Sunways hit by falling cell and module prices as 2Q sales decline 40%

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 18:42 (PV-Tech)

German PV market demand weakness impacted another German-centric supplier through the first half of the year. Sunways reported sales of ?38.7 million in the second quarter, 40.1% declines from the prior year quarter when sales reached ?64.6 million. EBIT was negative by ?6.3 million, compared to EBIT of ?5.0 million in the same period of 2010. The company noted that purchase prices for wafers only declined significantly at the end of the second quarter, while module selling prices had been under permanent pressure since the beginning of the year. Read more

How to Design Feed-in Tariffs in the U.S. without Fear of Federal Preemption

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The cavalry has finally arrived in the seemingly endless debate about what states can and can't do in designing workable feed-in tariffs. The cavalry is in the form of two new papers describing how states can design feed-in tariff policies without running afoul of the US government's power of preemption. Read more

PV Market Analysis: Mid-2011 Pause for Reflection -- Just Don't Pause for Long

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In the volatile photovoltaic industry, there is not a lot of time to pause for reflection - this ain't Walden Pond, after all, for those who know their Thoreau: "Our life is frittered away by detail, simplify, simplify." In this fast moving, detail-strewn industry, it seems all fritter and no simplification, but fritter we must. What follows is a very brief pause for reflection - but we shouldn't pause for long. Read more

Manz doubles sales in first half of 2011: revenue target range for year reiterated

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 14:50 (PV-Tech)

Equipment supplier, Manz AG, reported revenue doubling in the first half of the year to ?130 million, compared to the same period a year ago. Strong growth from the FPD market is set to continue through the rest of year, while solar equipment upgrades for higher efficiency solar cells are also supporting confidence in retaining full-year revenue guidance of ?240-?250 million. Read more

LDK signs EPC agreement to build 20 MW PV project in Qinghai Province China

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 14:20 (Solarserver)

On August 10th, 2011, LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) announced that it has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement with Datang International Power Generation Company Ltd. (Beijing, China) to develop a 20 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Qinghai Province, China. LDK states that construction of the first 10 MW will begin this month, and expects to complete the project by the end of September 2011. Read more

Chinese PV producer ReneSola maintains profitability as revenues decline in 2Q 2011

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 14:01 (Solarserver)

On August 9th, 2011, ReneSola Ltd (Jiashan, China) released unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2011, reporting USD 249 million in revenues, a 31% decrease from the previous quarter. The company also reported shipping 295 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) products, an 11% decrease from the previous quarter, and an operating margin of 9.2% Read more

PV technology provider Manz reports further revenue and earnings growth in first half of 2011; Order book position as of end of June around EUR 120 million

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 13:53 (Solarserver)

Manz AG (Reutlingen, Germany), one of the world's leading providers of production systems for the photovoltaic and flat panel display (FPD) industry, generated EUR 129.8 million of revenue in the first six months of 2011. This represents almost doubling of revenue compared with the previous year's figure of EUR 67.5 million. In addition, the company's total operating revenue climbed to around EUR 142.3 million (previous year: EUR 77.6 million). The most significant revenue-drivers in this context were primarily the newly developed and innovative products from the solar and flat panel display (FPD) business areas, which benefited to a particularly strong extent from high demand Read more

Q-Cells to restructure following heavy losses in 2Q 2011 results; PV Production in Bitterfeld-Wolfen to be reduced to 50%

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 12:37 (Solarserver)

On August 10th, 2011, Q-Cells Se (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany) announced a plan for company realignment and write-offs on assets in the wake of substantial losses in its second quarter 2011 financial results. The company earned revenues of EUR 316 million (USD 449 million) during the quarter, which represents a sharp increase following a collapse in revenues in the previous quarter. Q-Cells also reported its second quarter of heavy operating losses at USD 436 million, largely due to low capacity utilization. Read more

India's MNRE approves financial closure on 610 MW of PV, CSP projects

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 12:30 (Solarserver)

On August 8th, 2011, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced that 36 solar project developers with power purchase agreements (PPAs) under the latest round of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) have reported financial closure. The MNRE has accepted the documents of 35 of these developers for 610 MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) capacity, with one 5 MW project failing to meet the qualifications. Read more

Satcon reports declining revenues, net loss and substantial backlog in 2Q 2011

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 12:25 (Solarserver)

As the latest company to show losses in what was a very difficult quarter for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, on August 9th, 2011, Satcon Technology Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2011. The company reported USD 45.5 million in revenues, a 27% decrease from the previous first quarter of 2011, and a net loss of USD 20.1 million. However, the company also reports an order backlog of USD 55.2 million as of June 30th, 2011. Read more

Kaco invests ?30 million in a new manufacturing facility

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 11:38 (PV-Tech)

Kaco new energy is investing ?30 million in a new manufacturing plant to ramp up capacity by 4GW. When completed, the 12,000-square-metre site will be the German solar inverter manufacturer?s fifth facility; it will primarily be used to produce three-phase inverters for Kaco?s TL3 series. Read more

Dyesol ships/installs equipment for DyeTec Solar program at Ohio facility

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 22:02 (PV-Tech)

Dyesol advised that it had completed the delivery and installation of equipment for DyeTec Solar?s dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC)-based BIPV program, which is funded by the Ohio Third Frontier Fund. The equipment was delivered to DyeTec?s Toledo, Ohio facility with Dyesol noting that it had relocated staff with a DSC background to the site. Management and technical personnel moved to Ohio in May and completed the first phase of the program, which has allowed Dye Tec to commence building prototype panels. Read more

Dyesol ships, installs equipment for DyeTec Solar program at Ohio facility

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 22:02 (PV-Tech)

Dyesol advised that it had completed the delivery and installation of equipment for DyeTec Solar?s dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC)-based BIPV program, which is funded by the Ohio Third Frontier Fund. The equipment was delivered to DyeTec?s Toledo, Ohio facility with Dyesol noting that it had relocated staff with a DSC background to the site. Management and technical personnel moved to Ohio in May and completed the first phase of the program, which has allowed Dye Tec to commence building prototype panels. Read more

Lux Research speculates 15.5% CAGR for solar installations by 2016, but stagnant revenue for market

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 21:27 (PV-Tech)

The new Lux Research Report, ?Market Size Update 2011: Putting the Rest of the World on the Map of Global Solar Demand,? has reached a hypothesis that sees solar demand not only shifting to Asia and North America, but solar installations potentially growing to 37.5GW by 2016. However, even as installations have the possibility of achieving a compound annual growth rate of 15.5%, the report concludes that solar market revenues will remain fixed as price declines overtake volume growth. Read more

New FiT to increase China?s solar capacity by 1.5GW, according to iSuppli report

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

The Chinese government?s new feed-in-tariff (FiT) has the potential to increase solar installations in the country by 1.5GW in the next 18 months, according to a new IHS iSuppli report. Previous forecasts suggested that PV installations in China would total 1GW in 2011 and 1.4GW in 2012. Read more

Timminco contemplates restarting solar grade silicon production

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 17:35 (PV-Tech)

A decision to restart production of solar grade silicon at its subsidiary, Bécancour Silicon could be in the making after reporting selling 87 metric tons of the material from stock piles in the second quarter for a value of CAD3.1 million. The company had zero sales of the material in the same quarter of last year. Read more

European PV plant projects boosts S.A.G. Solarstrom?s first half year sales 62%

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 17:14 (PV-Tech)

Though acknowledging difficult market condition in Germany in the first half of the year, PV project developer, S.A.G. Solarstrom saw sales boosted by focus on large-scale projects outside Germany. Solarstrom reported a 62% increase in sales for the first half of the year, reaching ?137.9 million, compared to ?84.9 million in the same 2010 period. Solarstrom?s Project Planning and Plant Construction segment produced the majority of sales so far this year, topping ?110.8 million compared to ?46.6 million in the first half of 2010. Read more

Commercial Solar Power 2.0 ? The Rise of the Solar Power Provider Network

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

I manage a New York-based private equity firm. A substantial portion of the firm's assets are invested in cleantech and, of that, the largest portion is invested in the photovoltaic (PV) solar power market segment. We are convinced there is opportunity to deliver PV solar power to commercial enterprise nationally. Read more

Concentrating solar power: California Energy Commission approves 570 MW hybrid natural gas / CSP plant for Palmdale

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 14:27 (Solarserver)

The California Energy Commission (Sacramanto) on August 10th, 2011 approved the construction of a proposed 570-megawatt hybrid power plant in Los Angeles County. By a 4-0 vote, the Energy Commission adopted the presiding member's proposed decision (PMPD) for the Palmdale Hybrid Power Project. "The project will provide reliable and consistent power," said Commissioner Karen Douglas, who is the presiding member for the committee reviewing the Palmdale project. Read more

Phoenix Solar sees 61.3% fall in revenue: German market recovery back-end year loaded

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 13:59 (PV-Tech)

Phoenix Solar expects a strong recovery in PV installations in Germany in the later part of this year, forecasting that the fourth quarter would see installations exceed levels seen in the same quarter of 2010. Heavily back-end year loaded, PV installations in Germany could reach between 5-6GW. Despite an expected recovery, as well as international sales improving, Phoenix Solar anticipates a slight decline in consolidated revenues compared to the previous year. Read more

SolarWorld expects strong pick-up in demand from Germany as US sales boost 2Q revenue

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 13:09 (PV-Tech)

International sales, primarily from a strong market demand in the US, helped SolarWorld increase shipments and revenue, while holding margins well in what has become a difficult second quarter for the PV industry. SolarWorld?s solar product shipments were 196MW, up marginally from 185MW in the first quarter of 2011. Revenue reached ?302.1 million, up considerably from ?233.0 million in Q1. The gross margin held up better than many peers at 30%, though income of ? 9.9 million was below the ? 12.5 million posted in the first quarter. Read more

Order Focus: Canadian Solar supplies modules for Eosol?s 10.7MW French park

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 12:30 (PV-Tech)

Eosol Energies Nouvelles has chosen Canadian Solar as chief module supplier for its new 10.7MW ground-mounted solar power plant in Saint-Leger, France. The new system will come online in October and be fitted out with 39,500 modules, spanning 180,000m² and totalling 8MW. Read more

UK solar consortium will supply 1,200 social housing systems

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 10:48 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar module producer and distributor aleo solar has joined together with Low Carbon Exchange (LCE) and Tigo Energy under the consortium name LCX Solar for the supply of premium modules and inverters to UK housing association Alliance Homes. The signed framework agreement allows for the delivery of a comprehensive service portfolio from a single source. Read more

Desert Sunlight solar project gets go-ahead from Department of Interior; construction to begin soon

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 0:29 (PV-Tech)

US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has greenlighted the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, a 550MW (AC) solar power project to be developed, built, and operated by First Solar on 4100 acres of public lands in the California desert outside Joshua Tree National Park. Construction on the site could begin within days. Read more

Gene Breakthrough Could Unlock Ethanol Potential

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 23:04 (Renewable Energy World)

The federal government has stepped up its efforts both financially and in the lab in an effort to boost American biofuel production. Read more

Billion Ton Biomass Study: A 10-Minute Version

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 17:44 (Renewable Energy World)

A research team led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory projected that the U.S. would have between 1.1 and 1.6 billion tons of available, sustainable biomass for industrial bioprocessing by 2030. The finding was a highlight of the "2011 U.S. Billion-Ton Update: Biomass Supply for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry." The report is an update of a landmark 2005 study undertaken by the DOE and ORNL in 2005. Read more

Small College Makes Big Leap Into Wind Power

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 23:26 (Renewable Energy World)

A product of the 1970s, the building that houses Mount Wachusett Community College in Central Massachusetts was born during a national energy crisis. At that time, the desire to break from a dependence on foreign oil led the school to build an all-electric campus. Read more

US Army launches Energy Initiatives task force for development of large-scale renewables projects

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 20:41 (PV-Tech)

During the GovEnergy Conference in Ohio this week, Secretary of the US Army, John McHugh, revealed the creation of the Energy Initiatives Office Task Force, (EIO) as part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. EIO will oversee the development of large-scale Army renewable energy projects and is anticipated to be in full operation by September 15. Read more

The US Army Has the 'Land and the Demand' for Renewable Energy

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 15:52 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. Army wants you, private investors, to install large-scale renewable energy projects on its lands to meet a goal of drawing 25% of electricity from clean sources by 2025. Read more

Lincoln Renewable Energy commences construction of a 10 MW PV project in Cumberland County, N.J., largest non-utility-owned PV plant east of the Mississippi

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 14:13 (Solarserver)

Lincoln Renewable Energy (LRE; Chicago), a developer of U.S. solar and wind projects, on August 10th, 2011 announced the commencement of construction of its 10-megawatt New Jersey Oak Solar project. Located in Fairfield Township in Cumberland County, it will comprise 55,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels constructed on a 100-acre site connected to Atlantic City Electric's distribution system. Read more

Lincoln Renewable Energy begins construction on 10MW New Jersey plant, appoints new senior VP

Thursday, 8.11.2011 - 1:03 (PV-Tech)

Lincoln Renewable Energy (LRE) advised that it had started construction on its 10MW Oak Solar project located in the Fairfield Township of New Jersey. The plant will use 55,000 solar panels and sit on a 100-acre site next to Atlantic City Electric?s distribution system. Completion on Oak Solar is anticipated to be reached later this year with LRE advising that the power plant will be the largest non-utility owned solar project east of the Mississippi River. Read more