Moving Ahead: Nova Scotia's Feed-in Tariff Update

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 17:08 (Renewable Energy World)

Community groups can now put the final touches on their applications to participate in Nova Scotia's new Community Feed-in Tariff to support small-scale locally owned renewable energy projects. Standards for the project were released by Nova Scotia's Department of Energy on July 26, providing more detail on small-wind project specifications and eligible biomass sources. Included in the standards is a new limit on the list of sanctioned turbines for small wind projects, which is expected to be contested by the industry. Read more

Maryland Board of Public Works approves lease for 20 MW PV plant

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 16:50 (Solarserver)

On July 27th, 2011, the Board of Public Works (BPW) in the U.S. state of Maryland approved a 20-year lease of 101 hectares for the development of a 20 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. Maryland Solar LLC (Annapolis, Maryland) will build the PV plant on land surrounding the Maryland Correctional Institution near Hagerstown in Western Maryland, as the largest PV plant on the U.S. East Coast north of Florida. Read more

Power-One 2Q results better than expected: PV inverter sales top US$180 million

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 16:36 (PV-Tech)

An increase in revenue from the previous quarter, meant that Power-One?s second quarter results were better than many expected, considering the weak demand for solar installations in the first-half of the year. PV inverter revenue has increased 27%, compared to the same period a year ago and 18.7% from the first quarter of 2011, to US$180 million. Read more

Solantro Semiconductor receives investment for BIPV nano-inverter

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 11:42 (PV-Tech)

Ontario?s Solantro Semiconductor has received a CAN$2 million grant from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to help fund the development of its integrated circuit-based nano-inverter BIPV product. The finance will be used to compare the performance of alternating-current building-integrated photovoltaic (AC-BIPV) systems to conventional direct-current BIPV (DC-BIPV) systems. Read more

Yingli modules power 10 MW Greek PV plant

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 11:27 (Solarserver)

On July 28th, 2011, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Ltd. (Baoding, China) announced that its solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have been installed in a 10 MW PV plant in Larissa, Greece, the largest in the nation. Selected Textiles SA (STIAFILCO, Acharnes, Greece) developed the plant, through subsidiary Selected Energy SA. Read more

SunPower, Citi launch USD 105 million fund for residential solar lease projects

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 16:56 (Solarserver)

On July 28th, 2011, SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) and Citigroup Inc. (Citi, New York, New York, U.S.) announced a new fund for approximately USD 105 million in residential solar lease projects. SunPower states that it will use the fund to extend its SunPower Lease program to eight additional states. Citi will contribute USD 80 million to the fund. Read more

Solar Trust of America appoints Alice Harron as president of STA Development

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 16:51 (Solarserver)

On July 28th, 2011, Solar Trust of America LLC (STA, Oakland, California, U.S.) appointed Alice Harron as president of subsidiary STA Development LLC. Harron has directed Solar Trust of America's solar project development and compliance efforts for over two years. Read more

Producing Clean Power in the Absence of Water

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:13 (Renewable Energy World)

It's hard to go on a water-free diet when you're a manufacturing facility, pushing out exhaust heat at more than 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sure, a solar field or a wind turbine could generate water-free clean energy, but I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the lumber mills, the cement plants, the utilities, the steelworks and all of the other facilities that already exist and serve as the backbone of American industry. Read more

Northumberland moves to install solar on 500 council buildings

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:10 (Solarpowerportal)

Spanish solar cell and module manufacturer, Solaria Energía y Medio Ambiente, has signed a strategic agreement for the supply of more than 500 solar rooftops in Northumbria. All of the council house and public sector building installations, which will start at less than 2kW and reach up to 10kW, will be completely grid connected within the next months. Read more

JinkoSolar signs sponsorship deal with Bayer Leverkusen football club

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:02 (PV-Tech)

German football club Bayer 04 Leverkusen has signed a three-year sponsorship contract with solar giants JinkoSolar. The deal provides Jinko with advertising space at the club?s BayArena and also grants it exclusive rights to install solar panels on the stadium itself. Read more

Solar Power's Future Remains Bright in Tennessee

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:01 (Renewable Energy World)

It's a safe bet that no one in this quaint little railroad town, with its cotton-processing operations and Main Street cannery, ever expected to see a farm quite like the one sprouting a few miles down the road. Read more

Video: What Can We Expect for the Solar Project Finance Market?

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

It seems as though solar enthusiasm is more abundant than ever before. But with close to 30 GW of solar in the pipeline, and three times more tax equity demand than available, competition is fierce. Many are left wondering what will happen to projects struggling to receive financing. With an uncertain incentive climate what can we expect in the near future? How many of these projects can realistically be financed? What makes one project more attractive than the rest? Read more

GM's Solar Mission: Volt Charging Stations

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

General Motors wants to make eco-friendly cars and make sure some of those cars get eco-friendly source of electricity. That's the idea the company's $7.5 million equity investment in Sunlogics, GM said Thursday. Read more

Toyota?s 4.6MW solar installation pips the FiT cuts to the post

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 13:09 (Solarpowerportal)

British Gas has now completed the 4.6MW ground-mounted solar installation at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK’s vehicle plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire. Approximately 17,000 Sharp solar panels have now been installed on site, and are expected to generate enough energy to build 7,000 cars a year. Read more

Cornish charity secures £20m fund for community solar projects

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 11:59 (Solarpowerportal)

Cornish sustainable energy charity Community Energy Plus has launched a new scheme that will see community buildings, schools, churches, charities and farm buildings generate their own renewable energy – for free. After securing an investment package of £20 million from local photovoltaics installers, the Solar Communities 2011 programme will encourage those who cannot afford the upfront cost of solar to take the plunge. Read more

Nitol Solar appoint Valery Rostokin as CEO

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 10:42 (PV-Tech)

Russia-based polysilicon producer Nitol Solar has appointed Valery Rostokin as its new CEO. Rostokin replaces Dmitriy Kotenko, who has stepped aside to take up a position on the board of directors and as the company?s strategic development advisor. Read more

Veeco exits CIGS thin-film PV systems business, sees commercial timeframe, cost as unacceptable

Friday, 7.29.2011 - 0:52 (PV-Tech)

In another sign of trouble in the PV capital equipment business, Veeco has decided to exit the CIGS solar systems business. Announced as part of the company?s second-quarter financials, the move results in a combined negative impact and backlog removal of approximately $71 million on its Q2 results. It will transfer its R&D facility, pilot line, technology, and personnel to the planned PV Manufacturing Consortium in Albany, NY. Read more