KACO partners with Sanmina-SCI for manufacturing, offers two new inverters for North American market

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 21:59 (Solarserver)

On July 11th, 2011 KACO New Energy Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) announced a U.S. manufacturing partnership with Sanmina-SCI Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) to produce its Blueplanet 02xi inverter series. The company also announced that it will introduce its Blueplanet transformerless 7600M and its Blueplanet XP10U-H4 to the North American market, with the first units available in the third quarter of 2011. Read more

Photovoltaics in the U.K.: Western Solar commissions Wales' largest PV plant at 2 MW

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 21:58 (Solarserver)

Western Solar Ltd. (Pembrokeshire, U.K.) owns and operates the first large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) park in West Wales. Using thin film photovoltaic panels from MiaSolé the PV plant with a capacity of 2MW of electricity will generate enough solar electricity to power some 600 homes. Read more

SMA Expands Utility-Scale Product Portfolio with MV Power Platform, MV Power Station

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 20:17 (Renewable Energy World)

SMA America and SMA Canada are now securing orders for their medium-voltage turnkey power solutions, which include the SMA MV Power Platform?available as an open or shaded structure?and SMA MV Power Station. They join the Sunny Central High Efficiency (HE) and award-winning Compact Power (CP) lines of solar inverters in SMA's North American utility-scale lineup. Read more

Unirac and KYOCERA Partner to Create Modern 1.16 MW PV Installation on Historic New Jersey Site

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 18:16 (Renewable Energy World)

Unirac, Inc., North America's leading provider of infrastructure for solar power systems, announced today that it has teamed with Kyocera Solar, Inc. to update the historic Masonic Lodge of New Jersey with a 1.16MW solar installation. Designed by NJ Solar Power, the solar installation is framed with Unirac's innovative PV mounting solution, the ISYS Ground Mount (IGM), and equipped with 5,656 Kyocera Solar KD205 modules. It will generate approximately 1,547,412 kWh of solar energy a year, reducing both the Masonic Lodge's carbon footprint and its utility expenses. Read more

AccuStrata secures largest Asian sale to date

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 15:34 (PV-Tech)

AccuStrata has signed a contract to sell its monitoring and automation systems to one of India?s largest crystalline silicon solar cell manufacturers. The platform will help to increase the yields of the unnamed firm and represents AccuStrata?s largest deal to date in Asia. Read more

CPV World Map 2011 unveiled by PV Insider

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:24 (Renewable Energy World)

Researchers at PV Insider have completed work on the CPV World Map 2011, as part of the launch of the 3rd Concentrated Photovoltaic Summit USA. Read more

PROINSO to supply equipment for 33MW of Indian PV plants

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 12:03 (Solarserver)

On July 15th, 2011, PROINSO SL (Fustiñana, Spain) announced that it has closed two new agreements to supply 33MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and inverters for four PV plants in India. PV plants Gujarat 1 and 2, at 5MW and 20MW respectively, will be located in Charakana, India, and PV plants Maharastra 2 and Majarasta 3 at 4MW each will be located in Maharastra, India. Read more

Intersolar NA: Yingli Green touts US market share gains, opening R&D facility in US

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 22:45 (PV-Tech)

Yingli Green Energy Americas, a division of Yingli Green Energy Holding?s, revealed at Intersolar North America that it had reached a significant milestone for its US module shipments. Yingli America advised that in its shipments to 23 US states, the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada, it had a cumulative shipment total of 250MW, leading the company to deliver more PV modules during the first half of 2011 then it had during the full 2010 year. Read more

MAGE Solar launches residential, commercial PV finance programs, achieves UL certification for U.S.-made Powertec PV modules

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 21:57 (Solarserver)

On July 8th, 2011, MAGE Solar USA (Dublin, Georgia) announced the launch of two new solar financing programs, one for residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system owners and another for commercial PV projects. The new residential program is being delivered in partnership with Renewable Energy Equipment Leasing (REEL), and the commercial program involved a partnership with CIT Vendor Finance. Read more

SPI Solar begins construction on 8MW utility-scale PV project near Palm Springs, CA

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 20:51 (PV-Tech)

SPI Solar has begun construction on an 8MW DC utility-scale solar project near Palm Springs, California, after signing an EPC contract with North Palm Springs Investments. The project will see LDK Solar provide around 33,880 solar modules on a single-axis tracker system that will cover 36.5 acres on two separate land parcels. Read more

Phoenix Solar selected as EPC contractor for 4.7MW solar park in Germany

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 19:36 (PV-Tech)

Phoenix Solar was selected by solarcomplex, a regional supplier of renewable energies in the Lake Constance region of Germany, to act as the EPC contractor for the 4.7MW power plant being built in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Germany. The project will be developed on around .49 miles of land on both sides of the railway tracks between Stockach to Radolfzell. Read more

Intersolar NA: Heraeus to showcase metallization pastes

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 18:43 (PV-Tech)

Heraeus Photovoltaics Business Unit will be displaying its new front-side metallization paste for mono and multicrystalline wafers at this week?s Intersolar North America exhibition in San Francisco. Read more

Intersolar NA: KACO enters US manufacturing partnership with Sanmina-SCI

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 18:08 (PV-Tech)

Solar inverter manufacturer KACO new energy has made inroads into the US market with the signing of a US manufacturing partnership with manufacturing solutions company Sanmina-SCI. The partnership will see Sanmina provide end-to-end manufacturing services for its blueplanet 02xi inverter series with the intention of reducing manufacturing costs and overall delivery times. Read more

Intersolar NA: Suntech offering two new technologies to US solar market

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 16:43 (PV-Tech)

Suntech Power Holdings is targeting a greater share of the rapidly growing commercial and utility-scale PV markets in North America with the launch at Intersolar North America of two high-performance modules. Suntech introduced its ?HiPerforma? 245 watt (W) module using its advanced ?Pluto? cell processing technology, and a module using its ?SuperPoly? multicrystalline wafers, also developed in-house using advanced silicon ingot casting techniques, dubbed the 290W Vd-Series. Read more

Solland Solar?s management takes the helm

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 16:34 (PV-Tech)

Solar cell and module manufacturer Solland Solar has announced that the company has been bought by its management. The sale was initiated by Delta management, and the move is intended to enable Solland to continue in its transition from a cell to a module manufacturer, having recently introduced its Sunweb module range. Delta had been looking for a buyer for Solland Solar since January 2011. Read more

Evergreen Solar threatened with Nasdaq delisting

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 16:27 (PV-Tech)

Struggling firm, Evergreen Solar has been notified by Nasdaq that it is in breech of two stock market listing requirements and is in danger of being delisted from the exchange. Evergreen Solar?s stock price has fallen below the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market as well as failing to obtain a minimum market value for its listed securities of US$35 million. Both warnings are issued when noncompliance has been seen for at least 30 consecutive business days. Read more

SolarNexus Now Provides One-Click Ordering from Leading Hardware Suppliers

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 16:12 (Renewable Energy World)

SolarNexus, the industry leader in web-based solar business management software, has reduced the time and complexity required for solar contractors to order hardware from the industry's top suppliers. Until now, solar contractors manually managed multiple supplier catalogs, redundantly entered product details into order forms or managed many different online portals to order their equipment. With SolarNexus, they can now directly send Purchase Orders or Requests for Quotes to major suppliers with a single click. Read more

Gehrlicher to build 1.2MW solar park in Bulgaria

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 16:03 (PV-Tech)

Gehrlicher Solar has finished work on its first solar project in Bulgaria. The 1.2MW ground-mounted system, located near the town of Breznik, is expected to generate around 1.4 million kWh of electricity per annum after it is connected to the grid in the coming weeks. Read more

Intersolar NA: Ferro offers two new low cost silver conductor pastes

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 15:34 (PV-Tech)

Two new products that are claimed to reduce cost per watt while maintaining the same adhesion, solderability, and field reliability as current commercial products are being showcased at Intersolar North America by Ferro Electronic Materials. Ferro?s new PS 2130 and PS 2131 rear silver pastes have pure silver metallurgy and enable fast printing at speeds of more than 200mm per second, while retaining compatibility with its back surface aluminum pastes, which are said to be co-fired in a wide processing window. Read more

Southwest Windpower to Exhibit at Cheyenne Frontier Days

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 15:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Southwest Windpower, the world's leading manufacturer of personal wind generators, will exhibit at Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD), the largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration in the United States from July 22-31. Visit the company's outdoor booth located alongside local Southwest Windpower wind turbine dealer and installer, WyCo Wind & Solar. Southwest Windpower will join in celebrating western heritage by showcasing one of the wild west's greatest features ? wind. Read more

Standard Solar Partners with SunRun; Simplifies Going Solar through More Affordable Payment Options

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 15:26 (Renewable Energy World)

Standard Solar, Inc., a national leader in the full-service development, installation and financing of solar electric systems for residential, commercial, government and utility customers, today announced the availability of more flexible payment programs for residential customers, including "Better Than Leasing" pricing options. These options are now possible through the company's partnership with SunRun, the pioneer for affordable home solar, and will make alternative energy solutions more affordable for Standard Solar residential customers in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Read more

Intersolar NA: Edwards showcasing ?Zenith? series abatement systems

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:58 (PV-Tech)

Having a presence once again at both SEMICON West and Intersolar North America exhibitions, Edwards, a leading global supplier of vacuum and abatement equipment and services, will showcase its Zenith family of manufacturing abatement systems. The system is an award Finalist for the 2011 SEMICON West Sustainable Technology Award. Read more

Intersolar NA: PanelClaw to unveil ?Gen II? solar mounting systems

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:45 (PV-Tech)

Solar PV mounting systems specialist, PanelClaw is revealing its next generation of ballasted commercial flat roof solar mounting systems at Intersolar North America. PanelClaw?s ?Polar Bear? FR Gen II and ?Grizzly Bear? FR Gen II solar racking solutions feature design enhancements that are claimed to deliver lower project costs and offer greater design flexibility. Read more

Intersolar NA: OAI features advanced 350nm to 1800nm Class AAA solar simulator

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:34 (PV-Tech)

OAI?s Solar Test Division is featuring the capabilities of a recently introduced 350nm to 1800nm Class AAA solar simulator at Interoslar North America, being held in San Francisco, this week. The solar simulator is said to be ideal for multi-junction solar cell testing, high current I-V testing, and as a solar power meter. Read more

Industry experts predict upturn in fortunes for Germany?s solar industry

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:09 (PV-Tech)

Despite a sizeable fall in the number of solar installations in Germany this year, there is growing optimism among industry experts about the future of the industry?s flagship market. Read more

ReneSola cites continued 100% wafer utilization rate but impacted by price declines

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 12:22 (PV-Tech)

ReneSola has revised downwards second quarter 2011 shipment and revenue guidance due to steeper than expected price declines for c-Si wafers and modules. Total solar wafer and module shipments are now expected to be in the range of 290MW-300MW, compared to its previously guided range of 330MW-350MW. As a result, revenues previously guided in the range of US$280 million-US$300 million have been lowered to between US$235 million-US$245 million. ReneSola follows a growing number of PV suppliers making downward revisions to second-quarter financial guidance due to weak demand in the first-half of the year. Read more

Solarbuzz cites expected collapse in PV manufacturing equipment spending

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 12:04 (PV-Tech)

On the back of small 3% decline in PV capital equipment spending in the second quarter of 2011, market research firm, Solarbuzz believes the decline is the forerunner to a collapse in equipment spending by tier 2 and tier 3 module and cell suppliers, due to overcapacity in the market and an expectation of a wave of consolidation or ?fall-out? of smaller players. PV equipment spending for c-Si ingot-to-module and thin-film modules is forecast to decline sharply in 2012 to US$7.6 billion, down 47%, compared record level forecast of US$14.2 billion in 2011. Read more

Suntech launches two new PV modules at Intersolar North America

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

On July 12th, 2011, Suntech Power Holdings Company Ltd. (Wuxi, China) unveiled two new high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, which will be immediately available in the U.S., Canadian and Latin American markets. Suntech's HiPerforma 245 watt module and its 290 watt Vd Series module will be on public display for the first time at the Intersolar North America trade show in San Francisco, California, U.S. from July 12th to 14th, 2011. Read more

SolarBridge, AUO to release integrated AC module to U.S. market

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 11:34 (Solarserver)

On July 11th, 2011, SolarBridge Technologies Inc. (Austin, Texas, U.S.) announced a partnership with AU Optronics Corporation (AUO, Hsinchu, Taiwan) to bring an integrated AC module, composed of a solar photovoltaic (PV) module with integrated microinverter, to the North American market. SolarBridge states that the AUO AC Unison is built to last more than 25 years, and will be sold through AUO's network of distribution partners. Read more

Intersolar NA: CNPV details its linear power module warranty

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 9:52 (PV-Tech)

Module manufacturer CNPV Solar Power is using Intersolar North America to detail its linear power warranty that they launched at Intersolar Munich, this year. CNPV?s linear power warranty is guaranteeing 7% more power than a ?traditional power warranty,? that is normally a ?two step? approach with trigger points at 10-12 years and 25 years. Read more

Intersolar NA: SolarEdge products qualify for US local, state and federal projects

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 9:29 (PV-Tech)

SolarEdge Technologies PV inverters have qualified for use in US local, state and federal projects, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), and administered by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), of the US Department of Energy. Read more

Q-Cells first to produce multicrystalline modules with above 18% efficiencies

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 9:08 (PV-Tech)

Verified by Fraunhofer ISE (Institute for Solar Energy) in Freiburg, Q-Cells have beaten their own record module efficiencies for multicrystalline-based wafers. The new world record efficiency rating is 18.1%, which beats its recently established record of 17.8%. Q-Cells claims to have the first multicrystalline-based modules that have efficiencies above 18%. Read more

Solar Power to Power Oil Sands?

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 7:56 (Renewable Energy World)

Can Solar Energy can the Canadian Oil Sands? Read more

AEG Power Solutions Introduces the Protect PV.500 Solar Inverter to the U.S.

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 1:58 (Renewable Energy World)

Dallas, July 11, 2011 ? AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS), a global provider of innovative premium power electronics, is highlighting its high-efficiency, full-featured utility-scale inverter at Intersolar North America. Launched in Europe and Asia in April, the Protect PV.500 Inverter ? with an efficiency greater than 98 percent and flexible grid management features ? is ideal for utility-scale deployment. AEG Power Solutions is a subsidiary of listed holding company 3W Power (Euronext Amsterdam 3WP, Frankfurt 3W9, ISIN GG00B39QCR01, WKN A0Q5SX). Read more

WindPole Creates Iowa Wind Power Forecasting Consortium

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 17:17 (Renewable Energy World)

WindPole Ventures which provides hub-height wind resource data to wind farm developers and operators, is building a wind power forecasting consortium in Iowa. Their first customer, Midwest ISO, along with other customers, will receive real-time, wind resource updates every five minutes, with one minute resolution. Read more

Benefits of Wind Power Touted in NY

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The developer said the 76.5-megawatt (MW) project will result in about $20 million in lease payments to landowners and $20 million in payment-in-lieu-of-taxes revenue for local taxing jurisdictions. The developer also boasts the project will result in 150 temporary construction jobs and six to 10 permanent jobs. Read more

Geothermal Insider: The only Geothermal Operations and Plant Optimization Conference of 2011 could not have come at a better time for the industry

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 13:23 (Renewable Energy World)

...ways of driving operating and maintenance costs down whilst optimizing plant production at the only geothermal operations and plant optimization conference this year. Read more

IREC announces its 18th annual search for innovative renewable energy projects & programs

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 22:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Each year, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council recognizes individuals and organizations that have implemented innovative projects during the past year that promote and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy technologies. Read more

SDG&E signs renewable contracts for nearly 200 MW of green energy including 150MW of PV

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 21:58 (Solarserver)

Since January 1st, 2011, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has added more than 1,200 megawatts (MW) of clean, green energy capacity to its renewable portfolio. On July 8th, 2011, the utility announced it has signed two more contracts: a 25-year power purchase agreement for 150 megawatts (MW) of solar power with Solar Gen 2 LLC and a one-year contract for 40 MW of geothermal power with Silicon Valley Power. Read more

Putting PV and Energy Storage Together

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 21:19 (Renewable Energy World)

A solar PV testbed in Arizona is widening its reach to investigate integration of different energy storage technologies with PV onto the grid. Read more

Enel Green Power to build to CSP plants in southern Europe

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 18:04 (PV-Tech)

Enel Green Power (EGP) is to continue the diversification of its energy portfolio by building two concentrated solar power (CSP) plants in southern Europe. Read more

Government unveils £110 billion electricity market reforms

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 12:31 (Solarpowerportal)

The Government is set to invest £110 billion in revamping the UK’s electricity generation infrastructure, according to a new White Paper from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It aims to raise the share of renewable energy sources from 7% to 30% of electricity generation by 2030 . Read more

REN21: Renewables reach 20% of global electricity generation in 2010

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 11:56 (Solarserver)

On July 12th, 2011, the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21, Paris, France) released its "2011 Global Status Report", reporting that renewable energy supplied an estimated 16% of total energy usage and 20% of electricity generated globally in 2010. The report further states that renewables accounted for roughly half of the 194GW of electricity generation capacity added in 2010. While this was led by wind and hydropower, the organization notes that Europe added more solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity than wind. Read more

ITOCHU Corporation Invests in Gainesville Renewable Energy Center Power Project

Tuesday, 7.12.2011 - 0:35 (Renewable Energy World)

ITOCHU Corporation announced equity participation in Gainesville Renewable Energy Center, a 100MW biomass power project located in Gainesville, Florida through indirect affiliates. NAES Corporation, the largest independent Operation & Maintenance provider, which operates the largest fleet of biomass facilities in US, will provide Operation & Maintenance service to the project. Read more