Dye solar cells: Dyesol announces final milestones of DSC on steel cooperation with Tata, Welsh Government

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:09 (Solarserver)

On August 10th, 2011, the last two milestones were presented to the Welsh Government (WG) by the Dyesol-Tata team together with a short summary of the successful development of DSC on coil coated steel (?DSC on Steel?), Dyesol Ltd. (Queanbeyan, NSW, Australia) reports in a press release. Dyesol-Tata completed a study of process capabilities ? a precursor to volume production, and a comprehensive review of Intellectual Property relevant to DSC on metal strip including the demonstration of value generation from the GBP 5 million investment by the WG in the project. Read more

DuPont discusses expected breakthrough in silver paste performance to cost ratio

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 21:42 (PV-Tech)

Silver paste cost reduction strategies are the most important research and development activities at DuPont this year. PV-Tech talks with Peter Weigand, Segment Manager, Photovoltaics Europe, DuPont Microcicuit Materials to discover what the targets are to reduce costs for PV manufacturers, in-light of high silver costs amid a period of module overcapacity and falling prices. Weigand noted during the interview at Intersolar Europe, 2011 that DuPont expects a major breakthrough in this area in 2011. Read more

Germany's Solon To Close U.S. Manufacturing

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 18:20 (Renewable Energy World)

Solon announced Monday that it will shutter its Tucson, Ariz.-based photovoltaic module manufacturing facility by the end of October while shifting its focus to utility-scale project development. Read more

SiNA 2 start-up difficulties, delivery push-outs and cancellations impact Roth & Rau revenue in 1H

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:27 (PV-Tech)

Roth & Rau said that delays in the final acceptance of its new SiNA 2 antireflective coating equipment, due to start-up difficulties caused revenue to fall more than expected in the first-half of the year, as well as equipment delivery push-outs and order cancellations due to weak demand. Roth & Rau generated sales of ? 92.8 million in the first half of 2011, compared to ?118.8 million in the prior year period. The company made an EBIT loss of ?24.4 million. Read more

South Africa opens request for proposals for 1.65 GW of PV, CSP

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 11:59 (Solarserver)

The South African Department of Energy (DoE) has opened competitive solicitation process for renewable energy development, including 200 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) and 1.45 GW of solar photovoltaics (PV). The program will also solicit 100 MW from projects 1-5 MW in size, which can be PV, wind, biomass or biogas. It will not use the renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) published by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in 2009. Read more

Conergy revenues increase 38%, losses continue for a second quarter

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 11:56 (Solarserver)

On August 11th, 2011, Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany) released results for the second quarter of 2011, announcing a 38% increase in revenues to USD 326 million but a second quarter of operating losses, posting an EBITDA margin of -3%. And while Conergy's operating losses have reduced since the first quarter of 2010, the company also posted losses after taxes of USD 26.9 million during the quarter. Read more

TEPCO commissions 7 MW PV plant in Kawasaki City, Japan

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 11:52 (Solarserver)

On August 10th, 2011, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO, Tokyo, Japan) announced the commissioning of a 7 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant that it built in Kawasaki City, Japan. The 7 MW Ukishima PV plant is joined by 13 MW of PV under construction in Ohgishima, Kawasaki City, for 20 MW of PV plants that TEPCO is building in the city. Read more

British PV provider A-SUN introduces new black 190W module

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 11:49 (Solarserver)

A-SUN (London, U.K.), the photovoltaic (PV) branch of ATON ENERGY Ltd., in order to adapt the UK demand for solar PV panels, on August 16th, 2011 announced new two types of 190W modules produced in the company's certified factory. The 190W "Black Module" is made of high quality cells of 17.5% efficiency, A-SUN reports. Read more

German PV systems integrator Payom Solar takes over the remaining 47,4 % of the U.S. subsidiary AMSOLAR Holdings

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:11 (Solarserver)

In the course of the capital increase against contributions in kind, Payom Solar AG (Merkendorf, Germany) used the option to take over the remaining 47,4% of the American project developer AMSOLAR Holdings, LLC. Thus, the company?s share capital will increase by EUR 2.032.722 from EUR 11.177.977to EUR 13.210.699 after the capital increase has been entered in the commercial register. After the acquisition of a majority participation in AMSOLAR in March of this year, the complete takeover now puts Payom Solar AG in a perfect position on the strategically important U.S. market. Read more

JinkoSolar unveils 10-year product warranty for Quantum-1 PV modules; strengthens bankability with extended coverage

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:11 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) has extended its workmanship warranty on its Quantum-1 solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Effective immediately, Quantum-1 modules will be covered for a period of 10 years, a significant increase on the industry standard five-year policy, the company announces. Read more

Intersolar China trade show to be held December 7th-9th, 2011

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:10 (Solarserver)

Organizers of the Intersolar trade show will launch the Intersolar China exhibition and conference from December 7th-9th, 2011 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. In announcing the trade show, Solar Promotion International GmbH (Freiburg, Germany) cites the rapid growth of the Chinese PV market, which it says grew over 130% in 2010 to 520 MW. Read more

DEGERenergy: MLD tracking technology prevails worldwide trend towards smaller solar PV facilities

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:10 (Solarserver)

DEGERenergie (Horb a.N.; Germany) is registering a worldwide rise in interest in solar energy generation for self-supply with MLD tracking. At the EU PVSEC in Hamburg, DEGERenergie presents its newest innovation, the single-axis TOPtraker 8.5 system with an elevation angle of 20 degrees. This system will also be launched soon in the USA. Read more

PACE: Not Dead, Just Sleeping

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 20:31 (Renewable Energy World)

Regular readers must be well aware of the fraught history of Property-assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs. We've been writing about this excellent new way of financing small-scale solar installations since January 2009, not long after the first PACE program was instituted in Berkeley, Calif. Read more

Bridging the Gap Between Coal and Solar

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 17:56 (Renewable Energy World)

In 1931, the Williamson, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce released a booklet celebrating the town. The cover shows, embedded within a cartoon heart, a photograph of the Williamson skyline. We see a bustling, industrious town perched above the Tug River with a railroad shifting coal cars to and from the rest of Appalachia. At the bottom of the booklet's cover is Williamson's slogan: "Heart of the Billion-Dollar Coal Field." Read more

JinkoSolar hits record revenue and shipments in 2Q: capacity expansions on track

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 17:39 (PV-Tech)

Cheaper polysilicon and manufacturing cost reductions helped JinkoSolar retain gross margins while generating record revenue on record shipments in second quarter of 2011. Total solar product shipments (majority being modules) were above previous guidance at 254.1MW, compared with 208.4MW in the first quarter of 2011. Total revenues were also a record US$350.6 million, an increase of 5.9% sequentially and 151.6% year-over-year. JinkoSolar noted that it had expanded its in-house annual silicon wafer, solar cell and solar module production capacity from approximately 900MW each as of March 31, 2011, to approximately 1,100MW each as of June 30, 2011. Read more

New solar website launched for UK homeowners

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 17:01 (Solarpowerportal)

Four of the UK’s most respected solar brands have launched a new campaign to educate homeowners to about solar technology. The Our Solar Britain initiative will offer a range of resources and social media profiles on its website to provide advice and respond to questions on everything from feed-in tariffs to environmental benefits. Read more

Tool install completed at DyeTec Solar?s Ohio plant

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 15:42 (PV-Tech)

Targeting the BIPV, BAPV and future AIPV (automotive-integrated photovoltaic) markets, DyeTec Solar joint venture with dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) developer, Dysol said it had received delivery and installation of equipment to start product development work at its facility in Toledo, Ohio. Though timelines were not given for entering volume production DyeTec Solar is positioning itself to partner with downstream suppliers in the glazing and façade market. Read more

SPI Solar wins PV project contracts worth 14.1MW

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 14:01 (PV-Tech)

US-based project developer, SPI Solar has said it has been awarded two new contracts worth 14.1MW. The first project is a 4.4MW fixed-ground-mount solar power plant located in Evros, a North Eastern region of Greece, while the second project is for a 9.7MW fixed-ground-mount solar power plant for a subsidiary of an international pharmaceutical company?s operations at their New Jersey corporate headquarters. Both projects are to use LDK Solar?s PV modules. Read more

Solarcentury unveils UK?s latest 5MW park

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 13:28 (Solarpowerportal)

Solarcentury has unveiled the UK's latest MW-scale PV park. With a capacity of 5MW, the system, located on Mingay Farm in Cambridgeshire, it is the joint largest development in the country and was installed before the FiT-cut deadline. Read more

Solarcentury uses Sputnik inverters for 5MW park

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 13:28 (Solarpowerportal)

Sputnik’s SolarMax inverters will convert the electricity from Solarcentury's recently-completed 5MW plant to the UK power grid. The system, located on Mingay Farm in Cambridgeshire, is the joint largest development in the country and was installed before the FiT-reduction deadline. Read more

Bentek Solar?s 1000VDC integrated string combiners gain ETL listing to UL 1741

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:50 (PV-Tech)

ETL listing to UL 1741 has been awarded to Bentek Solar for its 1000VDC ?Integrated String Combiners.? Bentek Solar designs and manufacturers a range of PV products that connect the PV module to the inverter used for the commercial and utility scale marketplace. Read more

Canadian Solar announces linear performance guarantee for PV module power output over a 25-year period

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:07 (Solarserver)

Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world's largest solar companies, on Augsut 15th, 2011 announced the introduction of its new and improved photovoltaic (PV) solar module product and performance warranty. Effective August 1, 2011, Canadian Solar's warranty now provides a linear performance guarantee for the Company's PV module power output over a 25-year period. Read more

Evergreen Solar files for bankruptcy

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:04 (Solarserver)

On August 15th, 2011, Evergreen Solar Inc. (Marlboro, Massachusetts, U.S.) announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, following many quarters of heavy financial losses. In conjunction with the Chapter 11 filing, the company has entered into a restructuring support agreement with shareholders, which will include sales of company assets. Read more

HomeSun launches new campaign to boost residential installations

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:02 (Solarpowerportal)

HomeSun is launching a new campaign to help raise awareness about the UK’s solar subsidy scheme. The campaign is being run with the help of public relations agency Hanover and aims to boost solar installations among residential users nationwide. Read more

HomeSun unveils new campaign to boost residential installations

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 12:02 (Solarpowerportal)

HomeSun is launching a new campaign to help raise awareness about the UK’s solar subsidy scheme. The campaign is being run with the help of public relations agency Hanover and aims to boost solar installations among residential users nationwide. Read more

Evergreen Solar Files For Bankruptcy, Looks to Sell Core Technology

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 0:57 (Renewable Energy World)

Evergreen Solar has been like a patient with a chronic illness. But now, it's needing emergency care: the company said Monday it's filing for bankruptcy and looking to sell its core technology. Read more

US Government To Invest $510 Million in Advanced, Drop-in Biofuels

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 21:03 (Renewable Energy World)

In Washington, President Obama today announced that the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Navy will invest up to $510 million during the next three years in partnership with the private sector to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to power military and commercial transportation. Read more

Would Wind Farm 'Desecrate' Site of D-Day Invasion?

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 21:58 (Renewable Energy World)

There’s an interesting battle brewing at the site of perhaps the most famous military landing in modern history. According to several published reports, the famed beaches at Normandy on the coast of France where Allied troops launched a historic offensive against Nazi Germany on June 6, 1944, are now being flooded by complaints from veterans — mostly from the U.S. and Great Britain — who oppose French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to build 100 wind turbines seven miles offshore. Some go as far to say the turbines would "desecrate" the site. These are hallowed grounds, they say. To ostensibly line the path of history with 100 turbines is, as British Read more

JA Solar signs 21MW supply deal with Huanghe Hydropower for PV project in Qinghai, China

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 22:06 (PV-Tech)

JA Solar Holdings revealed that it has signed a supply agreement with China Power Investment?s subsidiary, Huanghe Hydropower Development, for the delivery of nearly 21MW of solar products by September. The PV modules will be used for a solar project being developed in Qinghai, China. Read more

Geothermal Industry Continues To Struggle for Acceptance

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 14:43 (Renewable Energy World)

Last March, Renewable Energy World covered the 2011 version of the Annual U.S. Geothermal Power Production and Development Report that was released by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The tone was decidedly optimistic, with high expectations swirling around a forecasted wave of investment from private as well as government sources. Now, six months later, we revisit the report to see how the industry fared. Read more

BrightSource Energy recruits trio of energy veterans to its management team

Tuesday, 8.16.2011 - 21:49 (PV-Tech)

BrightSource Energy has welcomed Joe Desmond as senior VP of government affairs and communications, Stephen Wiley as senior VP of US development and Yasser Dib as regional VP of international business development to its executive management team. Between them, the three new recruits hold nearly 60 years of experience in the energy sector. Read more