Solar cell production: Baker Solar unveils new inline wet bench for R&D, pilot production

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 19:13 (Solarserver)

Baker Solar Inc. (Southborough, Massachusetts, U.S.) has introduced a new in-line wet bench for research and development (R&D) and pilot-scale wafer and solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production. The company states that its FlexTool can accommodate a variety of wet chemistries and a range of single and double-sided applications, in a small system footprint and a wide process window. Read more

Romag expands UK accredited PV range

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 17:53 (Solarpowerportal)

UK-based photovoltaics manufacturer Romag has now received accreditation under the microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) for two new modules, offering customers more choice and flexibility when purchasing a bespoke photovoltaic product. Read more

Exhibition space at EU PVSEC in Hamburg is sold out

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 17:48 (PV-Tech)

Event organizers of 26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (26th EU PVSEC), being held this year in Hamburg, Germany next month have said that the entire exhibition space has been fully booked with 950 exhibitors occupying 80,000 square metres of floor space. Read more

Local FiT to help companies survive

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 17:04 (PV-Tech)

Only days after China?s National Development and Reform Commission set up a new feed-in-tariff (FiT) for PV project tenders, worries have already arisen about its financial viability for some PV companies. Read more

Tracking the CPV Global Market: Ready to Fulfill Its Potential?

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Not to be confused with Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (CSP), Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV) systems use mirrors or lenses to focus the sun's light onto a small area of photovoltaic material. By focusing the sun's light (usually by several hundred times, but potentially by up to 1000 times) in order to reduce the amount of expensive semiconductor material that is needed to produce a usable quantity of energy, and so reduce the overall costs of the system. Read more

PV manufacturing technology: Singulus to introduce new ICP-PECVD tool, announces improvements to Silex system

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 13:06 (Solarserver)

On August 4th, 2011, Singulus Technologies AG (Kahl am Main, Germany) announced that it will present a new inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-PECVD coating tool for crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production at the 26th EU PVSEC in Hamburg, Germany. A day prior, on August 3rd, 2011, the company announced improvements to its Silex wet-process etching tool by incorporating a solvent-free texturing process which it says can greatly reduce PV cell production costs. Read more

PV manufacturing in Mexico: SunPower to establish PV module factory in Mexicali

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 13:03 (Solarserver)

On August 5th, 2011, SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced plans to develop a manufacturing facility in Mexicali, Mexico to produce solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for the North American market. The company states that it plans to lease an existing 30,000 square meter building, and will manufacture its E18, E19 and E20 series modules, as well as its T5 Solar Roof Tile system, at the factory when it is completed. Read more

IXYS launches new 1200V high-gain IGBTs

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 13:01 (Solarserver)

On August 4th, 2011, IXYS Corporation (Milpitas, California, U.S.) announced the expansion of its XPT insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) product line with the release of new discrete high-speed, high-gain 1200V products. Potential applications for the devices include use in high frequency power inverters. The company states that these new IGBTs feature current ratings up to 105 - 160 amperes at 25 degrees Celsius, and are optimized for reduced switching losses in high-voltage applications. Read more

California is poised to remain the top US solar market according to new report by IHS iSuppli

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 22:53 (PV-Tech)

IHS iSuppli Photovoltaic Service has released a new report projecting California to remain the top solar market in the US through 2015. Currently the state has the potential to add 7.5GW of installed PV power between 2010 and 2015 with installed PV capacity projected to reach 967MW in 2011 alone. IHS foresees California generating nearly 1.2GW of solar power in2012, which would be more than the PV capacity of the next six-highest states combined. Read more

Quick Mount PV plans to move into larger facility and expand its operations

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 22:12 (PV-Tech)

Three years after solar mounting manufacturer Quick Mount PV moved into its present Concord, California facility, the company revealed plans to move all company operations into a larger, 133,000 square foot home base in Walnut Creek, California. The relocation will take place during the middle of the first quarter in 2012, which, the company states, will allow it to meet the ever-increasing demands for its products. Read more

Solar Leaders join Ted Turner, Tim Wirth, Lester Brown for Dialogue on "Monetizing Carbon in the Global Economy" at 8th Annual AREDAY Summit

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 20:56 (Renewable Energy World)

American Renewable Energy Day (AREDAY), an annual forum promoting powerful cross-sector dialogue and collaborations, announces its 2011 Summit, to be held August 17 to 21 at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colo. AREDAY's purpose is to foster immediate action that addresses climate change through renewable energy development and deployment. www.areday.net. Read more

Solar Energy Experts Rhone Resch, Kevin Smith, Jim Coombes with Environmental Powerhouses Ted Turner and T. Boone Pickens at AREDAY Summit Aug. 18-21

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 20:56 (Renewable Energy World)

ASPEN, Colo ?Solar energy issues will be front and center at the 11th Annual American Renewable Energy Day (AREDAY) Summit in Aspen this month. This annual forum, which promotes powerful cross-sector dialogue and collaborations, will be held August 17 to 21 at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colo. Read more

Envision Solar announces another USD 1 million in orders for solar tracking technology

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 19:13 (Solarserver)

Envision Solar International, Inc., (San Diego, Calif.), on August 5th, 2011 announced that the company received over one million dollars in new orders since the beginning of the second quarter of 2011 for the company's iconic standard multi-axis "EnvisionTrak" patented "Solar Tree" structures. These latest orders will be fulfilled in the South West of the United States in the third and fourth quarters of 2011, the company reports in a press release. Read more

Chinese PV producer ReneSola provides updates on steel wire production and wafer furnace technology

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 19:13 (Solarserver)

ReneSola Ltd (Jiashan, China), leading global manufacturer of solar products, today announced two major manufacturing updates. First, ReneSola has commenced trial production of its in-house steel wire, which will be used for slicing the Company's solar wafers, with an expected capacity of 8,400 metric tons ("MT") by the end of 2011. The expected cost of the Company's in-house steel wires will be significantly less than the prices provided by ReneSola's current suppliers, the company emphasizes. Read more

IKEA will install more than 39,000 solar panels across 10 UK stores

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 18:03 (Solarpowerportal)

Home furnishings giant IKEA has revealed plans to reduce its carbon emissions as well as its dependence on fossil fuels. By investing a total of £4 million, the company intends to install more... Read more

IKEA will install more than 39,000 solar panels over 10 UK stores

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 18:03 (Solarpowerportal)

Home furnishings giant IKEA has revealed plans to reduce its carbon emissions as well as its dependence on fossil fuels. By investing a total of £4 million, the company intends to install more than 39,000 solar panels across 10 of its UK-based stores, providing approximately 5% of each building’s electricity needs. Read more

GT Solar becomes GT Advanced Technologies

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 17:12 (PV-Tech)

Company name changes can often be as part of a rebranding exercise, sometimes due to poor performance or turmoil. This is certainly not the case with GT Solar, which is outperforming much of its competitor base in the PV equipment market sector. Having secured approximately US$1 billion in order backlog for its new foray into the LED sapphire wafer manufacturing market and hints by executives of further acquisitions, a new name, GT Advanced Technologies was seen as better reflection of what the company is now doing and where it intends to play in the future. Read more

Indian solar projects secure financing

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 17:05 (PV-Tech)

India?s National Solar Mission has taken a major step forward by approving 35 new systems. The projects will contribute 610MW towards the government?s goal of generating 20GW through solar by 2022. Read more

JA Solar warns of negative gross margin in 2Q results as prices fell more than expected

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 16:16 (PV-Tech)

The optimism from the first quarter was short-lived at JA Solar, which has warned investors that ASPs declined faster than expected in the second quarter, negatively impacting gross margins. Coupled to ?high-cost inventory provisions,? gross margins are expected to be in a negative low single digit range, according to a company statement. Read more

BrightSource applies for second, 500 MW CSP project in California

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 14:12 (Solarserver)

BrightSource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S.) has applied to the California Energy Commission (CEC) for permission to build a second large concentrating solar power (CSP) project utilizing a solar power tower design. The 500 MW Hidden Hills Solar Electric Generating System (HHSEGS) has been proposed for 13.3 square kilometers of privately owned land in Inyo County, California, 72 kilometers west of Las Vegas, Nevada. Read more

Cost of solar power has halved in five years, according to BSW-Solar

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 13:28 (PV-Tech)

German solar association, BSW-Solar has said that the rapidly falling costs of photovoltaic systems could lead to new solar power plants built in Germany not requiring financial support mechanism to operate profitably in 2017, based on expected energy prices at that time. The trade association also noted that the prices of finished photovoltaic rooftop systems installed since 2006 have more than halved. Read more

NRG Energy acquires 290 MW Agua Caliente solar project following loan guarantee finalization

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 13:08 (Solarserver)

On August 5th, 2011, NRG Energy Inc. (Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.) announced that it has completed the acquisition of the 290 MW Agua Caliente solar project from First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.). This acquisition was contingent upon and came the same day as the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the finalization of a USD 967 million loan guarantee to support the construction of the project. Read more

UK solar future sees small screen boost

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 11:27 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar energy has moved into the spotlight of late, making celebrity appearances on the Channel 4 show The Secret Millionaire as well as BBC 2’s Dragons’ Den. Following success on these mainstream programmes, businessman Paul Williams and entrepreneur Ben Way have formed solar initiative Freetricity, while Ploughcroft Solar’s Managing Director Chris Hopkins secured £120,000 of investment to inject into his installation company. Read more

Commercial operation begins at NRG Solar, Eurus Energy America?s 45MW plant

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 10:37 (PV-Tech)

Commercial operation has begun at California?s largest solar power project after NRG Solar and Eurus Energy America activated their 45MW Avenal Solar Generating Facility in Kings County. Read more

Phase Shift: 12 Hot Gas-based Biofuels Technologies

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 15:41 (Renewable Energy World)

In traditional biofuels, the story to date been all about solids and liquids ? grains, juices, mash, slurries and eventually files, chemicals and biomaterials. A lot of the early companies through the advanced biofuels IPO gate, like Amyris, Solazyme and Gevo, also work on liquids. In short, the wet stuff is the publicity hog. But a new generation of technologies is coming along fast, primarily in advanced biofuels, which is the gasification of biomass at the front end along its path towards making fuels, chemicals or other biomaterials ? or in some cases, using organic chemicals already in a gaseous state. Read more

The Carbon-Constrained World: Companies Ignore It At Their Risk

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 20:32 (Renewable Energy World)

When U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham last year declared that "cap-and-trade is dead" in the wake of the failed federal climate change legislation that would have capped carbon emissions, many companies ? both large and small ? perhaps shelved their carbon reduction programs. Indeed, some companies might think they are now immune to carbon controls. Read more

PV producer Soltecture shows off award-winning BIPV project that enables energy-independent, attractive living and mobility

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 19:14 (Solarserver)

The Berlin solar module manufacturer Soltecture (formerly Sulfurcell), together with its partners Vattenfall, Volvo, and A-hus, is setting new standards for sustainable construction with the "Energy-plus House". Built for the One Tonne Life Project with the aim of reducing annual CO2 emissions per capita, the Energy-plus House is equipped with a heat storage system and 106 Soltecture thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) modules made in Germany. The total rated capacity of the Soltecture thin-film modules amounts to 6.5 kilowatt peak (kWp). Read more

Mayor of London offers the Capital?s residents free energy efficiency evaluation

Monday, 8.8.2011 - 12:02 (Solarpowerportal)

In a bid to make London homes more energy efficient, Mayor Boris Johnson has launched RE: NEW. Supported by the Energy Saving Trust and the 32 London boroughs, the scheme will see thousands of homes improve their carbon dioxide output. Read more