Conergy products being labelled ?Made in EU? to meet new Italian FiT benefits

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 18:27 (PV-Tech)

Ontario, Canada is not the only region in the world with a local content type clause. With the introduction of the Italy?s new ?Quarto Conto Energia? regulations, solar systems that are manufactured in EU member countries can benefit from a 10% increase in feed-in tariff rates. Read more

US DOE fronts US$50 million for PVMI Part II, SUNPATH

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 18:06 (PV-Tech)

A US$50 million fund is up for grabs by the US Department of Energy to domestic PV manufacturers wanting to take solar technology from the lab to the fab to help restore the United States as being at the forefront of solar manufacturing. The funding program is the second solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Initiative (PVMI) initiative, dubbed SUNPATH, which stands for Scaling Up Nascent PV At Home. Read more

Yingli Green raises solar module shipment guidance for 2Q

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:45 (PV-Tech)

PV module shipments in the second quarter of 2011 will be higher than previously guided, according to revised guidance from Tier 1 supplier, Yingli Green Energy. The company said that shipments would increase by the range of 35% to 37% quarter over quarter, compared to its previously provided guidance of a more than a 30% increase in shipments, quarter over quarter. Read more

IMS Research: 22 GW of new PV to be added in 2011; Installations to nearly double in the second half of 2011

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:04 (Solarserver)

On August 2nd, 2011, IMS Research (Wellingborough, U.K.) announced that it has increased its forecast for total 2011 global solar photovoltaic (PV) demand to 22 GW. In a preview to its third quarter 2011 "Global PV Demand" report, the research firm cites growing demand in all major markets, particularly Asia and North America. IMS Research also predicts that PV installations will nearly double in scale in the second half of 2011 over the first half. Read more

PV technology provider Manz underscores its position as a leading innovator by participating in government-sponsored PV projects on CIGS module manufacturing, affordable mass production of crystalline silicon solar cells

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 12:46 (Solarserver)

Efficient solar technology "made in Germany" with decreased manufacturing costs - that is the goal of two development partnerships Manz AG (Reutlingen, Germany) is participating in with various industry and research partners. Manz has entered the first cooperative research project with the CIGS module manufacturer Würth Solar and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) in Stuttgart. The goal of this project is to make more rapid advancements to the CIGS thin-film technology licensed to the company as part of the exclusive expertise and cooperation agreement with Würth Solar. Read more

Manz receives German state funding for CIGS and c-Si R&D

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Under the German federal government commitment to the ?Photovoltaics Innovation Alliance,? launched in August last year, Manz has received partial R&D funding for two projects, covering CIGS thin film technology and crystalline silicon technology. Read more

NLP Solar Sales Training Webinar August 17th & 18th

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 21:30 (Renewable Energy World)

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Dow Chemical to build PV module encapsulant production plants in Thailand and Germany

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 20:44 (PV-Tech)

Dow Chemical is adding production capacity for its Enlight polyolefin encapsulant films for crystalline-silicon and thin-film solar PV modules, with plans to build two new manufacturing plants in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, and Schkopau, Germany in 2012. The company said that the new factory designs will be based on technology used at the initial manufacturing site in Findlay, OH, which began production in December 2010. Read more

Cleantech Investments Plummeted 44% in Q2

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 18:07 (Renewable Energy World)

Solar, electric transportation and energy efficiency attracted the most venture capital in the second quarter in the United States, according to a report released by Ernst & Young on Wednesday. Overall U.S. venture capital investments plummeted about 44 percent to $1.1 billion from the second quarter in 2010, however. Read more

$50 Million To Aid U.S. Solar Manufacturing

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 16:41 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. Department of Energy is boosting domestic solar PV manufacturing with a $50 million investment over two years. The infusion of money comes as part of the department's SUNPATH program, which was started to help the U.S. achieve gains in solar manufacturing. Read more

Solar Inspection: Keeping an Eye on Quality Control

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Today, silicon cell factories have moved toward the gigawatt (GW) scale. These factories churn out hundreds of thousands of cells each day and competitiveness is based around fractions of cents per watt in manufacturing cost, and tenths of points on the efficiency scale. Every little bit counts. Quality control is now becoming a critical factor to the future survival of solar companies' fortunes. Read more

Steamback Shows Promise for Solar Water Overheating

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Commercial and residential customers install solutions that heat their water, businesses and homes. But what happens when there is too much of a good thing? Solar water heating systems can and do overheat, creating both inconvenience and cost for the customer. But a European technique called steamback or vapor drainback provides multiple advantages over existing technologies, including fewer service calls, more system uptime, and reduced overall costs. Read more

Intersolar India prepares for round three; India's International Exhibition and Conference for the solar industry opens its doors once again this December

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 14:27 (Solarserver)

This December the international solar industry is congregating at Intersolar India for third time in a row. From December 14th ? 16th, 2011, Hall 1 of the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Mumbai, India is being dedicated to solar power. There, 250 expected exhibitors are setting up their exhibits across 20,000 square meters of exhibition space to showcase the latest products and services in the fields of photovoltaics and solar thermal technology to the attending solar professionals. This not only means that exhibition space has doubled in size, but also that the amount of expected exhibitors will rise by approximately 70 percent. On December 13 and 14, 2011, around 700 Read more

How to make solar power 24/7: MIT team designs CSP system that could store heat in vats of molten salts, supplying constant power

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 14:17 (Solarserver)

The biggest hurdle to widespread implementation of solar power is the fact that the sun doesn't shine constantly in any given place, so backup power systems are needed for nights and cloudy days. But a novel system designed by researchers at MIT could finally overcome that problem, delivering steady power 24/7. Read more

Elon Musk donates solar PV project to Soma City in Fukushima prefecture, Japan

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 14:05 (Solarserver)

Elon Musk (Fukushima, Japan), through his Musk Foundation, has donated USD 250,000 to build a solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Soma City, in the Fukushima prefecture of Japan. Mr. Musk visited an area of Soma City at the end of July 2011, that was devastated by a tsunami earlier this year, for a ceremony at the site where the project will be built. SolarCity (San Mateo, California, U.S.) is donating time and resources to manage the project, which will provide renewable electricity to a city facility located on reclaimed industrial land not suitable for agriculture. Read more

Thames Water plans to become the UK?s largest on-site solar power producer

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:56 (Solarpowerportal)

Thames Water has signed a £7 million contract with Ennoviga Solar, which could see the utility company named as the UK’s largest on-site solar power producer and industrial user. Under the terms of the 25-year agreement, Ennoviga will own and maintain the solar arrays, selling the electricity generated back to Thames Water in order to recoup the investment. Read more

SMA announces availability of extended temperature range Sunny Boy PV inverters for Canadian Solar Market

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:23 (Solarserver)

SMA Canada has released a temperature-hardened version of its Sunny Boy, the world?s most popular solar photovoltaic (PV) inverter. Designed specifically for the Canadian PV market, the new Sunny Boy 5000-US, 6000-US, 7000-US and 8000-US are ideal for residential and commercial applications and feature an extended operating temperature range to -40 Celsius, SMA reports in a press release. Read more

BTU 2Q results impacted by major equipment order put on hold

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:13 (PV-Tech)

Thermal processing equipment specialist, BTU International reported a major order for its in-line diffusion tools for a PV manufacturing customer, originally announced in January, 2011 had been put on hold. Deliveries of the first half of the order have started but will extend into 2012, according to the company. The equipment supplier noted a broad weakening of demand from PV manufacturers that it expected to continue through 2011. BTU reported second quarter net sales of US$19.0 million, down from US$25.4 million in the preceding quarter. Net income for was at breakeven, compared to a net income of US$1.8 million in the preceding quarter. Read more

U.K. renewable heat payment program accepting applications; grants for solar water heating, regardless of the type of system

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:12 (Solarserver)

On August 1st, 2011, a U.K. Government program to incentivize renewable heating systems, including solar thermal systems, began accepting applications. The "Renewable Heat Premium Payment" program will offer GBP 300 (USD 488) grants for solar water heating systems, regardless of the type of system. Read more

Trina Solar downgrades 2Q 2011 shipment guidance by 10%

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 12:52 (Solarserver)

On August 2nd, 2011, Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) issued an updated guidance for the second quarter of 2011, estimating that it shipped 395 to 397 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules during the quarter, with an overall gross margin between 17% and 17.5%. This represents a significant reduction from the company's previous guidance of 430 to 450 MW of module shipments and gross margin in the "low 20's in percentage terms". Read more

Barclays Natural Resource partners with K Road, makes significant investment in utility scale solar power portfolio

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 12:36 (Solarserver)

K Road Power Holdings (Berkeley, CA), an independent power developer focused on utility-scale solar energy projects, on August 2nd, 2011 announced today that it is partnering with Barclays Natural Resource Investments ("BNRI"), a division of Barclays Capital, the investment banking unit of Barclays Bank PLC. As a part of the partnership, BNRI will make a substantial commitment to fund the continued development, construction and operations of K Road's utility scale solar power portfolio. Read more

K Road, Barclays Natural Resource Investments partner on utility-scale solar power plant development

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 0:32 (PV-Tech)

Independent power developer K Road Power Holdings and Barclays Natural Resource Investments have established a partnership aimed at the development, construction, and operations of K Road?s utility-scale solar power portfolio. The developer has 11 solar projects totaling nearly 2.3GW in various stages of development in the southwestern US. Read more

Fostering the Next Generation of Biofuels Innovators

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 19:35 (Renewable Energy World)

In our country's spirited debate over energy, innovation and the economy, perhaps no phrase has been uttered more often than "green jobs." While the precise meaning of "green job" continues to be a topic of debate, I would submit that jobs in the algae industry are indeed at least a little shade of green. Or maybe blue-green. Read more

Climate Bond Standard to be Released This Week

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 15:42 (Renewable Energy World)

Investing in clean energy stocks has an (often well-deserved) reputation for risk. Although energy efficiency and more inclusive progressive energy indexes have held up fairly well over the last few years, the performance of narrower clean energy sectors has been dismal, and some industry observers feel that the declines in wind and solar are structural (and hence permanent) as opposed to cyclical (and therefore temporary). Read more

Good Energy will freeze electricity prices until 2012

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 15:29 (Solarpowerportal)

The 100% renewable energy supplier, Good Energy has today announced its intention to freeze its electricity prices until at least 2012. The company, which has not raised its prices since 2008, aims to make green energy more accessible to the masses through competitive pricing. Read more

Powerway wins bid for 20MW PV plant in Hainan, China

Wednesday, 8.3.2011 - 13:51 (Solarserver)

Powerway Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. (Foshan City, China) has won a contract for the largest domestic ?Golden Sun? PV plant -- a 20MW installation located in Lingao County, Hainan Province in China, the company reports in a press release. Powerway, a designer and manufacturer of PV racking systems, has already provided these systems to Germany, America, Japan, Belgium, India and many other countries around the globe. Read more