Siemens upgrades West Chicago plant to produce PV inverters

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 19:28 (Solarserver)

Siemens Industry, Inc. (Atlanta) is celebrating the production of its SINVERT solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters at its recently-updated manufacturing plant located in West Chicago, Ill. The company on own account invested approximately USD10 million upgrading two buildings at the location, one of which will support the growing demand for solar power in the United States. Read more

PV production: Global Solar Energy starts at new solar module factory in Berlin-Adlershof

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 19:24 (Solarserver)

Thin-film manufacturer Global Solar Energy (GSE, Tucson Arizona and Berlin Germany) this month has commissioned its new production facility for Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) thin-film solar modules. GSE's flexible modules due to the producer are currently the most efficient of their kind worldwide are now manufactured at the site in Berlin-Adlershof, which has a production capacity of 35 megawatts (MW). Read more

Japanese parliament passes feed-in tariff bill for solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, geothermal and small hydroelectric generation

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 13:48 (Solarserver)

On August 26th, 2011, Japan's upper house of parliament passed a bill to create a series of feed-in tariffs for renewable energy generation in the nation. The law will go into effect in July 2012, and the bill includes a target of 30 GW of renewable energy development within the next decade. "The move has global implications, as the world's third largest economy follows that of the world's second-largest economy, China, and the world's fourth-largest economy, Germany, in implementing feed-in tariffs in order to rapidly develop renewable energy," states feed-in tariff expert Paul Gipe of Wind-Works. Read more

REC Solar completes 536kW of solar installations on Fresh & Easy markets in Arizona and California

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 23:37 (PV-Tech)

REC Solar and the Fresh & Easy Neighborhood market in Phoenix, Arizona invited local politicians to join in celebrating the completion of 536kW of solar systems installed on Fresh & Easy stores throughout Arizona and California. The Phoenix Fresh & Easy location features a 39kW system, which is part of the 746,000kWh of electricity that the market chain is expected to gain from the installation of roof-mounted systems on 10 of its stores. Read more

Solarhybrid plans 123MW solar plant in Italy?s Puglia region, sets up US subsidiary

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 23:16 (PV-Tech)

Solarhybrid is near to closing the financing for its 123MW solar PV plant in the Puglia region of Italy, Bloomberg reports. Albert Klein, Solarhybrid CFO advised that the US$287 million project is scheduled to start construction in November. Klein commented on company components, stating, ?We?re seeing a strongly growing market for large-scale PV plants because prices for inverters and modules have fallen so drastically.? Read more

Solar Website Development: 12 Reasons to Choose a Specialist

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 18:14 (Renewable Energy World)

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Solar Stunner: America is a $1.9 Billion Exporter of Solar Products

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 16:32 (Renewable Energy World)

With all the stories about China dominating the solar photovoltaics (PV) manufacturing sector, you might not think that America is a net exporter of solar products. But it is ? to the tune of $1.8 billion. That's a $1 billion increase over net exports documented in the solar sector last year. Read more

Germany-Greece in Talks Over Massive Solar Project

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 16:27 (Renewable Energy World)

Greece is looking to the sun for a plan that will help it emerge from its deep economic troubles, and solar giant and EU powerhouse Germany may be the beneficiary. Read more

CENTROTEC acquires interest in solar thermal specialist Industrial Solar, expands range in the international growth market for solar process heat

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 14:34 (Solarserver)

The SDAX-listed company CENTROTEC Sustainable AG (Brilon, Germany) is acquiring a 38 % interest in Industrial Solar GmbH, (Freiburg, Germany) by way of a capital increase. The latter company, which has arisen through a succession of spin-offs from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, has broad technology know-how in the field of solar process heat and solar cooling (concentrating solar power, CSP). Read more

Lessons Learned: Italy's Solar Rise and the Path Ahead

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 14:34 (Renewable Energy World)

Two years ago, solar was little more than a romantic notion in Italy. There was a total of about 1 gigawatt of capacity that had been installed over the previous four years. Everyone loved the idea of solar, but it gained relatively little traction compared to other parts of Europe. Read more

LDK Solar expects bounce-back in revenue in Q3 though wafer shipments remain weak

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 14:13 (PV-Tech)

Having recently made significant revisions to its second quarter guidance, LDK Solar reported net sales of US$499.4 million, a decrease of 34.8% sequentially and a decrease of 11.6% year-over-year. Gross profit was US$11.0 million, compared to $241.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, with margins plummeting from 31.5% in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 to 2.2%. Net loss for the second quarter were US$87.7 million, compared to net income of US$135.4 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Read more

Etrion completes 10MW Italian project ahead of schedule

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 12:39 (PV-Tech)

Previously delayed 10MW Helios ITA-3 PV solar power project in Puglia, Italy, built by ABB for independent solar power producer, Etrion has been completed ahead of its revised schedule, according to the company. A syndicate of banks, including Natixis, WestLB and Mediocreval, provided 80% of the financing for the project with an 18-year, non-recourse loan. Read more

Akuo Solar to uses 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for power plants in south of France

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 10:46 (PV-Tech)

Akuo Solar, a subsidiary of French independent power producer Akuo Energy, will use 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for two PV power plants in the Provence-Alps-Cotes d?Azur region in the south of France. Construction of the PV power plant has already started and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Read more

Akuo Solar to use 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for power plants in south of France

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 10:46 (PV-Tech)

Akuo Solar, a subsidiary of French independent power producer Akuo Energy, will use 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for two PV power plants in the Provence-Alps-Cotes d?Azur region in the south of France. Construction of the PV power plant has already started and is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Read more

Akuo Solar to uses 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for power plants in South of France

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 10:46 (PV-Tech)

Akuo Solar, a subsidiary of French independent power producer, Akuo Energy is to use 75,000 SunPower E19 modules for two PV power plants in the Provence-Alps-Cotes d?Azur Region in the South of France. Construction of the PV power plant has already started and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Read more

Government of Puerto Rico declares switch from oil generation a "top priority", sets a target of 12% for power generation from renewable sources

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 19:30 (Solarserver)

On August 12th, 2011, the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration issued a statement identifying the need to break Puerto Rico's dependence on petroleum for energy production, stating that switching to cleaner and less expensive forms of energy is a "top priority". And while the government has set a target of 12% power generation from "renewable and alternative" sources by 2015, it also emphasizes a transition to natural gas as the short-term priority. Read more

U.N. Secretary General stresses role of renewables in delivering electricity at visit to NREL

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 19:33 (Solarserver)

On August 24th, 2011, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated that providing clean renewable energy to the 1.4 billion people living without electricity is a top priority for the United Nations, during a visit to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL). The Secretary General further outlined three U.N. goals for 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services, doubling energy efficiency and doubling the renewable energy share in the overall global energy mix. Read more

Has the Sell-off Created Value Stocks Among Clean Energy Conglomerates?

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 17:53 (Renewable Energy World)

The silver lining of all market declines is the chance to buy stock in quality companies at attractive prices. That opportunity has been notably absent over the last two years, which is why my focus has shifted to smaller and smaller companies in search of reasonable valuations over that time. Although I still don't believe the market is cheap by any measure other than comparing it to a couple months ago, the volatility is starting to bring some individual bargains, especially on heavy selling days. Read more

Renewables Investment Breaks Records

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Global investment in renewable power and fuels set a new record in 2010, according to a new analysis commissioned by UNEP's Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Investment hit $211 billion last year, up 32 percent from a revised $160 billion in 2009, and nearly five and a half times the figure achieved as recently as 2004. Read more

REC extends temporary shutdown of PV production capacity for Norwegian facilities

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 14:34 (Solarserver)

Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC; Sandvika, Norway) in May 2011 has announced temporary shutdown of its production capacity in Norway throughout the third quarter. Market prices have stabilized but not recovered over the last few months, and REC has therefore decided to extend the capacity shutdowns in Norway until year end. The shutdowns represent approximately 45 percent of the wafer capacity in Norway, and include the oldest wafer plants at Herøya and the multi wafer plant in Glomfjord in addition to the cell plant in Narvik. Read more

ECD revenues climb to USD 73 million in quarterly results, net losses continue

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 13:45 (Solarserver)

On August 25th, 2011 Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (ECD, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.) reported a 240% quarter-to-quarter increase in revenues to USD 73.1 million in the results for its most recent financial quarter, but still reported a net loss of USD 42.1 million. ECD's fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011 ended on June 30th, 2011. Also on August 25th, 2011, the company announced that it will divest its Ovonic Battery subsidiary, as well as laying off 300 workers. Read more

Daqo New Energy to adopt hydrochlorination, expand polysilicon manufacturing to 9,000 MTY

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 13:43 (Solarserver)

On August 26th, 2011, Daqo New Energy Corporation (Chongqing, China) announced plans to adopt hydrochlorination technology to produce trichlorosilane (TCS) at its Wanzhou polysilicon manufacturing facility in Chongqing, China. Daqo expects this to increase the TCS production capacity in its Wanzhou facility to 220,000 metric tons per year (MTY). When this and other changes are made, the company expects to expand its annual polysilicon manufacturing capacity at the facility to 9,000 MTY. Read more

Pike Research: EU 2050 greenhouse gas targets to impact clean energy industries; member states "on track" to reach the goal of 20% energy consumption from renewables by 2020

Monday, 8.29.2011 - 13:40 (Solarserver)

On August 25th, 2011, Pike Research LLC (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.) released a new white paper which states that European Union 2050 greenhouse gas reduction road maps and targets will have a "profound" impact on the development of clean energy industries in the EU. "European Union Clean Energy Policy" focuses on the implications of these targets for several sectors, including technology development, residential energy markets and energy storage. Read more