Roth & Rau appoints new supervisory board with Wagner as chairman

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 13:50 (PV-Tech)

Roth & Rau has appointed new members to its supervisory board, replacing the previous board who concluded their term in office last week. At the company?s Annual General Meeting, shareholders chose to elect Michel Hirschi, Andrea Sieber and Peter M. Wagner, with Wagner appointed as chairman of the board. Read more

Roth & Rau appoint new supervisory board with Wagner as chairman

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 13:50 (PV-Tech)

Roth & Rau have appointed new members to its supervisory board, replacing the previous board who concluded their term in office last week. At the company?s Annual General Meeting, shareholders chose to elect Michel Hirschi, Andrea Sieber and Peter M. Wagner, with Wagner appointed as chairman of the board. Read more

FPL re-opens application period for PV rebates

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:56 (Solarserver)

Florida Power and Light Company (FPL, Juno Beach, Florida, U.S.) re-opened the application period for its solar photovoltaic (PV) rebate program at 8:30 AM on August 30th, 2011, and closed it again within hours. The Residential PV Solar Rebate Program distributed roughly USD 5 million in funds during this round, and will re-open again in October 2011. Read more

Roth & Rau divests of CdTe business, appoints Peter M. Wagner new Chairman of the Board

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:47 (Solarserver)

Roth & Rau AG (Hohenstein-Ernstthal) has sold all of the shares in Roth & Rau CTF Solar GmbH (CTF) to a Chinese investor. The two parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality concerning the purchase price. Roth & Rau is thus also taking leave of its technology for manufacturing thin film solar modules on a cadmium telluride basis (CdTe). Roth & Rau has at the same time sold a coating system for the deposition of cadmium sulphide and cadmium telluride absorber films to the Chinese investor. This system is to be supplied at the beginning of the third quarter of 2012. Roth & Rau will subsequently accompany the project through the ramp-up stage and in its further technological Read more

CPV: Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, Dr. Andreas Bett, Dr. Klaus-Dieter Rasch nominated for German Future Prize

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:25 (Solarserver)

On August 27th, 2011, the jury of the German Future Prize nominated Hansjörg Lerchenmüller, Dr. Andreas Bett and Dr. Klaus-Dieter Rasch for the 2011 prize, in recognition for their work developing concentrating solar photovoltaic (CPV) systems and the multi-junction solar photovoltaic (PV) cells that power them. Every year, the German Future Prize jury nominates three teams in recognition of excellence in research that results in new products being brought to market. The winning team will be presented with the award on December 14th, 2011. Read more

Deutsche Bank finances two high power photovoltaic solar parks in Italy and Spain with 63 MW

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:05 (Solarserver)

Deutsche Bank played an instrumental role in making the construction and acquisition possible of two high power photovoltaic solar parks in Italy and Spain through its Asset Finance & Leasing (AFL) business. In Canaro, a Northern Italian municipality in the Veneto region, the bank provided financing of EUR 83 million for the construction of a photovoltaic (PV) solar park. Read more

U.S. Navy awards USD 500 million contract to build PV plants at military bases in Hawaii

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:58 (Solarserver)

On August 19th, 2011, the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) awarded a USD 500 million maximum multiple award contract (MAC) to three companies to build solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities at military installations in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Through the contract Island Pacific Energy LLC, Pacific Energy Solutions LLC and Photon Finance LLC will finance, construct, own, operate and maintain rooftop, shade structure and ground-mounted PV plants at multiple bases on multiple islands. Read more

PV production technology: Schmid Group receives order for wet-chemical edge-isolation unit

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:50 (Solarserver)

On August 23rd, 2011, the Schmid Group (Freudenstadt, Germany) announced its first order for a new piece of wet-process solar photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing equipment from an undisclosed customer. Schmid's ten-lane wet-chemical edge-isolation unit will replace the client's current laser edge isolation. The company estimates that this unit offers an efficiency increase of 0.2% over the substituted technology, resulting in a 4-5% increase in marketable products. Read more

PV manufacturing: Ubbink opens East Africa's first PV factory

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:44 (Solarserver)

On August 30th, 2011, Ubbink B.V. (Doesburg, The Netherlands) opened a solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility with an annual output of 30,000 modules in Naivasha, Kenya. The Ubbink East Africa Ltd. plant will produce modules for smaller PV systems, including "solar home systems" for areas not served by electricity grids. Read more

centrotherm photovoltaics presents ISE-certified solar cell with 20 percent efficiency at EU PVSEC

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 9:26 (Solarserver)

At this year's 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC: September 5 to 8, 2011, in Hamburg) centrotherm photovoltaics AG (Blaubeuren, Germany) is presenting technology and systems boosting efficiency along the photovoltaic value chain. "We are on the way to 20 percent cell efficiencies in industrial production. We have already reached this magic threshold in the laboratory, and we have current ISE certification for a sensational 20.00 percent efficiency level," was how Dr. Peter Fath, CTO at centrotherm photovoltaics AG, expressed his delight at this development. Read more

Etrion completes 10 MW PV project in Puglia, Italy

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:57 (Solarserver)

Etrion Corporation (Geneva; Switzerland), an independent solar power producer, on August 29th, 2011 announced the completion of the "Helios ITA-3" solar project in Puglia, Italy. The Helios ITA-3 solar photovoltaic (PV) plant has a total capacity of 10 megawatts (MW) and is expected to produce 16.8 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean electricity and EUR 5.0 million of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) per year. Read more

Indian State of Karnataka issues request for proposals for 80 MW of PV, CSP projects

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:56 (Solarserver)

The government of the Indian State of Karnataka has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for 50 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) and 30 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) projects. Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd. (KREDL, Bangalore, India) will manage the RFP process. Read more

ET Solar promotes 25-year linear power performance warranty on its PV modules

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 23:36 (PV-Tech)

ET Solar Group advised that it has launched a 25-year linear power performance warranty on its monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar modules. The warranty guarantees no less than 97% of the nominal power output in the first year and a maximum annual output reduction of 0.65% thereafter. ET Solar advised that under its warranty after the 25th year, the actual power output of its modules will be no less than 81.4% of the nominal power output. Read more

IMS Research report reveals top three PV module suppliers are all based in China

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 23:21 (PV-Tech)

Upon the release of IMS Research?s quarterly PV cell and module report, analyses confirmed that the three largest PV module suppliers in Q2 2011 were Suntech, Yingli and Trina Solar ? all Chinese companies. Collectively the three companies? shipments grew by nearly 20% in Q2 2011 over Q1 2011. Read more

A Silver Lining in Declining Solar Prices

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 20:52 (Renewable Energy World)

Quarterly earnings numbers are out for many publicly-traded solar manufacturing companies, and you'd be forgiven for thinking the solar industry is in trouble. Why? Because the global price of solar panels is falling and putting pressure on profit margins ? and that spells bad news for manufacturers' earnings. Read more

Australia Takes First Steps Into Utility-scale Solar

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 18:54 (Renewable Energy World)

Australia is taking its first leap into utility-scale solar PV with a 10-megawatt (MW) AC project located in Western Australia ? 10 times larger than any operating project in the country. Read more

Solyndra shutters manufacturing, lays off workforce; plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 18:12 (PV-Tech)

Cylindrical CIGS thin-film manufacturer Solyndra has announced that it has suspended its manufacturing operations, immediately laid off its 1100 full-time and temporary employees, and intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Fremont, CA-based company cited ?the negative impacts of global economic and solar industry market conditions? as the reason for the actions. The firm also said it is evaluating its options, which could include ?a sale of the business and licensing of its advanced CIGS technology and manufacturing expertise.? Read more

Solarform completes 250kW project in Ontario

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 17:10 (PV-Tech)

Solar panel distributor Solarform has completed its latest PV project in Ontario, Canada. The 250kW rooftop project covers an area of 30,000 sq ft, and will take advantage of Ontario?s FiT program, which requires solar projects to use at least 60% domestic content, thus promoting local companies. Read more

Made in the UK: Dorset?s largest solar farm now online

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 12:10 (Solarpowerportal)

Slepe Farm in Dorset is now home to one of the country’s first entirely locally architected large-scale solar installations. Commissioned by Hampshire-based Farm Power and designed and managed by Reading-based Anesco, the 498.4kWp project has been constructed using UK specialists, unlike similar projects, which have been managed by teams from overseas. Read more

Applied Launches Solar Tools To Meet Greater Demand for Efficient Cells

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 12:08 (Renewable Energy World)

Efficiency?the rate that solar cells or modules convert sunlight into electricity?has always been an important metric for manufacturers. But improving it has become a greater emphasis these days, and factory equipment manufacturers have responded with R&D efforts to deliver better tools. Applied Materials on Wednesday unveiled a new set of equipment under its Baccini brand that it said will enable customers to lower production costs and use advanced technologies to boost cell efficiencies. Read more

SunPower sells 75,000 PV panels to Akuo Solar for power plants in the South of France

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:53 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corp. (San Jose, Calif.) on August 29th, 2011 announced that Akuo Solar, a subsidiary of Paris-based Akuo Energy, has ordered 75,000 high efficiency SunPower solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for Akuo's planned 24-megawatt solar development. The development consists of two power plants that will be located in the Provence-Alps-Cotes d'Azur Region in the South of France. Read more

Barclays launches GBP 100million renewable energy fund for UK farmers, available for solar, wind, and hydro projects

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:34 (Solarserver)

Barclays has launched a GBP 100 million fund for UK farmers investing in renewable energy, tracking the massive groundswell of interest from farmers seeking to cut energy bills and generate new income. New figures released by the bank reveal that more than a third (37 per cent) of the UK?s 200,000 farmers are expecting to invest in renewable energy, with the majority doing so within the next year. Farmers are further expecting the investment to generate returns averaging GBP 25,000 per year. Read more

Real Goods Solar unveils new financing, purchasing options for residential solar customers

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 11:30 (Solarserver)

On August 29th, 2011, Real Goods Solar Inc. (San Rafael, California, U.S.) announced new financing and lease-to-own options for residential solar systems for homeowners in Colorado and California. The Real Goods Solar PowerSavings Plan gives the option for homeowners to own their solar systems after six years, and also includes options to lease systems with no money down. Read more

First Solar starts work on Australia?s largest PV project

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:40 (PV-Tech)

First Solar, Verve Energy and General Electric Energy Financial Services have started building Australia?s first utility-scale solar power project. With a capacity of 10MW, the Greenough River Solar Farm is 10 times bigger than the largest operational solar project in the country and spans 80 hectares of cleared land 50 kilometres southeast of Geraldton. Read more

First Solar starts work Australia?s largest PV project

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:40 (PV-Tech)

First Solar, Verve Energy and General Electric Energy Financial Services have started building Australia?s first utility-scale solar power project. With a capacity of 10MW, the Greenough River Solar Farm is 10 times bigger than the largest operational solar project in the country and spans 80 hectares of cleared land 50 kilometres southeast of Geraldton. Read more

SunEdison, GE Capital Real Estate commission first Ontario Solar PV rooftop systems

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 1:38 (PV-Tech)

GE Capital Real Estate and SunEdison flipped the switch on the first two of fifteen solar rooftop systems, which fall under the Ontario FiT program. The solar projects are part of GE Capital Real Estate?s environmental sustainability initiative with SunEdison agreeing to build and operate all fifteen of the PV systems. Read more

Gunter Ziegenbalg appointed president of SVTC Solar

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 1:24 (PV-Tech)

SVTC Technologies has selected its new president, Gunter Ziegenbalg, who will be directing the company?s growth in the global solar business and enhancing its PV manufacturing development facility. Ziegenbalg comes to SVTC after working in an executive position with Moncada Energy Group. Read more

Indian MNRE announces goal of 3.5 GW of new renewables in 2011-2012

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:58 (Solarserver)

On August 29th, 2011, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced a goal of 3.4 GW of grid-tied and 130 MW of off-grid renewable energy generation to be added to India's electricity grid during fiscal year 2011-2012, in a written statement to India's lower house of parliament. The MNRE estimates that this amount of generation will require a capital investment of USD 6.3 billion, including USD 1.95 billion in solar, and USD 217 million in decentralized energy production. Read more

Schletter Inc. selected to supply solar PV mounting systems for 150 MW project by Zachry Industrial in Arizona

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:55 (Solarserver)

Schletter Inc. (Tucson, Arizona) was selected by Zachry Industrial to supply racking for a 150 MW solar PV project located in Arizona with material delivery currently in progress. Schletter?s ground mounted "FS System" provides a proven track record with many utility-sized solar installations across the globe, the producer emphasizes. Read more

Mage Solar brings operations to Latin America and Caribbean

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:32 (PV-Tech)

Mage Solar advised of its expansion into parts of South and Central America as well as the Caribbean. The company will set up a sales team that will be specifically dedicated to provide support and service to customers from Mexico to Brazil. The Dublin, Georgia-based company will offer its new customer base its Mage Powertec Plus modules, Mage SystemTec mounting system and inverter system. Read more

Researchers Build a Tougher, Lighter Wind Turbine Blade

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 19:02 (Renewable Energy World)

Efforts to build larger wind turbines able to capture more energy from the air are stymied by the weight of blades. A Case Western Reserve University researcher has built a prototype blade that is substantially lighter and eight times tougher and more durable than currently used blade materials. Read more

Wind Turbine Generators to be Developed by GE and DOE

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 18:20 (Renewable Energy World)

GE (NYSE: GE) has begun work on the first phase of a two-year, $3 million project with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a wind turbine generator that could support large-scale wind projects in the 10- to 15-MW range. Read more

GE, DOE Looking to Develop 10- to 15-MW Turbine

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 18:20 (Renewable Energy World)

GE (NYSE: GE) has begun work on the first phase of a two-year, $3 million project with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a wind turbine generator that could support large-scale wind projects in the 10- to 15-MW range. Read more

Alex Solar to invest in 8MW solar project located in Potsdam, Berlin

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 1:09 (PV-Tech)

Alex Solar, a R&D, manufacture, sales and technical service provider for crystalline silicon solar modules and PV application systems, announced its latest investment in an 8MW solar power plant located in Potsdam, Berlin. The company noted that this is one of several investments it is making in solar projects throughout Berlin and Munich. Read more

Applied Materials to showcase new dual-lane Baccini ?Pegaso? screen-printer at EU PVSEC

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 18:31 (PV-Tech)

A significant leap forward in advanced screen-printing for solar cells has been touted by Applied Materials, which will be showcased at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Hamburg, Germany from September 5-8. The new dual-lane ?Baccini Pegaso? screen-printer is said to enable novel, high-efficiency cell designs to be brought into mass production, effectively ?future-proofing? the platform due to its modular architecture. Early customer adoption includes Gintech Energy. Read more

Mainstream Energy appoints Lee Johnson CEO and president

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 10:40 (Solarserver)

On August 30th, 2011, Mainstream Energy Corporation (San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.) announced that it has appointed Lee Johnson at CEO and president. Johnson will have direct responsibility for all operations at Mainstream Energy subsidiaries REC Solar Inc. (San Luis Obispo, U.S.) and AEE Solar Inc. (Redway, California, U.S.). Read more

NextEra Energy?s Genesis CSP project secures final DOE loan guarantee, financing package

Wednesday, 8.31.2011 - 0:49 (PV-Tech)

Genesis Solar, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, revealed that it had closed on construction and term financing for its 250MW CSP project including a partial guarantee from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for an US$852 million loan. Power produced by the 250MW CSP project, located in Riverside County, California, will be sold to Pacific Gas & Electric. Read more