SEIA, GTM: United States adds 565 MW of PV in 1H 2011

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:29 (Solarserver)

On September 20th, 2011, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA, Washington D.C., U.S.) and Greentech Media Research (GTM, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) released a report which estimates that the United States installed 314 MW of solar photovoltaics (PV) in the second quarter of 2011, and is on track to install 1.75 GW by the end of the year. SEIA and GTM's "U.S. Solar Market Insight Report" states that this quarterly capacity added is 69% greater than in 2010 and 17% greater than the first quarter of 2011. Read more

Order Focus: China Datang to use Tianwei modules for PV project

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:14 (PV-Tech)

China Datang is planning to use solar modules from Tianwei New Energy for the first time on a 10MW ground mounted project project in Delhi, Qinghai Province, China. The module supply agreement requires Tianwei to ship between September and October the full 10MW of modules directly to the project. Read more

Korean SK Group and U.S. PV producer HelioVolt announce investment and global expansion alliance

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 11:54 (Solarserver)

SK TIC and SK Innovation, members of the SK Group, Korea?s energy, chemicals and telecommunications giant, and HelioVolt Corporation (Austin, TX), manufacturer of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, on September 19th, 2011 announced that the companies have reached an agreement to collaborate on technology development and global manufacturing expansion. The SK Group on own account has invested USD 50 million to expand HelioVolt Austin?s manufacturing operations and has begun collaboration to develop HelioVolt?s global capabilities. Read more

DEXUS to lease space to SCE to build 10 MW rooftop PV plant in Southern California

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 11:37 (Solarserver)

On September 14th, 2011, DEXUS Property Group (Sydney, Australia) announced that it will lease 514,000 square meters of rooftop space in Perris, California to Southern California Edison (SCE, Rosemead, California, U.S.) for the construction of a 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. Construction on the plant is planned for late 2011, with commissioning scheduled for 2012. The plant will be larger than any rooftop PV plant currently in operation in the United States. Read more

Subdued demand for roof PV systems: SMA downgrades sales forecast for FY 2011, will reduce workforce

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 10:56 (Solarserver)

On September 19th, 2011, SMA Solar Technology AG (Niestetal, Germany) downgraded its sales forecast for fiscal year (FY) 2011 to between EUR 1.5 and 1.7 billion (USD 2.1 to 2.3 billion). The company also announced that it will phase out around 1,000 temporary employees by the end of the year. SMA further states that due to too many factors at play, it is impossible to give a reliable forecast for 2012. Read more

Solar Frontier closes deal to supply CIS modules for over 30MW of solar projects in India

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 22:21 (PV-Tech)

Solar Frontier will be starting to put its Kunitomi plant to serious work as it recently closed a deal to supply over 30MW of its CIS solar modules to solar projects in India by the end of 2011. The deal with the National Solar Mission and Gujarat State intends to use Solar Frontier?s CIS modules in various solar projects as the company?s modules are said to deliver higher overall energy output under weather real weather conditions. Read more

Sopogy enlists Terry Revnak as new VP of sales

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 21:27 (PV-Tech)

Micro-concentrated solar power developer Sopogy has hired Terry Revnak as the new vice president of sales. Revnak, a 27-year veteran in sales management and executive leadership, was most recently VP of sales at Mobi PCS. His past engagements also saw him work with AT&T, Motorola and Boeing. Read more

Saint-Gobain begins construction on production plant in Goodyear, Arizona

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

Saint-Gobain has begun construction on its first manufacturing plant in North America. Located in Goodyear, Arizona, the facility will house the company?s mirror line for solar thermal power stations and supply the domestic US market. The plant, with an estimated production capacity that corresponds to an annual thermal output of 300MW, is anticipated to be online by the 2011 fourth quarter. Read more

Sunlogics completes acquisition of EPV Solar, New Millennium Solar Equipment

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:45 (PV-Tech)

As Sunlogics closed the acquisition of privately held Phoenix Solar Holdings and its subsidiaries, EPV Solar Germany and New Millennium Solar Equipment, the company noted its new capability to manufacture solar panels on three continents: Europe, Asia and North America. The exact financial terms of the deal were not released, but Sunlogics advised that investments were made by GLG Partners, Tenor Capital, Atlas Investment Fund and Catalyst Investment Management and that it had received a US$6 million equity investment. Read more

The Solar Foundation: Over 100,000 Americans employed in the solar industry

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:33 (Solarserver)

On September 19th, 2011, The Solar Foundation (Washington, D.C., U.S.) released results from a census of solar jobs in the United States, reporting that over 100,000 Americans are now working in the industry. "National Solar Jobs Census 2011: A Review of the U.S. Solar Workforce" notes that solar businesses added 6,730 new workers in a one-year period since August 2010, representing a 6.8% growth rate. Read more

GM-backed Sunlogics Buys Solar Plants, Raises $6 Million

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:28 (Renewable Energy World)

Sunlogics was relatively unknown until it lined up an investment from General Motors and a potentially lucrative deal to market solar powered electric car charging stations to Chevrolet dealers earlier this year. Now it has lined up more investors and bought the private Phoenix Solar Holdings, Sunlogics announced Tuesday. Read more

Gehrlicher France connects 2.9MWp roof system to grid

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:42 (PV-Tech)

Labelled the Alsace region?s second-largest PV roof system in the area, Gehrlicher Solar France?s 2.9MWp solar power plant in Hombourg near Mulhouse, east France was connected to the grid in mid-August 2011. Read more

New planning tool calculates the best solar solution for any UK rooftop

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:24 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar system manufacturer Conergy has launched its ‘Conergizer’ systems planning tool in the UK to help users work out the best solar solution for any roof – aesthetically, financially and in terms of solar energy generation potential. The free tool is expected to enable solar projects in the UK that had previously been discounted due to shading issues or because rooftops are not south-facing. The tool is also aimed at increasing awareness of best practice in solar installations. Read more

Recently launched Venture Capital Trusts add power to solar investment

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:16 (Solarpowerportal)

Following the success of delivering 11 large solar sites connected to the National Grid ahead of the August 1 feed-in tariff (FiT) deadline, Octopus Investments announced its intention to make further investments in solar energy. Read more

SoCore Energy to install solar portfolio for US pharmacy

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 16:07 (PV-Tech)

US pharmacy Walgreens has chosen SoCore Energy to install PV systems at 90 of its stores in Ohio. This new portfolio will have a capacity of 2MW and increase the number of arrays on Walgreens stores to 136; the first 53 in this next wave of installations are due to be completed by November 11. The individual systems are being leased for 10 years to Walgreens, which will equip them with Power-One inverters and SolarWorld?s 240W crystalline silicon panels. Read more

Q2 Report: U.S. Solar Capacity Maintains Growth

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 15:05 (Renewable Energy World)

The American solar market remains on pace to double last year's installed capacity by the end of 2011 behind large gains in the utility and commercial markets. Read more

The Question Day 6: How Can the U.S. Solar Industry Meet Expectations?

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

RenewableEnergyWorld asked solar executives and our social media community to lend their voices and define what three strategies they think will lead to a thriving solar industry. Answers were varied, and many valid opinions were brought to light. Responses will be updated here daily, and feel free to look at previous insights by clicking on the page links below. Read more

Solarcentury responds to lack of environmental responsibility displayed by China?s solar industry

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 14:07 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar cell and module manufacturer JinkoSolar’s eastern China-based factory has been shut down after protests by local residents over pollution fears. Some 500 villagers staged a three-day protest following the death of large numbers of fish in a local river, which were thought to be caused by a fluorine leak. Read more

Western Wind builds North America?s first joint wind and solar power system

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 12:34 (PV-Tech)

Commercial operation has begun at Western Wind Energy?s Kingman I wind and solar project in Mohave County, Arizona. The 10.5MW system is the first purpose-built joint wind and solar project in North America and the electricity generated will be sold to Unisource Electric Services. Read more

Photon: prices for solar renewable energy credits to suffer ongoing devaluation

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

Using the metaphor of a "gold rush", Photon Consulting LLC (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) has issued a report stating that the prices for solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) will continue to decline in coming years. "End of the Gold Rush: Crash of U.S. SREC Markets?" states that installed PV capacities have "severely outpaced" renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requirements in U.S. states. Read more

JinkoSolar addresses environmental concerns related to its Zhejiang province facility, temporarily suspends operations at its Haining facility

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 11:30 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (Shanghai, China) a vertically-integrated solar power product manufacturer, on September 19th, 2011 addressed the environmental concerns that have surfaced at its facility in Haining city, Zhejiang Province, China in recent days. In response to the concerns of local residents and in full cooperation with the local government's investigation, Zhejiang Jinko has suspended operations at its facility in Haining until the impact of any potential environmental damage has been assessed and remedied, JinkoSolar reports in a press release. Read more

You could be saving over £1,200 a year by installing solar panels

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 10:55 (Solarpowerportal)

Our Solar Britain has launched a new solar savings calculator, designed to simplify the process for working out the potential financial gain from installing PV panels. Estimating that the average UK homeowner could save over £1,200 a year, the calculator combines estimated savings on energy bills with financial gains from Government’s feed-in tariff (FiT) to give users an idea of the money they can make through adopting renewable energy over 25 years. Read more

Developers Warm to Small-Scale Geothermal

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 15:24 (Renewable Energy World)

Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHPs), and their application in geothermal heat extraction, have matured as a technology in recent years. But their take-up varies widely in Europe from country to country. Climatic and geological conditions differ a great deal, and economic circumstances and traditional construction methods are wildly dissimilar. Read more

Tenesol opens Belgium subsidiary, completes 250kW PV system in Wallonia

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 22:02 (PV-Tech)

Tenesol recently revealed that it had opened a new subsidiary in Brussels, Belgium, which will serve the Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg regions. Jan De Rybel has been appointed to manage the new subsidiary, bringing an engineering background and renewable energy experience to position. Read more

ZBB awarded contract to supply energy storage and management solution at U.S. sports stadium

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:37 (Solarserver)

On September 16th, 2011, ZBB Energy Corporation (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.) announced that it has been awarded a contract with an un-named "major" utility to provide an energy storage and power management solution to accompany solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. ZBB will supply its EnerSystem integrated power management and energy storage platform, including a V3 zinc-bromide flow battery and 25 kW inverter. The system will also accommodate electric vehicle charging, and will be located at a "major" sports venue. Read more

China announces regional plans for emissions reductions

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:36 (Solarserver)

The State Council of China has announced its work plan for energy conservation and emissions reductions under the nation's 12th five-year plan, including provincial level energy targets for 2015. The nation plans to reduce carbon intensity by 17% and energy intensity by 16% by 2015, with energy intensity reductions between 10% and 18% depending upon the province. Read more

PV producer Tianwei New Energy to supply 10MW modules to China Datang Corp. for a ground mounted project in Qinghai Province

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 20:31 (Solarserver)

Tianwei New Energy (Chengdu, China) on September 20th, 2011 announced a 10MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) module supply agreement with power generation enterprise group China Datang Corporation (Beijing). In September and October of 2011, the 10MWp modules will arranged to be delivered to Datang?s solar project in Delhi, Qinghai Province, China. This project is the first ground mounted project collaborated by TIANWEI and Datang. Read more

Huhne defends UK Coalition?s green policy agenda

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 17:45 (Solarpowerportal)

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat annual conference in Birmingham the UK’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne today defended the Coalition’s green policy agenda, promoting the recent efforts of the so-called ‘greenest Government ever.’ Read more

De Lage Landen and Tioga Energy co-finance rooftop installation in Hawaii

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 14:01 (PV-Tech)

Cleantech finance company De Lage Landen has finalized an agreement that will see the company?s Clean Technology Group team up with Tioga Energy to provide long-term financing for an 856kW solar project in Honolulu, Hawaii. Built for Oceanic Time Warner at its Mililani Tech Park, the project is a combination rooftop and solar parking canopy and is said to be the largest of its kind in the state of Hawaii. Read more

Greenpeace report calls for Japan to abolish nuclear programme by 2012

Tuesday, 9.20.2011 - 10:57 (PV-Tech)

A new report from Greenpeace has claimed that a switch to renewable energy sources would allow Japan to permanently close its entire nuclear portfolio by 2012 without jeopardizing economic growth. Findings from the ?Advanced Energy [R]evolution Report for Japan? have put a further nail in the coffin of an industry still reeling from the fallout of March?s Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Read more