Endurance's Brennen McLean to Co-Chair AWEA Small and Community Wind Conference

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 22:35 (Renewable Energy World)

Endurance Wind Power is proud to announce that Senior Sales Director, Brennen McLean, has been selected as Co-Chair of the American Wind Energy Association's (AWEA) upcoming 2011 Small and Community Wind Conference and Exhibition. Read more

Japan?s NEDO group selects Kyocera to join in smart-grid demo project in New Mexico

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 17:30 (PV-Tech)

Japan?s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) initiative has commissioned Kyocera to participate in a smart-grid demonstration project in New Mexico, with the aim of bypassing the difficulties encountered in conducting such studies in Japan due to the difference in pre-existing power grids. Kyocera will provide around 1MW of solar modules, base mounting systems and a data collection system as part of its role in the demo project, and will also spearhead the Evaluation of Distributed Energy Resource taskforce within the Collective Research portion of the overall project. Read more

KACO opens 2GW plant in Canada to build XP central inverters

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:46 (PV-Tech)

PV inverter manufacturer, KACO new energy has opened a 2GW nameplate capacity manufacturing facility in London, Ontario to provide the Canadian market with ?home content? central inverters. The new facility is expected to ramp to 700MW of capacity by the end of the year, focused on producing its XP-series central PV inverters. Approximately, 100 workers will be employed at the facility. Read more

Intersolar NA: Canadian Solar?s ELPS solar cell technology on display

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:41 (PV-Tech)

As one of a growing number of China-based Tier 1 PV manufacturers pushing-hard towards solar cell efficiencies of 20%, Canadian Solar is showcasing its ELPS solar cell technology (Efficient, Long-Term, Photovoltaic Solution), that has demonstrated cell efficiencies of 19.5% with monocrystalline wafers and 18% efficiencies with polycrystalline wafers. Read more

Solarbuzz: PV equipment spending to fall by nearly 50% in 2012; sharp declines to coincide with second-tier solar cell manufacturer shakeout

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:09 (Solarserver)

PV equipment spending for c-Si ingot-to-module and thin-film panels is forecast to decline sharply in 2012 to USD 7.6 billion, down 47% Y/Y from a record level of USD 14.2 billion in 2011, according to the latest Solarbuzz (San Francisco, Calif.) "PV Equipment Quarterly" report. This decline in equipment spending will impact 2H?11 PV equipment revenues and also result in lower corporate guidance for 2012, Solarbuzz forecasts. Read more

3Sun inaugurates 160 MW thin film PV factory in Italy

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:07 (Solarserver)

On July 8th, 2011, joint venture 3Sun inaugurated a thin film silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cell and module production facility with an annual output of 160 MW in Catania, Italy. The joint venture of Enel Green Power SpA (Rome, Italy), Sharp Corporation (Osaka, Japan) and STMicroelectronics NV (Geneva, Switzerland) states that the factory will provide PV modules for projects under development, as well as the sales networks of Enel and Sharp in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Read more

CNPV to ship 30 MW of PV modules for projects in the U.S. South

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:02 (Solarserver)

On July 8th, 2011, CNPV Solar Power SA (Dongying City, China) announced that it has signed an agreement with Choice Solar Solutions (Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.) to supply 30 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules over a three year period. Under the terms of the agreement CNPV will send 5 MW of modules in 2011, 10 MW in 2012 and 15 MW in 2013 for PV projects in the company's service area of Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina. Read more

JDSU purchases assets from CPV producer QuantaSol

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:00 (Solarserver)

On July 7th, 2011, JDS Uniphase Corporation (JDSU, Milpitas, California, U.S.) announced that it has acquired product designs, patented intellectual property and other assets related to the production of concentrating solar photovoltaic (CPV) cells from QuantaSol Ltd. (Kingston-Upon-Thames, U.K.). JDSU plans to utilize QuantaSol's multiple quantum well technology in its CPV manufacturing, which it says allows for increased conversion efficiencies. Read more

Which? smart meter installer to trust

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 11:38 (Solarpowerportal)

Consumer watchdog Which? is this week calling on energy companies not to push for the hard sale when installing smart meters in the UK. This news comes after Government pledged to ensure every home in Great Britain has a smart meter by 2020, at a cost of £11.3 billion. Read more

Intersolar North America 2011 kicks off

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 23:15 (Solarserver)

Intersolar North America, the premier solar industry exhibition (July 12th - 14th) and conference (July 11th -14th) in North America for solar professionals to exchange information and develop business opportunities in the U.S. solar market, present three full days of paper presentations, panel discussions, and information on cutting edge technological advancements from leading industry executives, scientists and professors during its fourth annual conference in San Francisco. With registered exhibition visitors representing 62 countries and exhibiting companies from 30 countries, Intersolar North America provides a true global perspective of the solar industry, while focusing Read more

Germany Trade & Invest: German solar PV market saves customers money and time; GT & I representatives at Intersolar North America

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 22:15 (Solarserver)

Germany's solar market is the most efficient and cost effective in Europe, according to a recent survey by PV Legal. While the average time to connect a new small-scale system to the grid is between 14 and 50 weeks across the continent, German residents are connected in only 6 weeks on average. At the same time, 19 to 65 percent of small-scale project expenses (excluding equipment) go to legal-administrative costs, whereas Germans pay only 7 percent on average. Read more

A Smart Start at Intersolar North America

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 21:22 (Renewable Energy World)

For an industry with as much momentum as solar, it’s still a healthy reminder that only 1 percent of America’s electricity supply comes from the sun. Right now, solar is mostly a peak generation provider. For it to get where it needs to go, it needs to move into baseload territory -- namely, the space dominated by fossil fuels. To achieve that end, the solar industry and other renewables have to lay the groundwork for a new energy economy focused on smart solutions to some current limitations. That was the view presented by Andrew Skumanich, CEO of Solar Vision, during his presentation Monday morning at the opening day of the Intersolar conference in San Francisco, Read more

Intersolar NA: Order Focus: CNPV signs three-year sales module supply contract with 2COR9 Energy

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:26 (PV-Tech)

CNPV has signed a three-year module sales agreement with California-based 2COR9 Energy, a clean energy and solar integration company. CNPV will supply 60MWp of its premium range of modules over the next three years for an undisclosed sum for inclusion in 2COR9?s project pipeline. Read more

Solar Sales up 66% | Solar Profits up 85% | Rich Hessler Solar Business Development Customers

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:19 (Renewable Energy World)

Rich Hessler Solar Business Development Customers report Q2 2011 results. Read more

India's MNRE to issue guidelines for next round of solar plants under JNNSM

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:07 (Solarserver)

On July 8th, 2011, India's ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced that it has begun discussions with stakeholders and will soon issue guidelines for the next batch of grid connected solar power projects, totaling 300 MW, under the nation's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). 250 participants attended a consultation on the guidelines on July 8th, 2011, including project developers, engineering, procurement and construction companies, solar manufacturers, financial institutions and state government officials. Read more

SolarReserve receives CSP Today award for molten salt storage technology

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:06 (Solarserver)

SolarReserve LLC (Santa Monica, California, U.S.) has received an award at the 5th CSP Today USA Summit for its Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, a concentrating solar power (CSP) project which utilizes a solar power tower design with molten salt storage. The company states that the "Increased Dispatchability Solution of the Year" recognizes the ability of the plant to generate power on-demand, 24 hours per day. Read more

JinkoSolar to supply PV modules to 25 MW of PV plants

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:05 (Solarserver)

On July 6th, 2011, JinkoSolar Holding Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced that construction has begun on five solar photovoltaic (PV) plants powered by JinkoSolar modules and totaling 25 MW. Solairedirect (Paris, France) will build the ground-mounted plants. JinkoSolar began delivering PV modules for the plants in the first quarter of 2011, and states that shipments will continue until the third quarter of 2011. Read more

Build Group to introduce adaptable PV array at Intersolar North America

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 18:04 (Solarserver)

Build Group, Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.) on July 8th, 2011 announced that the company will launch their much-anticipated new product, Solumbria, at Intersolar North America. Designed to fit any manufacturer's solar panel, Solumbria is the industry's first adjustable array for use in building canopy support structures, the Build Group emphasizes in a press release. Read more

Intersolar NA: Mage Solar unveils new financial support programmes

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 16:31 (PV-Tech)

Mage Group?s US subsidiary has launched two new financing plans for customers wishing to buy its modules, inverters and mounting systems. Read more

Q-Cells SE marks fourth world record in the current business year with polycrystalline solar PV module

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 16:31 (Solarserver)

Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany), one of the world?s leading photovoltaics (PV) companies, has set a world record for the fourth time in 2011. A polycrystalline solar module from Q-Cells? in-house research centre achieved a module efficiency rating of 18.1% related to the aperture area, the company reports in a press release. Independent Fraunhofer ISE (Institute for Solar Energy) in Freiburg confirmed this result. Read more

Proinso will install a further 33MW in India

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 16:14 (PV-Tech)

Spanish solar developer Proinso has revealed a 33MW pipeline of solar installations in the city of Charakana, in the Patan District of Gujarat, and in Maharastra. Signing off on two new agreements, the company will start work immediately for completion in December 2011. Read more

Tata BP Solar to build three new solar systems in India

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 15:57 (PV-Tech)

Tata BP Solar India is planning to build a new solar portfolio with a combined capacity of 30MW in the Indian state of Gujarat. The three systems all have capacities between 5MW and 15MW and are situated in the districts of Patan, Kutch and Mithapur. Read more

Intersolar NA: SolFocus debuts latest CPV system, featuring increased power, simpler installation

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 15:00 (PV-Tech)

SolFocus? latest concentrator photovoltaics array, the SF-1136X, has nearly twice the rated power of the company?s SF-1100P and can be deployed in the field in less than half the time. The firm said it has increased the level of factory integration, simplified the mechanical structure of the system, and improved the logistics packaging. Read more

Norwich City Council applies for 40kW solar installation

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 14:14 (Solarpowerportal)

A project to install a 40kW solar photovoltaic installation on the rooftops of Norwich City Hall looks set to be given the go-ahead, when the City Council’s cabinet meets next week. Read more

Australia?s solar industry welcomes new carbon tax

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 14:01 (PV-Tech)

Following months of tense negotiation between the minority Labour Government and the Green and independent MPs, Australia?s prime minister Julia Gillard yesterday revealed the ?Strong Growth, Low Pollution? report, which models how the country?s economy can continue to grow at the same time as reducing carbon pollution with a carbon price. The new tax, which will come into effect from July next year, will hit Australia?s top 500 emitters with an AUD$23 per tonne carbon tax. Read more

LDK Solar appoints ex-Sharp VP to head US sales; promotes five others

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:51 (PV-Tech)

Ron Kenedi, the former vice president of Sharp Electronics Corporation?s Solar Energy Solutions Group, has been appointed president of LDK Solar Tech USA, a subsidiary of LDK Solar dedicated to module sales in the North America market. LDK Solar has also promoted another five managers within the organisation. Read more

Winners of US CSP Today awards

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 12:57 (Renewable Energy World)

CSP Today announced the winners of its 2nd edition of the CSP Today Awards USA 2011 at a ceremony that took place on Tuesday, 28th of June, as part of CSP Today's USA 2011 conference. Thousands of online votes cast by the concentrated solar power industry were assessed by a panel of Judges comprising David Kearney from Kearny Associates, Mark Mehos from NREL, Tom Mancini from Sandia Labs, Tex Wilkins from the DoE CSP program, Gilbert Cohen from Eliasol and Ken Anderson from Cogentrix. Read more

Solar Frontier supplies Nissan with thin-film modules for rooftop system

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 11:50 (PV-Tech)

Solar Frontier has supplied Nissan Motor with around 40kW of CIS thin-film modules for the recently-completed rooftop solar system at its global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The system, built in partnership with Showa Shell Sekiyu, will primarily be used to power rapid charging systems for electric vehicles on site. Read more

SolarEdge PV Inverters Approved for US Doe's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Eere) Recovery Act-Funded Projects

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 8:14 (Renewable Energy World)

Read more

SolarEdge PV Inverters Approved for US Doe's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Recovery Act-Funded Projects

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 8:14 (Renewable Energy World)

Read more

Advanced Geothermal Projects Garner Another $11 Million in DOE Grant Money

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

A few weeks after doling out $70 million for much the same purpose, the Department of Energy (DOE), through its Geothermal Technologies Program, has announced another $11.3 million in grants will go to eight projects in five states in support of the research and development of advanced geothermal technologies. The awards will fund projects to be administered by companies in Texas, Connecticut and California (2), the Livermore and Berkeley National Labs in California and universities in Louisiana and Utah. Read more

Australian Government unveils carbon tax, announces new clean energy programs

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 17:55 (Solarserver)

On July 10th, 2011, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that her Government has set an initial price of AUD 23 per tonne (USD 25 per metric ton) on carbon emissions, beginning on July 1st, 2012. The Government concurrently announced a host of new clean energy programs and agencies, including an USD 11 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, an Australian Renewable Energy Agency which will manage USD 3.4 billion in funding, and a USD 210 million Clean Technology Innovation Program. Read more

Karnataka state outlines plans for 350MW of solar projects under new energy policy

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 17:11 (PV-Tech)

The Indian state of Karnataka has published its updated solar policy, which includes a target for 350MW of solar projects by 2016. The Government will allocate 40MW worth of projects for direct sale to the different distribution companies in the state, commonly known as ESCOMS, up to the amount of 200MW. A total of 50MW of bundled solar thermal power will be allotted to state-owned utilities for development. The split between photovoltaic and concentrated solar power (CSP) has not yet been defined. Read more

Australian Government unveils carbon tax, establishes new clean energy programs

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 16:26 (Solarserver)

On July 10th, 2011, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that her Government has set an initial price of AUD 23 per tonne (USD 25 per metric ton) on carbon emissions, beginning on July 1st, 2012. The Government concurrently announced a host of new clean energy programs and agencies, including an USD 11 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, an Australian Renewable Energy Agency which will manage USD 3.4 billion in funding, and a USD 210 million Clean Technology Innovation Program. Read more

The Sector Information Technology Forgot

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 16:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Information Technology revolutionized the way we buy things (Amazon, eBay), how we get information (Google, Wikipedia, the decline of newspapers), and how we interact with out peers (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.) Yet so far, it has had little, if any transformative impact on energy. Tim Healy, CEO of EnerNOC (ENOC), the world's largest third party provider of Demand Response to utilities and grid operators, thinks that's about to change. Read more

SOLON to test energy storage for PV at University of Arizona

Monday, 7.11.2011 - 13:04 (Solarserver)

On July 7th, 2011, SOLON Corporation (Tucson, Arizona, U.S.) announced that it will design and build an energy storage research and testing site in partnership with Tucson Electric Power (TEP, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.) and the Arizona Research Institute for Solar Energy (AzRISE) at the University of Arizona. The research site will be attached to a 1.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant built by SOLON, owned by TEP and located at the University of Arizona's Science and Technology Park. Read more