SoloPower to Expand U.S. Manufacturing Capacity to 400 MW

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 22:12 (Renewable Energy World)

On the back end of a week in which U.S. solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing took a big hit, a California company announced plans Friday to significantly increase its thin-film capacity while expanding into Oregon. Read more

Sunways solar modules certified as ?Made in Europe? for Italian market FiT compliance

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 15:54 (PV-Tech)

TÜV Rheinland has recently certified Sunways solar modules SM240U and SM245M as ?Made in Europe? so that customers can benefit from extra FiT payments under the recently introduced ?Conto Energia IV? FiT system in Italy. Sunways makes cells and finished modules at its plant in Arnstadt, Germany. Read more

PV producer China Sunergy signs USD 160 million financing and credit facility from China Development Bank

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 1:13 (Solarserver)

China Sunergy Co., Ltd. (Nanjing, China), a specialized solar cell and photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturer, on August 17th, 2011 announced the signing of USD 160 million in financing and credit facilities from China Development Bank ("CDB") to help fund its growth. The contracts with CDB were signed by China Sunergy's two domestic subsidiaries, China Sunergy (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. and CEEG (Nanjing) Renewable Energy Co., Ltd., the latter of which was acquired from affiliated company CEEG in November 2010. Read more

SunPower dedicates 10 MW PV plant in Delaware

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 1:13 (Solarserver)

On August 17th, 2011, SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) and a subsidiary of LS Power Group dedicated a 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the city of Dover, Delaware, U.S. The Dover SUN Park has begun delivering electricity to the local utility distribution grid in the City of Dover, as one of the largest operational PV plants in U.S. East Coast. SunPower designed and built the plant, which uses SunPower tracker systems and E20/327 PV modules. Read more

Grid Cloud Solutions announces 10 MW PV project submissions in Ontario

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 1:12 (Solarserver)

Grid Cloud Solutions Inc. (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada) on August 15th, 2011 reported it has secured options to develop solar power on lands in prime regions for available transmission capacities totaling over 10 MW of ground mounted photovoltaic (PV) projects. The advancing solar energy projects, located in Ontario are expected to be permitted under the province's renewable energy promoting Feed-In-Tariff program. Read more

Growth in Residential Segment Keeping Lights on for Ontario's PV Manufacturers

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 21:03 (Renewable Energy World)

In our recent study "Ontario PV Market Forecast 2011-2016," we predict a growth of 228% for the Ontario solar market from 2010 to 2011, a number that confirms Ontario's importance in the North American solar industry. However, while the residential segment is predicted to post unexpectedly strong growth, slower than expected activity in the commercial and utility scale segments prompted us to reduce our overall Ontario market forecast for 2011 by 16% to 381 MW (dc). Read more

Canadian Solar takes on sponsorship of two German league soccer teams

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 20:40 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar has joined the ranks of Mage and Yingli Solar by adding two German league soccer teams to its sponsorship list. Canadian Solar is well known for sponsoring professional sports teams in the US such as the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, but with the addition of Hannover 96 and 1.FC Nuremberg, the company is looking forward to spreading their presence in the German soccer leagues. Read more

SolarWorld Solar Panels Power Largest U.S. Solar-Equipped Affordable Housing Project

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 20:37 (Solarserver)

A solar installation believed to be the nation?s largest for a government-sponsored affordable housing project features high-performance photovoltaic panels from SolarWorld, the largest U.S. solar manufacturer for more than 35 years. The 2-megawatt project owned and operated by the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (HACSB) will bring the energy- and cost-saving benefits of solar technology to more than 1,000 low-income families in the California county. Read more

SolarMax central PV inverter 330TS-SV receives BDEW unit certificate

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 20:36 (Solarserver)

The SolarMax central solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter 330TS-SV has now received certificate of the BDEW (German Association of Energy and Water Industries), demonstrating compliance with the directive ?Generator plants on the medium-voltage network?. Evaluation and certification were implemented via the accredited Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and the certification institute Bureau Veritas. Read more

India's National Solar Mission Promotes Rapid Solar Growth

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 20:12 (Renewable Energy World)

At the recent Renewable Energy India 2011 Expo (REIE) held from August 10-12, India's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (NSM) was a hot topic. The established three-phase plan outlines targets to install 1-2 GW by 2013, 4-10 GW from 2013-2017, and 20 GW by 2022. But the EAI (Energy Alternatives India), a renewable energy consulting firm, predicts a much higher 75 GW by 2022. Read more

Astronergy to supply modules to projects in Thailand totalling 5.5 MW

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 17:36 (PV-Tech)

An unspecified number of projects totalling 5.5 MW are to use Astronergy?s Polycrystalline PV modules and inverters from Chint Power System in PV plants to be built in Saraburi province, Thailand. BOS components will be supplied from other Chint subsidiaries. The Chint Group companies have teamed with Thailand?s Solar Park Co for the projects. Read more

Affordable housing project in US using SolarWorld modules

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 16:03 (PV-Tech)

A 2MW US government-sponsored affordable housing project, owned and operated by the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara (HACSB) has used 7,200 SolarWorld panels on 863 unit roofs. This is the largest project of its type so far in the US, according to SolarWorld. Read more

GT Advanced Technologies gains US$33 million in new orders from OCI

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 15:41 (PV-Tech)

Korea-based polysilicon producer, OCI has awarded equipment supplier GT Advanced Technologies, formerly, GT Solar with US$33 million in additional orders, resulting in a total of US$269 million for polysilicon production equipment and technology. OCI purchased GT?s newest generation SDR reactors. Read more

Order Focus: CNPV to supply 300MW of modules to SolarTec in three-year deal

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 15:18 (PV-Tech)

CNPV Solar Power has entered into a three-year strategic partnership agreement with Colorado-based SolarTec Group that will see the former deliver 300MW of PV modules to SolarTec over the next three years. It is expected that 20MW of the total will be shipped to SolarTec this year, with the remaining 280MW spaced over the coming two years. Read more

U-turn: Solar Trust of America to convert 500 MW of Blythe CSP project to PV

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 13:38 (Solarserver)

On August 18th, 2011, Solar Trust of America LLC (Oakland, California, U.S.) announced that it will convert the first 500 MW phase of the 1 GW Blythe Solar Power Project from concentrating solar power (CSP) to solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. Solar Trust cites improved PV market conditions as a main driver for the decision. The company has also stated that it will finance the project in the commercial bank market. Read more

Chinese PV producer JA Solar reports falling revenues, negative operating margin in 2Q 2011 results

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 13:35 (Solarserver)

On August 18th, 2011, JA Solar Holdings Company, Ltd. (Shanghai, China) announced second quarter 2011 results, reporting a 26.7% decrease in revenues from the first quarter of 2011 to USD 413 million, and an operating margin of -7.6%. The company also reported 401 MW in shipments, which represents an 11% decrease from the previous quarter and a 29% increase from the second quarter of 2010. JA Solar saw a net loss of USD 35.4 million during the quarter. Read more

Yingli Green Energy to supply 10 MW AC PV modules for New Jersey Oak Solar Power Plant

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 13:32 (Solarserver)

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (Baoding, China) on August 18th, 2011 announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Yingli Green Energy Americas, Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.), has been selected by Lincoln Renewable Energy, LLC (Chicago, IL) to deliver 10 megawatts (MW) AC of Yingli Solar PV modules for its New Jersey Oak Solar PV Power Plant in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Read more

LDK Solar makes significant revisions to 2Q and 2011 guidance

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 12:16 (PV-Tech)

In a single stroke, LDK Solar has wiped US$1 billion in expected revenue from its 2011 guidance, on the back of significant price declines for bare wafers and solar modules. In the second quarter, LDK is planning US$55 to US$60 million of inventory write downs, the largest so far of any PV manufacturer. Instead of expected 2011 revenue in the range of US$3.5-US$3.7 billion, the company expects full-year revenue to reach US$2.5-US$2.7 billion. Gross margin for the second quarter of 2011 is expected to be in the range of 1.5-2.5%, compared to previous guidance range of between 22% and 26%. Revised revenue guidance is to be in the range of US$480-US$500 million, compared to Read more

Shropshire farmers install 714kWp solar portfolio

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 11:44 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar installer the Green Electrician has finished work on PV systems for six farms in Shropshire. The portfolio, totalling 714kWp, took just three months to install and was completed ahead of the deadline for the feed-in tariff cuts of August 1. Read more

Solar system plays lead role in new BBC studios

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 10:44 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar power is set to play a lead role in the new BBC Wales studios in Cardiff Docks. Krannich Solar and EcoFirst have installed a 50kW system at the studios, which will be one of the centerpieces in the £200 million redevelopment of the docks. Read more

Trina Solar to partner with Australia's Origin Energy; 22 MW of PV modules to be shipped

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 1:12 (Solarserver)

Trina Solar Limited (Changzhou, China), an integrated manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) products on August 18th, 2011 announced that through its subsidiary, Trina Solar Australia Pty Ltd, it has signed a strategic partnership with Origin Energy Australia, the leading Australian integrated energy company. Under the terms of the agreement, Trina Solar is expected to supply Origin with approximately 22 MW of PV modules over the next twelve months starting from the third quarter of 2011. Read more

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Utilities and Regulators Consider Biomass Power Plants

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 14:19 (Renewable Energy World)

As U.S. electric utilities continue to wrestle with how to cost effectively cut CO2 emissions and meet their renewable electricity goals, biomass could be starting to gain popularity as a clean energy technology that can help power suppliers do just that. Read more

Group of German banks provide ?110 million in financing for five Italian PV projects

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 21:57 (PV-Tech)

Deutsche Bank, Helaba Landesbank Hessen- Thüringen and KfW IPEX-Bank have come together to finance ?110 million for five PV power plants located throughout Italy. The companies advised that the loans were structured from the financing program for renewable energies and are comprised of low interest rate funding tools. Read more

DOE finalizes US$197 million loan guarantee for SoloPower to build out CIGS manufacturing

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 21:43 (PV-Tech)

The US Department of Energy?s (DOE) latest loan guarantee comes in the form of US$197 million to SoloPower for the construction and operation of its two CIGS thin-film production facilities in Portland, Oregon and a single site in San Jose, California. The last DOE loan guarantee was issued in early August in the form of US$967 million for the 290MW Agua Caliente project in Arizona. Read more

Yingli Green Energy posts record revenue and shipments in 2Q

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 17:04 (PV-Tech)

Moving in the opposite direction to many of its competitors, Yingli Green Energy reported record revenue and shipments in the second quarter of 2011. Yingli posted record revenue of US$680.6 million, up 27.4% compared to the prior quarter. PV module shipment increased by 36.6% from the first quarter, reaching an historical high of approximately 410MW, helped by increased demand in the US and China and gaining 46 new customers, who contributed approximately 90MW of PV module shipments in the quarter. Read more

India's MNRE calls for greater research to decrease the cost of renewable energy

Friday, 8.19.2011 - 14:22 (Solarserver)

On August 17th, 2011, Indian Minister of New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah called for extensive research to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of renewable energy at a lecture in New Delhi, India. In his comments at the 10th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture, Dr. Abdullah cited the use of competitive solicitations in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), which he says resulted in a cost decline of 30%, and praised the role of competition and market forces. Read more