New IMS Research report predicts ?smart? PV inverter shipments to reach 27GW in 2015

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 22:04 (PV-Tech)

IMS Research has published a new report, ?The World Market for PV Inverters?, which projects that ?smart? PV inverter shipments in 2015 will reach 27GW, comprising 60% of the market, compared to 20% in 2010. The report predicts that the long-term outlook for the PV inverter industry has an encouraging future with smart invertors making up the majority of the market by 2014 and Europe providing the most demand. Read more

Advanced Energy?s inverter sales slightly higher in 2Q 2011

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 13:50 (PV-Tech)

Advanced Energy reported that overall sales just sneaked-in above the lower point of downward revised guidance, but despite warning only a couple of weeks ago that PV project delays would impact quarterly figures, the PV inverter manufacturer posted sales that were slightly higher than first quarter levels. AE?s Renewables Business Unit sales were US$40.8 million in the second quarter, up from US$37.6 million in the previous quarter. Total revenue reached US$138.2 million, having previously revised guidance to between US$137-US$140 million. Read more

New publication supports strategic decision making in the thin film PV market

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 11:07 (Solarserver)

This week sees EuPD Research (Bonn, Germany) publish a new publication titled ?PV Thin Film Guidebook 2011?. It provides comprehensive insight on the thin film segment of photovoltaics (PV). The institute located in Bonn is looking at the thin film technologies for the third time, an important photovoltaics submarket. In order to provide answers on the questions most important to the segment, the authors analyze not only individual manufacturers and their unique selling points. In a multi-stage process, they consulted stakeholders relevant to the thin film industry to provide a picture as balanced and comprehensive as possible on current and future developments. Read more

BP Solar modules no longer available

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 11:05 (Solarpowerportal)

In what may come as a surprise to some, BP Solar has revealed its intention to apply the brakes to its distribution network and module expertise in order to concentrate on project development. In a statement sent to its partners, the company explained that it had made the strategic decision in order to profitably... Read more

DuPont expands in solar energy with acquisition of Innovalight, Technology to enhance solar cell efficiency

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 10:51 (Solarserver)

DuPont (Wilmington, Del.) on July 25th, 2011 announced that it has acquired Innovalight Inc. (Sunnyvale, Calif.), a company specializing in advanced silicon inks and process technologies that increase the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells. The acquisition further strengthens DuPont's position as a leader in materials for the solar energy market, enabling a broader and more integrated photovoltaic materials and technology offering from DuPont. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Read more

Avancis,  Singulus, Heraeus and IfG Institute partner on CIS cluster tool project

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 1:03 (PV-Tech)

Four German companies, Avancis, Singulus Technologies, Heraeus Noblelight and the IfG Institute for Scientific Instruments, have come together to work on the Photovoltaics Innovations Alliance CIS Cluster Tool project. The project aims to develop new manufacturing procedures for CIS semiconductors panels in order to produce high-efficiency thin-film solar modules. With a three-year investment financed by ?2.9 million from the Photovoltaics Innovations Alliance and contributions from participating companies, the companies plan to develop an industrial manufacturing process based off findings from a planned demonstration plant. Read more

Sustainable Energy, Würth Solar partner on 90kW PV demonstration project in France

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 22:54 (PV-Tech)

Sustainable Energy Technology and Würth Solar will be working on a 90kW demonstration project, which will be installed at the Lycée Technique Louis Couffignal in Strasbourg, France. Using Sustainable Energy?s Paralex system design and Würth Solar?s CIS modules, the project is part of a cooperation agreement the two companies hold that aims to provide commercial and institution customers with ?parallel? solutions for rooftops in France. Read more

Q-Cells closes sale of 40MW PV projects to DIF, NIBC joint venture Blue Forrest Solar Holding

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 22:27 (PV-Tech)

Q-Cells closed the sale of its Finsterwalde II and III PV power plants to Blue Forrest Solar Holding, a joint venture formed between DIF Infrastructure (DIF) and the NIBC European Infrastructure Fund (NIBC). The two plants have a combined installed capacity of 40MWp, which when added with the Finsterwalde I PV power plant Q-Cells sold in 2010, leads the entire site to have an 82MWp installed capacity. Read more

Q-Cells closes sale of 40MW PV projects to DIF,NIBC joint venture Blue Forrest Solar Holding

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 22:27 (PV-Tech)

Q-Cells closed the sale of its Finsterwalde II and III PV power plants to Blue Forrest Solar Holding, a joint venture formed between DIF Infrastructure (DIF) and the NIBC European Infrastructure Fund (NIBC). The two plants have a combined installed capacity of 40MWp, which when added with the Finsterwalde I PV power plant Q-Cells sold in 2010, leads the entire site to have an 82MWp installed capacity. Read more

First Solar sells 10MW PV power plant near Zamora, Spain to KGAL

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 21:38 (Solarserver)

First Solar, Inc. (Tempe, Ariz.) and KGAL GmbH & Co. KG (KGAL; Gruenwald, Germany) in July 2011 announced the purchase of a 9.9 megawatt (MW) (DC) solar power plant near Zamora, Spain by European Solar Power Fund - a renewable energy-focused fund for institutional investors managed by KGAL - from First Solar. The solar farm is located in Pereruela in the province of Zamora, Spain, about 250 kilometers northwest of Madrid. The Zamora area is one of the sunniest in Europe, with around 1,700 kWh/m2 of sunlight a year. Read more

Solmentum brings solar to more of Southern California

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 21:31 (Solarserver)

Solmentum (Irvine, Calif.), a residential solar power sales company, announced the opening of two new offices in Temecula and Irvine. Solmentum on own account served over 1,000 customers in the first 24 months of operation. Solmentum invests in the cities where their offices are located, growing a local sales team and building strong relationships with city residents interested in going solar. Read more

SolarWorld PV panels to power new head office of leading U.S. wind turbine manufacturer Vestas

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 17:05 (Solarserver)

Portland Mayor Sam Adams has announced that high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) panels from SolarWorld (Hillsboro, Ore.), the largest U.S. manufacturer of solar technology for more than 35 years, have been selected to power the North American headquarters of Vestas, a leader in providing high-tech wind power systems. The move links two of the top U.S. producers of renewable energy systems and underscores the companies? confidence in the vitality of American manufacturing and the value of sustainability. Read more

NREL confirms new CdTe cell efficiency record from First Solar

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 16:02 (PV-Tech)

Not wanting to be left in the shade this year, after a significant number of record cell and module efficiency levels have been reported across the PV industry in 2011, First Solar has reported that test cadmium-telluride (CdTe) cells, confirmed by NREL (U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Lab) have reached 17.3% conversion efficiencies. The previous record (16.7%) was actually made back in 2001. Read more

Cadbury invests US$780,000 in African solar project

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 15:36 (PV-Tech)

Cadbury Cocoa Partnership is looking to bring photovoltaics to West Africa by installing solar lanterns and panels in Ghana. The scheme will see lanterns given to cocoa farmers and panels installed in rural schools across the country. Read more

Solar Estimates in Quickbooks: Free Webinar August 5th

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 15:07 (Renewable Energy World)

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Good Timing: What DuPont Gains By Buying Innovalight

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 14:39 (Renewable Energy World)

DuPont's acquisition of Innovalight, announced Monday, comes at an opportune time. The price of solar energy components and panels are falling quickly, and manufacturers are scrambling to cut costs in order to compete effectively. To do so, they are devoting more resources to technologies that can help them boost efficiencies more quickly than what they could come up with. Read more

William Dyer now supplies solar

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 13:23 (Solarpowerportal)

Building on the success others have experienced when crossing over into the world of renewable energy, William Dyer Electrical now offers solar photovoltaics as part of its range of electrical energy efficiency services. Having recently received microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) accreditation, the company’s workforce is now qualified to install solar panels across the UK. Read more

Video: U.S. Solar Growth Coming, But Will Manufacturing Follow?

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 12:13 (Renewable Energy World)

While the number and magnitude of projects in the pipeline make for a bright outlook for the American solar industry, the future is anything but clear for domestic manufacturing. Read more

CLEAN LA solar plan supports governor?s vision for local, renewable power; Rooftop solar program to spur USD 2 billion in private investment, create thousands of local jobs

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 11:19 (Solarserver)

With solar industry leaders and public officials working to meet LA Governor Edmund G. Brown?s ambitious state-wide goals for local, renewable power, the Los Angeles Business Council and a broad coalition of supporters today called on the LADWP to implement the CLEAN LA Solar Plan, which would produce 600MW of locally generated rooftop solar power, create thousands of local jobs and spur as much as USD 2 billion of private investment. The plan enjoys huge support among the public, with an opinion survey showing that more than eight in 10 local voters are in favor. Read more

SolFocus, Amonix, EMCORE and Skyline Solar are emerging U.S. companies in the concentrating PV Market

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 11:07 (Solarserver)

In 2010 Spain dominated the global concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) market with around 16MW of cumulative installed capacity, according to a report available on companiesandmarkets.com. Presently, the global CPV is 23MW. The technology is still developing and so most CPV projects are in the pilot or prototype stage. Guascor Foton's Navarre power plant and Murcia power plant are the largest concentrated photovoltaic plants with installed capacities of 7.8MW and 2MW respectively. In the U.S., emerging companies are SolFocus, Amonix, EMCORE and Skyline Solar. European companies such as Concentrix/Soitec, Abengoa Solar and ArimaEco are making progress in the CPV market, Companies Read more

Upsolar supplies modules for Italian golf course solar system

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 11:01 (PV-Tech)

La Serra Golf Club in Valenza, Italy has chosen Upsolar as module supplier for its new 190kW solar project. The system is the largest installed on any course in Italy and will generate enough electricity to cater for all the club?s energy requirements. Read more

A trio of new vice presidents joins Agile Energy

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 23:22 (PV-Tech)

Agile Energy announced the appointment of three new vice presidents: Eric Lundberg as VP of finance, Curt Hildebrand as VP of development and Todd Bartholf as VP of engineering. The company stated that between the three new executive leads lies 65 years of power utility and renewable experience. Read more

Yangzhou Municipal Government financial affairs office and Hudson Clean Energy Partners announce joint venture

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 17:05 (Solarserver)

The Yangzhou Municipal Government financial affairs office, representing a city at the forefront of China?s clean energy industry, and Hudson Clean Energy Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm that invests exclusively in clean energy, announced the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly establish a RMB Fund to invest in China?s rapidly growing clean energy markets. Read more

Editor's Letter: Facing Challenges

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The renewable energy industry dodged a bullet in 2009 and 2010 when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, along with the Section 1603 Treasury Grant program, kept projects alive despite the economic recession. Read more

Renewable Energy: It's a National Security Issue

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 14:35 (Renewable Energy World)

As a U.S. Army veteran who has seen many fellow veterans suffer from the physical and psychological consequences of war, it is disheartening to observe an absence of discussion within the renewable energy community on the connection between the United States' oil dependency and its ongoing military engagements. Those who profess to support our troops cannot fail to learn the lessons they offer to the nation. Read more

Good Energy will supply SuperGroup with 100% renewable electricity

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 13:55 (Solarpowerportal)

Renewable energy supplier, Good Energy Group has signed a 100% renewable electricity supply contract with international clothing retailer SuperGroup. The contract, which will begin on August 1, will see Supergroup’s 72 retail stores and all UK warehouses and offices powered by renewable electricity. Read more

eIQ Energy appoints Jerry Cutini as new CEO

Tuesday, 7.26.2011 - 12:28 (PV-Tech)

eIQ Energy has appointed Jerry Cutini as its new president and chief executive officer. Former board member Cutini will be charged with leading the company into a new stage of growth and preparing it for MW-scale deployment. Read more