Silex Solar to shutter only solar cell factory in Australia, will continue to manufacture PV modules

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 20:18 (PV-Tech)

Silex Systems? subsidiary, Silex Solar, revealed plans to restructure its silicon PV panel business located at Sydney Olympic Park, a facility it bought a few years past from BP Solar. Changes will revolve around management and operations, which the company hopes will strengthen its position in the business. Read more

Tenesol modules receive MCS accreditation

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 13:10 (Solarpowerportal)

Tenesol has become the latest solar module manufacturer to receive the Government's Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) accreditation. The certification, which is a prerequisite in order to sell PV systems in the UK under the feed-in tariff (FiT), has been awarded to Tenesol’s advanced modules. Read more

IHS: U.S. PV installations forecast to soar 166 percent in 2011

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 12:06 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the United States will rise a spectacular 166 percent this year to a total of 2.4 gigawatts (GW) according to a new "IHS iSuppli Photovoltaic Market Tracker report", from information and analysis provider IHS (El Segundo, Calif.). California still will be leading the country in the amount of power derived from renewable solar energy, IHS reports. ?Thanks to the implementation of many utility-scale projects this year, the U.S. growth rate in 2011 will be more than double the 80 percent expansion level of 2010, when photovoltaic (PV) installations amounted to just slightly over 900MW,? said Mike Sheppard, analyst for photovoltaics at Read more

SPI to build 9.7 MW New Jersey PV plant, develop 4.4 MW Greek PV plant

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 12:02 (Solarserver)

On August 15th, 2011, Solar Power Inc. (SPI, Roseville, California, U.S.) announced that it has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by KDC Solar LLC (Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S.) for a 9.7 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in New Jersey, U.S. On the same day, the company also announced that it has completed acquisition of the necessary contracts and permits and to serve as developer of a 4.4 MW PV plant in the Evros region of Greece. Read more

STR Holdings to sell QA business to UL, focus on solar PV activities

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 21:18 (PV-Tech)

STR Holdings publicized the definitive purchase agreement it had signed with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), where UL will buy STR?s quality assurance (QA) business for US$275 million in cash, plus cash assumed. The acquisition is expected to be finalized no later than September 30 once all traditional closing conditions have been met. Read more

Sputnik Engineering?s SolarMax 330TS-SV solar inverter bestowed BDEW certificate

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 20:52 (PV-Tech)

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, along with Bureau Veritas, have evaluated and certified that Sputnik Engineering?s SolarMax 330TS-SV solar inverter has met the requirements for a compliance certificate from the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). The certificate requires that all newly commissioned grid-coupled inverters with a direct medium-voltage connection in Germany adhere to the ?Generator plants on the medium-voltage network? directive by BDEW. Read more

Westinghouse Solar issued fourth US patent related to Andalay technology

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 20:33 (PV-Tech)

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued Westinghouse Solar its newest, and fourth, US Patent for its Andalay technology. Patent 7,987,641 was granted to the company on August 2 and is counted amongst the 30 other patents the company has been issued or has pending in Australia, India, Korea and Mexico. Read more

SunPower, White Oak Solar celebrate opening of 10MW solar power plant in Delaware

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 19:52 (PV-Tech)

Government officials from Delaware were on hand with White Oak Solar Energy, a subsidiary of LS Power Group, and SunPower to commission the 10MW Dover SUN Park solar project in Dover, Delaware. SunPower designed and built the 10MW solar park using its tracker systems across the 103-acre site and installed its SunPower E20/327 solar panels. Read more

JA Solar posts 2Q operating loss as guided but lowers 2011 shipment guidance

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 18:26 (PV-Tech)

Citing ?worse than anticipated market conditions and inventory provisions,? JA Solar reported a revenue decline of 26.7%, to US$413.0 million, compared with the first quarter of 2011, when revenue was US$563.7 million. As previously guided under recently revised figures, shipments were 401MW, an increase of 28.9% year-over-year but a decrease of 11.1% sequentially. JA Solar reported negative gross margin of 2.7%, compared to 17.3% in the first quarter of 2011, with an operating loss of US$31.3 million and operating margin of negative 7.6%. Demand pick-up in the third quarter is expected to produce shipments of solar cells and module in the range of 450MW-470MW, but the company Read more

500 MW of California Solar Shifts from CSP to PV

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 17:07 (Renewable Energy World)

In an announcement that underscored the growing shift from concentrating solar power (CSP) technology to photovoltaics, especially in the United States, Solar Millennium announced that it would convert its 500-megawatt (MW) project in Blythe, Calif. to PV. Read more

Wafer price declines in 2H to hit PV Crystalox Solar?s profitability

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 16:03 (PV-Tech)

Having noted a 45% price decline for bare wafers from May to June this year, PV Crystalox Solar said it was currently operating below breakeven level and expects further pricing pressure in the second-half of the year could lead to incurring an operating loss in the second half. Despite challenging business environment, the wafer producer posted a 23% increase in wafer shipments in the first-half of the year to 204MW, compared to the same period (165MW) a year ago. PV Crystalox posted revenue of ?129.6million, up 16% compared the prior year period. EBIT was up by 161% to ?24.3 million. Wafer production capacity also increased, reaching a nameplate capacity of 535MW. The company Read more

First Solar?s Copper Mountain Solar power plant using ?Total Sky Imagers?

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 14:31 (PV-Tech)

A project supported by the US DOE?s SunShot Initiative is enabling the Copper Mountain Solar power plant in Boulder City, Nevada to improve the ability of the plant to manage variability of power produced. Using two Total Sky Imagers (TSIs), which capture real-time cloud activity, the project will produce historical solar forecasts and then develop a real-time solar forecasting model for the facility in 2012. Read more

Switching tactics: Solar Trust of America selects PV over CSP for first phase of 1GW Blythe park

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 14:26 (PV-Tech)

In a move that is sure to trigger interest across the solar industry, the Solar Trust of America has decided to change its plans for the first phase of its 1GW Blythe Solar Power Project. Switching from concentrated solar power (CSP) to photovoltaic technology for the first phase of the project (500MW), the company has cited improved PV market conditions for the decision. Read more

Canadian Solar increases sales, revenues in 2Q 2011, maintains profitability

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 12:16 (Solarserver)

On August 17th, 2011, Canadian Solar Inc. (Kitchener, Canada) announced financial results for the second quarter of 2011, reporting a 9% increase in revenues to USD 482 million and an 18% increase in module shipments to 287 MW over the first quarter of 2011. The company also posted a 5% operating margin, and earned USD 7.1 million in net income. While this represents less profitability than in the first quarter of 2011, these results are among the strongest reported by any PV manufacturer during a very difficult quarter for the industry. Read more

Solarcentury installs rooftop system on Portland factory

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 11:59 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK’s largest land owner, the Crown Estate, has given solar power its stamp of approval by installing a rooftop system on a stone factory on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. Albion Stone, the owner of the factory, will save thousands of pounds on its annual electricity bill thanks to the system, which is expected to generate 150,000 kWh a year. Electricity generated from the £500,000 installation will be sold to Albion Stone at a reduced rate, with any surplus fed in to the National Grid. Read more

National Solar Power to choose among four locations for 400 MW PV project

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 11:57 (Solarserver)

On August 15th, 2011, National Solar Power LLC (NSP, Melbourne, Florida) announced that it has narrowed it search for locations to host a 400 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project to four Florida counties. The company is considering Gadsden, Hardee, Osceola and Suwannee counties in the U.S. state of Florida to host the project, which will comprise 20 PV plants 20 MW in size. Read more

Jens Meyerhoff to leave First Solar

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 11:52 (Solarserver)

On August 16th, 2011, First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) announced that Utility Systems Business Group President and former Chief Financial Officer Jens Meyerhoff will be leaving the company on September 30th, 2011. Current Senior Vice President of Utility Systems Business Sales James Brown will succeed Meyerhoff. This is the second high-profile departure from First Solar in six months, following the resignation of former President of Operations Bruce Sohn in April 2011. Read more

Sun Strikes It Hot: What's Happening in the Global Solar Thermal Markets?

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 11:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In Europe, almost 50 percent (48 percent in 2007, to be precise) of the total energy consumed is used to produce heat. Almost a third of that goes into high-temperature industrial processes, but over 40% goes into heating and providing hot water for our homes. The remainder is used in commercial/service sectors and low-temperature industrial processes. And almost all this heat is produced from fossil fuels, whether directly or via electricity. Read more

Schneider Electric plans 2.89MW PV project at US Coast Guard station in Puerto Rico

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 1:08 (PV-Tech)

Schneider Electric is developing a US$50 million energy savings performance contract for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in Puerto Rico. The project includes a 2.89MW rooftop PV system, which will be installed over a 13-month period and consist of 300 solar PV systems on facilities throughout the USCG station. Facilities such as the Rio Bayamon housing, Air Station borinquen and Air Station Borinquen housing will be included in the rooftop PV project. Read more

Envision Solar shakes up its executive roles adding Desmond Wheatley as CEO

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 0:19 (PV-Tech)

Envision Solar International advised of key changes to its executive management staff including its founder, Bob Noble, taking on the role of executive chairman while Desmond Wheatly, current president and Envision COO, will succeed Noble as CEO. Chris Caulson has additionally been named Envision Solar?s CFO with all changes effective August 10. Both Wheatley and Caulson have worked together for over ten years in publically traded and privately held international and domestic companies. Read more

Price of Wind Lower Than Gas, Hydro in Brazil Auction

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 19:05 (Renewable Energy World)

As renewables across leading global markets strive toward grid parity, wind may have just become the cheapest option in Brazil. Read more

Order Focus: Yingli Green to supply 55,000 YGE-235 series modules to 10MW US PV power plant

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 17:36 (PV-Tech)

Lincoln Renewable Energy has selected Yingli Green Energy to provide 55,000 YGE-235 series multicrystalline modules for a new 10MW PV power plant in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey. The project, dubbed New Jersey Oak Solar PV Power Plant, is being constructed by Quanta Renewable Energy Services and The Ryan Company under an engineering, procurement and construction services agreement with LRE. The plant is expected to be completed later this year, according to Yingli. Read more

Dow Corning now producing monosilane gas at new 4,000MT facility

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 13:32 (PV-Tech)

As part of its strategy to supply a complete materials offering to the PV industry, Dow Corning has brought online a new 4,000MT per annum monosilane gas facility, adjacent to Hemlock Semiconductor?s polysilicon manufacturing plant in Hemlock, Michigan. Read more

Day4 Energy reports operational progress, continuing losses in 2Q 2011

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 12:11 (Solarserver)

On August 15th, 2011, Day4 Energy Inc. (Burnaby, Canada) released financial and operational results for the second quarter of 2011, reporting USD 23.3 million in revenues, a 48% decline from the second quarter of 2010, and a net loss of USD 5.6 million. However, since the end of the first quarter of 2011 Day4 Energy has secured license agreements with PV Products GmbH (Wernersdorf, Austria) and Solar Modules Netherland BV (Kerkrade, Netherlands). Read more

ATS Automation sees stronger revenues, accelerates efforts to spin off or sell Photowatt unit

Thursday, 8.18.2011 - 0:54 (PV-Tech)

ATS Automation Tooling Systems reported earnings for fiscal Q1 2012 of US$10.5 million, with an 8% operating margin, compared to US$8.5 million in fiscal Q1 2011. Order bookings saw an 85% increase year-over-year to US$157 million; however, revenues from the energy market decreased 29% to US$25 million, when compared to the same period last year. Read more