commissioned early in 2011, with official inauguration in April. Read more

Southwest Windpower Announces Distribution of Premier Remote Solar and Wind Powered Energy Generation Systems

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 18:50 (Renewable Energy World)

? June 7, 2011 ? Southwest Windpower, the world's leading manufacturer of personal wind generators, today announced that it has entered into a sales and marketing agreement with Green Trail Energy to distribute the revolutionary mobile solar and wind powered energy and communication system?GSW-7000?under the name MWS-7000. This partnership underscores Southwest Windpower's mission to make clean, affordable energy available to everyone. Read more

Building turbines on sand: More research needed

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 15:56 (Renewable Energy World)

A distinguishing feature of offshore wind turbine structures is that the turbines impose a large horizontal load, at a great height, above the turbine's foundation. The over-turning forces at foundation level resulting from this high ratio of lateral-to-vertical loading implies a loading regime that is very different from that of existing offshore oil and gas installations. Read more

Will offshore wind O&M break the bank?

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 11:37 (Renewable Energy World)

This figure could be spiked by an additional 20 percent over the short term, as innovative 5MW variable-speed and direct-drive designs enter the market. Unknown component failure rates, unknown logistic equipment costs, weather windows dependent on deployment site, and a general lack of understanding on O&M cost correlation to shore distance are just a handful of factors conspiring against offshore operations and maintenance budgets. Read more

TROJAN BATTERY COMPANY ADDS HIGH-CAPACITY INDUSTRIAL LINE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLICATIONS TO SUPPORT LARGE DAILY LOADS

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 19:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Trojan Battery Company, the world's leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, expands its product offering with the launch of its Industrial flooded line of batteries for renewable energy (RE) and backup power applications. Designed to support large daily loads where the batteries are cycled regularly, Trojan's deep-cycle Industrial batteries are ideal solutions for a wide range of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

Trojan Battery company adds High-Capacity Industrial Line for Renewable Energy applications to support large daily loads

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 19:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Trojan Battery Company, the world's leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, expands its product offering with the launch of its Industrial flooded line of batteries for renewable energy (RE) and backup power applications. Designed to support large daily loads where the batteries are cycled regularly, Trojan's deep-cycle Industrial batteries are ideal solutions for a wide range of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

Trojan Battery Company adds High-Capacity Industrial Line for Renewable Energy applications to support large daily loads

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 19:36 (Renewable Energy World)

Trojan Battery Company, the world's leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, expands its product offering with the launch of its Industrial flooded line of batteries for renewable energy (RE) and backup power applications. Designed to support large daily loads where the batteries are cycled regularly, Trojan's deep-cycle Industrial batteries are ideal solutions for a wide range of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

British Gas installs 4.6MW power plant at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 17:52 (PV-Tech)

Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK has partnered with British Gas for a 4.6MW installation in Derbyshire, England. Costing a total of £10 million, the ground-mounted system will feature 17,000 Sharp 245W monocrystalline panels covering an area of 90,000m2 at Toyota?s UK-based vehicle plant. Read more

SOLWEST OFFERS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 17:38 (Renewable Energy World)

SolWest Fair, in John Day, Oregon (July 29-31) offers over 50 workshops free with fair entry. In addition to the regular workshops during SolWest weekend, in-depth training will be offered for renewable energy professionals and others who wish to learn a subject in more depth. Read more

SolWest Offers Professional Training

Tuesday, 6.7.2011 - 17:38 (Renewable Energy World)

SolWest Fair, in John Day, Oregon (July 29-31) offers over 50 workshops free with fair entry. In addition to the regular workshops during SolWest weekend, in-depth training will be offered for renewable energy professionals and others who wish to learn a subject in more depth. Read more