PV production technology: OSU researchers create CIGS ink for inkjet printing

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 18:40 (Solarserver)

On June 28th, 2011, Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.) announced that a team of its engineers has developed a process for creating copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar photovoltaic (PV) cells using inkjet printing. The team says that its work reduces material waste by 90%, and could significantly lower the cost of producing CIGS PV cells. The discovery was first published in the journal Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. Read more

GCL-Poly begins construction on R&D facility in Suzhou, China

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 18:40 (Solarserver)

On July 29th, 2011, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. (Hong Kong, China) subsidiary Suzhou GCL-Poly Industrial Application Research Institute Company Ltd. (Suzhou, China) laid the foundation for a solar photovoltaic (PV) research and development (R&D) facility in Suzhou, China. GCL-Poly states that the research institute will focus on polysilicon, wafer, PV equipment and relevant products. Read more

University of Toronto develops CQD-based PV cell

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 18:39 (Solarserver)

The University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada) has announced that a team of its researchers has developed a new solar photovoltaic (PV) cell design using colloidal quantum dots (CQD), which its says is the first CQD-based efficient tandem solar cell. The team developed a cell which utilizes light absorption layers for both visible and infrared light, and first reported their results in the journal Nature Photonics. Read more

Suntech cancels 4.6GW wafer supply deal with MEMC; incurs US$212 million costs

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 17:05 (PV-Tech)

A 2006 long-term wafer supply deal between Suntech and MEMC has been ?mutually terminated? at a cost to Suntech of approximately US$212 million. Suntech said that the decision to cancel the wafer supply deal was due to ?rapid changes in the market for silicon wafers.? Suntech also announced that it was stopping investment in CSG Solar?s research and development operations, which focused on crystalline silicon thin-film technology. MEMC remains a wafer supplier to Suntech under other supply agreements. Read more

Ed Miliband fights back against FiT cuts

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 15:59 (Solarpowerportal)

Labour leader Ed Miliband has today signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on the Coalition to scrap plans to cut the feed-in tariff for solar photovoltaics installations over 50kW. The EDM was signed alongside Labour’s Rosie Winteron and the Shadow Energy and Climate Change team of Meg Hillier, Luciana Berger and Huw... Read more

Florida Power and Light PV rebate program fills up in less than a day

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 14:19 (Solarserver)

On June 29th, 2011, Florida Power and Light Company (Juno Beach, Florida, U.S.) announced that it has stopped taking applications for its 2011 solar photovoltaic (PV) rebate program, after 310 customers applied for USD 5.6 million in rebates. The PV program window was open for less than a day. As of 11 AM on June 29th, 2011, rebates for solar water heating systems were still available through the utility. Read more

Yingli to deliver 110 MW of solar modules for two Chinese PV projects

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 13:34 (Solarserver)

On June 30th, 2011, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) announced that it has entered into agreements to supply Huanghe Hydropower Development Company Ltd. (Xining, China) with 110 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for two PV projects. The modules will be used for a 30 MW PV project in Wulan, Qinghai Province, China and an 80 MW PV project in Golmud, Qinghai Province, China. Read more

Fronius reports 2010 sales growth of 52%; revenue nudges ?500 million

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 12:59 (PV-Tech)

Just one small euro million below the half-billion euro mark was reported by Fronius for revenue in 2010. The Austrian inverter manufacturer grew sales by 52%, compared with the previous year. Although sales in the PV inverter segment were not given separately, 2010 was characterised as a record year for inverter sales by market research firms. Read more

Spire signs with JEIS Holdings to increase presence in South Korean solar PV market

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 21:20 (PV-Tech)

In a move to bring better exposure to the company and its products in South Korea, Spire has selected South Korea-based JEIS Holdings to represent the company?s solar products and services in the country. ?The Korean solar industry has been on the rise for many years,? said Roger Little, chairman and CEO of Spire. ?Our Vice President of Business Development in Asia, Jae-Bok Young, has worked very hard to identify the company that best fits Spire?s needs in Korea and has successfully secured the representation of JEIS.? Read more

Order Focus: Advanced Solar Photonics to supply modules, racking system for 1.1MW Colorado project

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 21:08 (PV-Tech)

Advanced Solar Photonics? BlackStar 400 series PV modules and its Solar FlexRack system have been chosen for the Eagle Springs Solar Farm being developed in Colorado. The 1.1MW project will use Advanced Solar Photonics? 390W monocrystalline ASP BlackStar 400 PV modules, which hold a ?made in America? designation. Read more

Solarbuzz report predicts worldwide module inventories to culminate at 8.6GW in Q2 2011

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 20:51 (PV-Tech)

In its new Quarterly report, Solarbuzz has estimated that by the end of the second quarter 2011, global solar module inventories will reach a record setting 8.6GW. Citing an anemic market demand from Europe during the first half of 2001, Solarbuzz has estimated that Q2 2011 shipments dropped 22% quarter over quarter, compared to the 12% quarter over quarter increase that manufacturers had predicted. Read more

Atonometrics installs and qualifies continuous solar simulator at Fraunhofer ISE

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 19:55 (PV-Tech)

Test and measurement company Atonometrics has completed the installation and qualification of a continuous solar simulator at Fraunhofer ISE. The system, located at Fraunhofer?s Freiburg, Germany facility, features an integrated I-V measurement system, which will be used for light soak tests on full-size PV modules. Read more

JA Solar acquires monocrystalline wafer firm to secure supply for high efficiency cell production

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 15:39 (PV-Tech)

In a move to secure high-quality monocrystalline wafers needed for its selective emitter cell technology, JA Solar has acquired Solar Silicon Valley Electronic Science and Technology Co. for approximately US$180 million. Solar Silicon Valley has an annual production capacity of 485MW and has been a supplier to JA Solar. Including both mono- and multicrystalline wafers, the purchase will take JA Solar?s internal wafer capacity to approximately 785MW, according to the company. Solar Silicon Valley is located in the Yanjiao Economic & Technology Development Zone in Langfang City, Hebei Province, China. Read more

$4.5 Billion in Loans To Support Three First Solar Projects

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 15:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Plans for three separate large-scale solar projects in California have received a significant boost with conditional loan guarantees totaling about $4.5 billion. Read more

EPA?s 10MW Queensland solar plant given go-ahead by council

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 15:24 (PV-Tech)

Australia?s Sunshine Coast Regional Council has granted planning permission to Energy Parks Australia (EPA) for its new solar plant in Valdora, Queensland. With a capacity of 10MW, the development dwarfs Australia?s current largest system ? Liddell?s 3MW concentrating solar power (CSP) facility ? and will cost AU$40 million (US$43 million) to build. Read more

S.A.G. Solarstrom AG receives financing commitment for 48 MWp PV project in Italy; Trina Solar to supply 36 MWp of PV modules

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 13:36 (Solarserver)

S.A.G. Solarstrom AG (Freiburg, Germany) has received a financing commitment of EUR 80 million from the Deutsche Bank Group for a 48 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) project in North Italy. The credit amount will be paid subject to compliance with normal bank conditions, the company announced. Read more

PV producer Trina Solar to supply Gestamp Solar with 55 MW to power Renault's manufacturing sites in France; Largest PV project in the automotive industry

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 13:31 (Solarserver)

Trina Solar Limited (Changzhou, China) on June 30th, 2011 announced that through its subsidiary, Trina Solar (Spain) S.L.U., it has signed a sales agreement with Gestamp Asetym Solar, S.L. (Madrid, Spain), a Spanish-based developer of large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, to power Renault's manufacturing plants in France. Read more

Centrosolar doubles warranty period for crystalline modules

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 12:52 (PV-Tech)

Centrosolar has extended the product warranty for its crystalline modules to 10 years. The guarantee applies to all modules produced at Centrosolar?s Sonnenstromfabrik solar facility in Wismar, Germany and is double the length of the company?s previous longest warranty. Read more

UK schools take a lesson in solar power

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 12:35 (Solarpowerportal)

Forming one of the country’s major driving forces in helping children improve their green awareness, Eco-Schools has arranged for UK educators to participate in a new solar programme. Providing participating schools with free solar electricity the scheme is expected to roll out country-wise from today. Read more

Bentek MDSS awarded IEC and UL certifications

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 12:12 (PV-Tech)

Bentek Solar?s Multiple Disconnect Safety System (MDSS) has been certified by two of the PV industry?s leading testing bodies, CSA International and Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Read more

Centrosolar confirms module quality, extends warranty to 10 years

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 11:52 (Solarpowerportal)

Centrosolar has extended the product warranty for its crystalline modules, manufactured at its Sonnenstromfabrik solar factory in Wismar, Germany, from five to 10 years. Applying retroactively from today, the newly enhanced warranty reinforces the company’s ‘made in Germany’ quality stamp. Read more

DOE offers USD billion in loan guarantees for 1.33 GW of First Solar PV projects

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 9:10 (Solarserver)

On June 30th, 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced offers of conditional commitments for USD billion in loan guarantees for three solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The offer includes a potential USD 680 million loan guarantee for the 230 MW Antelope Valley Solar Ranch 1 project, and partial loan guarantees of USD 1.88 billion to support the 550 MW Desert Sunlight project and USD 1.93 billion to support the 550 MW Topaz Solar project. Read more

Gigawatt-scale loan guarantees: First Solar gets DOE conditional commitments for Calif project trio

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 1:55 (PV-Tech)

First Solar and its partners have received nearly $3.8 billion in new partial or full conditional loan guarantee commitments from the US Department of Energy. The commitments will be used to support the development of three major utility-scale solar farm projects in southern and central California, with a combined projected installed capacity of >1.3GW(AC) of the company?s CdTe thin-film modules?Antelope Valley Solar Ranch One (230MW), Desert Sunlight (550MW), and Topaz Solar (550MW). Read more

Belectric powers-on 551kW ground-mounted Wildflecken solar power plant

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 0:50 (PV-Tech)

Belectric has helped convert a former German military base into a 551kW solar power site. The Wildflecken solar project, located in the Rhon Nature Reserve, has been outfitted with 4,240 Solar Frontier CIS thin-film PV modules. ?This brings the grounds? military history - the army was present here until 1998 - to a close. The site is now designated for sustainable and innovative use,? said Alfred Schrenk, mayor of Wildflecken. Read more

50 Percent Biofuels Now Allowed in Jet Fuel

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 20:15 (Renewable Energy World)

Friday's much-anticipated release of revised international aviation fuel standards officially allows commercial airlines to a blend conventional jet fuel with up to 50 percent biofuels. Read more

How Will Our Civilization Cope with Its Increasing Energy Demands? (Free Report)

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 20:12 (Renewable Energy World)

WILL POPULATION GROWTH AND ENERGY RESOURCE DEPLETION HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OVER THE COMING YEARS? That is the question this survey report answers, which provides keen insight into the minds of 2GreenEnergy readers regarding the future of our world, founded upon our growing demands for energy in the early part of the 21st century. Read more

Starwood Energy reaches financial close on final phase of 60 MW-AC PV project in Canada

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 18:39 (Solarserver)

On June 29th, 2011, Starwood Energy Group Global LLC (Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.) announced that an affiliate has reached financial close on a 10 MW-AC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Sault St. Marie, Canada. The Starwood SSM3 PV plant is part of a 60 MW-AC PV project, which includes a 20 MW-AC and a 30 MW-AC PV plant. The North American subsidiary of Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany) will now proceed with construction of the plant. Read more

Zeroing In on Zero: Google's Foray into Utility-land

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 15:24 (Renewable Energy World)

Cutting-edge search giant Google doesn't greenwash when it comes to sustainability. The company has invested billions of dollars in clean energy developments through renewable energy and transmission projects all across the country. Read more

Renewable energy among focuses of new OPIC funds for South, Southeast Asia

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 14:20 (Solarserver)

On June 28th, 2011, the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) announced that its Board of Directors has approved USD 248 million in financing for three new funds to invest in resource development, including renewable energy, in India and Southeast Asia. The Aloe Environmental Fund III, the Renewable Energy Asia Fund and the Mekong Renewable Resources fund will fund renewable energy projects and companies in India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and other parts of Asia. Read more

CCID analyzes geographical distribution of China's new energy industries

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 14:20 (Solarserver)

On June 29th, 2011, CCID Consulting Company, Ltd. (Beijing, China) released an analysis of the geographical distribution of "new energy industries" in China, identifying policy and natural resources as the two main factors affecting regional development. The report identifies the Yangtze River Delta as the prime manufacturing base of the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, and notes that with extension of the supply chain, locations in Jiangxi, Henan and Sichuan provinces have become wafer and polysilicon bases. Read more

Scotland unveils action plan to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2020

Friday, 7.1.2011 - 13:24 (Solarserver)

On June 30th, 2011, Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing released an action plan to meet the nation's renewable energy targets, including setting a new target to reach 30% of overall energy demand from renewables by 2020. The plan identifies actions required to address costs and access to finance, grid capacity and changes, skills and infrastructure to meet a pre-existing goal of producing the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's electricity demand with renewables by 2020. Read more