Centrotec opens East Africa?s first solar module factory

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 14:39 (PV-Tech)

Ubbink East Africa, Centrotec Sustainable?s Dutch subsidiary, has opened East Africa?s first PV module factory in Naivasha, Kenya. Ubbink plans to produce around 30,000 modules a year, with the majority of these being used to cater for the growing number of small-scale systems in Africa. Read more

Roth & Rau sells CdTe coating business

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 14:01 (PV-Tech)

Continuing with its streamlining and single equipment technology realignment as a new subsidiary of Meyer Burger, Roth & Rau said last week it had sold subsidiary, CTF Solar GmbH (CTF) to an unidentified Chinese investor. CTF is known for supplying cadmium telluride (CdTe) coating system for the deposition of cadmium sulphide and cadmium telluride absorber films for thin film PV manufacturing. Read more

Avancis CIS thin-film PV modules meet ?Made in EU? criteria; now eligible for higher Italian rate

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 1:05 (PV-Tech)

Avancis PowerMax copper indium selenide (CIS) thin-film PV modules have been certified for higher reimbursement entitlements in Italy. Because the panels are made in Germany, Italian system operators who purchase the products can be eligible for a 10% higher feed-in rate that will apply for 20 years. Read more

Solar to produce lion?s share of world?s energy in just 50 years

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 18:47 (Solarpowerportal)

According to new research published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) solar could produce the bulk of the world’s power by 2060. These findings, set to be published in a report later this year, go beyond the IEA’s previous forecast, which envisaged solar PV and concentrated solar power meeting ~21% of the world’s power needs in 2050. Read more

Solar Millennium increases share in sales subsidiary to 100%

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 17:05 (PV-Tech)

Solar Millennium has increased its share in its sales subsidiary Solar Millennium Invest to 100% by indirectly acquiring Dr Wolfgang Gerke?s 45% share for a nominal value. The acquisition is the latest step in Solar Millennium?s attempt to streamline the group?s structures and increase transparency. Dr Gerke, the president of the Bavarian Financial Center, will stay on as a member of Solar Millennium Invest?s supervisory board. Read more

Deutsche Bank finances two large-scale PV parks in Italy and Spain

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 16:41 (PV-Tech)

Deutsche Bank has provided financing for two major PV projects in southern Europe. The bank?s Asset Finance & Leasing (AFL) division help fund the construction of SAG Solarstrom?s 48MW plant in Canaro, Italy and arranged the debt financing required for InfraClass Energie 5 to buy a 15.3MW system in Toledo, Spain. Read more

Concentrating solar power: NextEra Energy closes on financing for Genesis CSP project

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 10:04 (Solarserver)

On August 29th, 2011, NextEra Energy Resources LLC (Juno Beach, Florida, U.S.) announced that one of its subsidiaries has closed on USD 935 million in financing, primarily for construction of the Genesis Solar Project, a 250 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) project. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has also supplied a loan guarantee of 80% of the principal and interest on project bonds and project term loan under its Financial Institution Partnership Program. Read more

SEIA, GTM report: U.S. remains a net exporter in the PV value chain

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 9:59 (Solarserver)

On August 29th, 2011, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA, Washington D.C., U.S.) and Greentech Media Research (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) released a new report which states that the U.S. solar industry was a net exporter by USD 1.9 billion in 2010. The organizations' U.S. Solar Energy Trade Assessment 2011 notes that 2010 was a record year for the nation's PV manufacturing industry, with exports totaling more than USD 5.6 billion, mostly polysilicon feedstock and capital equipment. Read more

LDK Solar sales, margins fall in 2Q 2011

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 9:53 (Solarserver)

On August 29th, 2011, LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China), reported its unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2011, reporting a 35% decrease in net sales to USD 499 million, an operating margin of -10%, and a net loss of USD 87.7 million. While this shows a difficult quarter for the company, these results are not much of a surprise, as the decrease in revenues and shipments conforms to an updated guidance issued on August 18th, 2011. Read more

New high-performance mono PV module with world record cell technology from SCHOTT Solar to be launched in 2012

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 9:48 (Solarserver)

Next year, SCHOTT Solar AG (Mainz, Germany) will be expanding its portfolio to include a new high-performance solar photovoltaic (PV) module that combines impressive performance with attractive appearance. The new SCHOTT PERFORM MONO is based on a unique new cell technology that enables record-level performances: the world's first six-inch solar cells with 20.2 percent efficiency. The SCHOTT PERFORM MONO includes performance classes of up to 280 Watt peak and is scheduled to hit the market in Europe during the second quarter of 2012. Read more

Production starts rolling at Global Solar?s new 35MW CIGS PV factory in Berlin

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 1:26 (PV-Tech)

CIGS thin-film PV manufacturer Global Solar Energy has commissioned its new production facility in Berlin-Adlershof, Germany. The company manufactures flexible copper-indium-gallium-(di)selenide cells and modules at the 35MW annual capacity site. Along with a sister factory in Tucson, AZ, the company now has 70MW of total manufacturing capability. Read more

Stella Guo named director and VP of corporate development for Quantum Solar Power

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 1:08 (PV-Tech)

Previously named one of Asia Law Business magazine?s ?China Top 10 In-House Counsels?, Stella Guo has joined Quantum Solar Power as its director and vice president of corporate development. The position will become effective September 1 and will see Guo working with the company?s Asia-based operations to develop strategic planning, strategic partnerships and facilitating agreements with Asian manufacturing partners. Read more

GTM Research, SEIA report finds that US was net exporter of solar products by $1.9 billion in 2010

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 0:48 (PV-Tech)

The recently published US Solar Energy Trade Assessment 2011 report by GTM Research and SEIA analyses the trade flows and domestic value in the US solar energy industry during 2010 and has found that the US is a main player in the global solar supply chain. In 2010, the US was a net exporter of solar energy products by US$1.8 billion with its primary export including PV capital equipment and PV silicon. Read more

Panda Poop May Be a Treasure Trove of Microbes for Making Biofuel

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 17:41 (Renewable Energy World)

Panda poop contains bacteria with potent effects in breaking down plant material in the way needed to tap biomass as a major new source of "biofuels" produced not from corn and other food sources, but from grass, wood chips and crop wastes, scientists reported today at the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Read more

"Be Part of Change, or Be Left Behind," Beattie Challenges Australia on Biofuels

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 15:57 (Renewable Energy World)

In Australia, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie issued a stark challenge to Australia on biofuels at the opening of the Australian Alternative Fuels Summit in Brisbane. Read more

Despite Financial Crisis, Renewables Surged Forward in 2010

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 15:38 (Renewable Energy World)

It seems that 2010 was yet another record year for wind power, which was propelled to a global installed total of 200 GW by 39.4 GW of new capacity over the year - an impressive rise of about 25 percent in total installations, even if this annual figure for new installations edged up by only three percent from 2009. Read more

World's First Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Power Plant Underway

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 19:15 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2009, the world's largest geothermal developer, Ormat, moved into the solar market ? using its power plant construction expertise to build solar PV and CSP plants in Israel. Read more

China Remains Atop Quarterly Renewable Energy Index

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 22:21 (Renewable Energy World)

Ongoing debt worries from the United States to Europe, and austerity measures that aim to drastically slash government spending in those countries, continue to impact financing of renewable energy projects. China, meanwhile, is moving ahead with its accelerated growth as renewables continue to figure prominently into its energy future. Read more

Kingdom Housing Association wins Green Apple Environmental Award

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 18:23 (Solarpowerportal)

Glenrothes-based Kingdom Housing Association has bettered more than 500 other nominees by walking away with a Green Apple Environmental Award for its Kingdom House project in Pittenweem, Fife. This November the organisation will be presented with the prize at an awards ceremony held at the House of Commons. Read more

Air Products names Stephen Jones as China president

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 18:01 (PV-Tech)

Air Products has appointed Stephen J. Jones as China president, in an effort to promote the company?s next stage of growth in China. Jones will be based in Shanghai and will also remain as senior vice president and general manager of Global Tonnage Gases, Equipment and Energy, a position he has held since 2009. Read more

Batteries for Energy Storage: New Developments Promise Grid Flexibility and Stability

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Balancing power supply and demand is always a complex process. When large volumes of renewables such as solar PV, wind and tidal energy, which can change abruptly with weather conditions, are integrated into the grid, this balancing process becomes even more difficult. Read more

More than a third of UK farmers will milk the benefits of renewable energy

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 12:38 (Solarpowerportal)

The latest research from Barclays finds that more than a third of the UK’s 200,000 farmers are expecting to invest in renewable energy, with the aim of generating returns averaging £25,000 per year. The survey of 300 dairy farmers in England, Scotland and Wales throughout August 2011 was published to correspond with the launch of a £100 million fund, which will help to make these plans a reality. Read more

Over 60% of Brits would embrace green technology ? if they knew how

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 11:24 (Solarpowerportal)

At a time when Government is striving to gear up its ‘go green’ strategy, new research conducted by utility and environmental consultancy Gemserv has identified a widespread lack of green awareness. Over 50% of the survey respondents were unable to correctly identify that Government’s Green Deal is related to energy efficiency initiatives, suggesting instead that it was designed to protect national forests or to increase the number of hybrid cars on the road. Read more

U.S. judge grants motion against FHFA in suit over PACE program

Tuesday, 8.30.2011 - 9:43 (Solarserver)

On August 26th, 2011 a U.S. District Court Judge in California ruled that a U.S. federal agency must allow public input on its move to shut down property assessed clean energy (PACE) programs. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken also largely refused a request by the Federal Housing Finance Authority (FHFA) to dismiss the case, one of several where plaintiffs have challenged the agency over the shutdown of PACE programs. Read more