Order Focus: Satcon Technology delivers 5MW of inverter solutions to Arizona Western College

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 23:06 (PV-Tech)

Satcon Technology recently supplied Arizona Western College with 5MW of its PowerGate Plus and Solstice inverter solutions for a distributed solar installation on the college campus. The solar project is intended to be a research and testing site for government and corporate solar applications and uses various PV technology including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, low-concentration, high-concentration and thin-film. Read more

Canada Revenue Agency clears HST haze surrounding Ontario microFIT PV projects

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 20:35 (Solarserver)

On September 22nd, 2011, the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CANSIA; Ottawa, Canada), which is a national trade association representing about 650 solar energy companies throughout Canada, announced that recent Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) activity is clearing up tax confusion regarding the HST refund, an added value tax, on microFIT solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Read more

John Lefebvre appointed president of Suntech America

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (Wuxi, China), the world's largest producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, has appointed John Lefebvre as President of Suntech America. Based at Suntech America's headquarters in San Francisco, Mr. Lefebvre is charged with extending Suntech's market leadership position throughout North and South America. He will report directly to Suntech's Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Beebe. Read more

Order Focus: CNPV signs master distribution agreement for North America with Solar Solutions

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 23:39 (PV-Tech)

CNPV Solar Power has executed a master distribution agreement for residential and commercial installations with Denver-based Solar Solutions and Distribution. The agreement will see CNPV provide Solar Solutions with 100MWp of high-performance PV modules between 2011 and 2013, with 10MWp delivered by the end of 2011. The company will subsequently deliver the remaining 40MWp and 50MWp of PV modules in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Read more

Order Focus: Satcon Technology delivers 5MW of invertor solutions to Arizona Western College

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 23:06 (PV-Tech)

Satcon Technology recently supplied Arizona Western College with 5MW of its PowerGate Plus and Solstice invertor solutions for a distributed solar installation on the college campus. The solar project is intended to be a research and testing site for government and corporate solar applications and uses various PV technology including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, low-concentration, high-concentration and thin-film. Read more

African Development Bank to loan USD 365 million to Eskom for large-scale wind and solar generation in South Africa

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 20:36 (Solarserver)

On September 25th, 2011, South African public utility Eskom (Sandton, South Africa) signed two loan agreements with the African Development Bank (AfDB) for USD 365 million to support the development of large-scale wind and solar generation in South Africa. The loans consist of USD 265 million from the AfDB's resources and USD 100 million from the Clean Technology Fund. The loans are guaranteed by the South African government. Read more

Solar power provider Tenesol establishes Greek subsidiary

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 20:36 (Solarserver)

Tenesol, has opened a new subsidiary in Greece. The company has operated in Greece for many years through its distribution network. Tenesol will reinforce this network while also developing and serving the country?s rapidly growing solar industry directly, the company announced. Manthos Kallios, newly appointed general manager of the Greek subsidiary, joins Tenesol from PPC Renewables, the renewable energy subsidiary of Greece?s largest power company, where he was director of the solar energy division. Read more

Amphenol's PV connector gets top position in independent test comparison by solar power magazine Photon

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 20:35 (Solarserver)

On September 23rd, 2011, Amphenol Industrial (Sidney, N.Y.), announced that its Helios H4 PV connector has achieved the two top ranked positions in an independent annual test comparison of solar connectors performed by Photon, The Solar Power Magazine. Beating out 26 competing connectors, the Helios H4 performed exceptionally well in a series of tests including contact resistance, separation force and high voltage withstand. Read more

Closing In On Deadline, DOE Finalizes Three Loans

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 20:15 (Renewable Energy World)

While the solar industry continues to face the brunt of the criticism in the aftermath of the Solyndra investigation, the Department of Energy is quickly working toward its Sept. 30 deadline to close loan guarantees with three announcements in other industries. Read more

Google invests in US residential solar market

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 19:58 (PV-Tech)

The renewable energy sector and in particular, solar is becoming increasingly popular at Google, having now invested more than $850 million in the renewable energy sector. The latest US$75 million investment is in Clean Power Finance?s ?white label? financing solution for the US residential market for solar PV installations. The Clean Power Finance-Google fund is expected to support up to 3,000 homeowners finance the installation of PV modules on rooftops. Read more

School is in session with the launch of Scotland?s first solar PV training academy

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 18:11 (Solarpowerportal)

PV Solar UK recently launched Scotland’s first solar photovoltaic (PV) training academy with Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing, MSP. Read more

First Solar wins EPC and module supply contract for 130MW Imperial County power plant

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 16:49 (PV-Tech)

Continuing to build its project pipeline, First Solar has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a 130MW solar park to be built in Imperial County, California. Tenaska Solar Ventures, the solar energy affiliate of independent utility company Tenaska, will operate the park and has a 25-year power-purchase agreement (PPA) with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), which was announced in March 2011. Read more

First Solar wins EPC and module supply contract to 130MW Imperial County power plant

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 16:49 (PV-Tech)

Continuing to build its project pipeline, First Solar has been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a 130MW solar park to built in Imperial County, California. Tenaska Solar Ventures, the solar energy affiliate of independent utility company, Tenaska will operate the park and has a 25-year power-purchase agreement (PPA) with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), which was announced in March, 2011. Read more

The Question Day 11: How Can the U.S. Solar Industry Meet Expectations?

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 15:42 (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

Eight19?s IndiGo system to promote uptake of solar energy in developing countries

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 13:44 (PV-Tech)

Off-grid applications company Eight19 has launched its IndiGo system, a pay-as-you-go, personal solar electricity system that allows users to illuminate homes and charge mobile phones using a scratchcard system. The system consists of a low-cost solar panel, a battery unit with inbuilt mobile phone charger and a high efficiency light emitting diode (LED) lamp. The device is credited using a low-cost scratchcard that can be validated by phone. Read more

Sopogy?s solar collectors receive SRCC certification

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 12:58 (PV-Tech)

Sopogy?s Concentrating Solar Collectors have received OG-100 classification from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC). The certification qualifies Sopogy?s collectors for the solar programmes of a number of US states and validates the performance of Sopogy?s collector technology. The SRCC is the US?s independent accreditor for solar thermal products and Sopogy?s MicroCSP collector passed all of the third-party laboratory and outdoor tests; it was awarded the OG-100 certification after meeting all durability, safety and thermal performance requirements. Read more

Scatec Solar opens 2.5MW PV plant in Utscheid, Germany

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 12:52 (PV-Tech)

Designed and built on behalf of the municipality of Utscheid in western Germany, Scatec Solar has officially inaugurated its 2.5MW solar PV plant with help from the town?s Mayor Alexander Stellmes. Equipped with SMA inverters and over 10,000 REC modules, the new park was completed within its planned timeframe of six weeks by developer Copcon and will be operated by the municipality of Utscheid. Read more

Dubai authorities plan ?very big? solar plant

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 12:14 (PV-Tech)

In a bid to generate 5% of the emirate?s electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030, Dubai authorities were cited by a Reuters India report as being on the verge of announcing details of a large solar power plant in the region. Saeed Mohammed al-Tayer, vice chairman of Dubai?s Supreme Council of Energy, has said that although the 5% target will comprise several forms of renewable energy sources, ?[t]his is mainly going to be solar?. Read more

Global Solar Energy to supply PV modules to Italian roof specialists

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:56 (Solarserver)

On September 23rd, 2011, Global Solar Energy Inc. (Tucson, Arizona, U.S.) announced that it has signed agreements to supply solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to Iscom SpA (Pescantina, Italy), Energyka Srl (Italy) and B.A. Energie Srl (Busto Arsizio, Italy). Global Solar Energy states that as a result of these agreements, it will sell a significant portion of the flexible copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) PV modules it produces in Berlin-Adlershof, Germany to these partners. Read more

Abengoa completes India's first CSP plant at 3 MW

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:38 (Solarserver)

On September 26th, 2011, Abengoa SA (Seville, Spain) announced that it has completed a 3 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant for the India Institute of Technology Bombay (ITT, Mumbai, India), as the nation's first completed CSP plant. Abengoa was responsible for design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the plant, which represents an investment of USD 4 million. The plant is located in Gwal Pahari, Haryana State, 35 kilometers from New Delhi. Read more

Concentrating solar collectors: Sopogy?s technology receives SRCC certification

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:33 (Solarserver)

Sopogy Inc. (Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.), producer of micro concentrating solar power systems (MicroCSP), has successfully received certification from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) in its recently established OG-100 classification for concentrating solar collectors. Sopogy is the first MicroCSP company with utility-scale collectors used in power generation, air conditioning and process heat to receive the certification. Read more

OneRoof Energy secures USD 50 million in financing, introduces new leasing option for solar PV roof installations

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:28 (Solarserver)

OneRoof Energy (San Diego, Calif.), a residential solar company that works directly with roofers to lease and install residential solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems, has secured USD 50 million in financing and has also officially launched its residential solar leasing program, the company reports in a press release. "Homeowners can now integrate solar into their new roof at no upfront cost through a simple lease program," OneRoof Energy emphasizes. Read more

National Solar Power chooses Gadsden County, Florida for 400 MW PV project

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 9:48 (Solarserver)

On September 26th, 2011, National Solar Power (NSP, Melbourne, Florida, U.S.) announced that the company has chosen Gadsden County, Florida for the site of its 400 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project. The company states that in addition to the large PV project planned for Gadsden, other counties it evaluated in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina will be considered for future PV projects. Read more

Solarbuzz: PV overproduction, price pressures to continue into 2012

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 9:39 (Solarserver)

On September 26th, 2011 Solarbuzz Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) released a report which states that production of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules will continue to exceed demand into 2012, leading to sustained price pressures across global PV markets. The most recent "Solarbuzz Quarterly" estimates that third quarter 2011 global demand will grow less than 1% over the second quarter of 2011. Read more

Solar developer Idaho Power to propose corrected price until Sept. 27th, 2011

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 9:29 (Solarserver)

On September 21st, 2011, Idaho Public Utilities Commission announced that it granted a seven days deadline to Idaho Power Co. and the developer of a 20-MW solar installation for submission of an amended sales agreement that corrects acknowledged mathematical errors in the current proposed agreement. Read more

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative selects SunEdison to develop 5.5MW solar plant

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 1:16 (PV-Tech)

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO), a member of the National Renewables Cooperative Organization (NRCO), selected SunEdison to develop a 5.5MW AC solar facility on 47.2 acres of land owned by SMECO in Hughesville, Maryland. The project, which will sit next to SMECO?s engineering and operations building, is anticipated to reach full commercial operation in early 2013 and generate 8,471MWh of solar electricity during its first operational year. Read more

SolarTech publishes microinverter and AC module application guide

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 0:43 (PV-Tech)

SolarTech publicized its first edition of the Microinverter and AC Module Application Guide, which aims to provide installers, building officials and fire officials a streamlined guide for existing codes and standards while additionally allowing its targeted audience to make faster decisions about the technology by using the common reference document. Read more

BigBelly Solar introduces next-generation intelligent waste and recycling collection system

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 0:22 (PV-Tech)

BigBelly Solar debuted its intelligent waste and recycling collection system, the Smart Grid for Waste & Recycling. Among other key characteristics, the new system boasts the ability to access a management console from any web browser, which gives users a look into public waste and recycling collection operations. The visualization tools and reporting capabilities are expected to give insights to better improve operations management, activity tracking and auditing results. Read more

The Third Way: Advanced Biofuels as a System of Systems

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 15:32 (Renewable Energy World)

It has been an exciting week in industrial biotech. Elevance filed for its IPO as it chases down scale-up for its technologies, unlocking value in renewable chemicals and possibly fuels. Then there was the news that Mascoma and Fulcrum Bioenergy were also filing IPOs for their cellulosic ethanol technologies, as they assemble capital for their leap to commercial scale, too. Read more

WindAid: Powering and Enlightening Lives for Those In Need

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 15:21 (Renewable Energy World)

While traveling the vast, scenic landscapes of Northern Peru, you would be hard-pressed to find running water or a light fixture. So imagine how surprised you would be if you stumbled upon a group of volunteers erecting a wind turbine as you hiked through the mountains in Huamachuco. Read more

Tecta Solar to develop 1.1-MW solar PV facility on former landfill in Adams, Massachusetts

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 9:33 (Solarserver)

On August 19th, 2011, Tecta Solar (Skokie, Illinois), a division of Tecta America Corp., announced that it plans to develop a 1.1-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) array in Adams, Mass. The solar array at the former landfill could be producing energy as soon as December 2011. The privately funded project is expected to save Adams some USD 3.3 million over the next two decades. Read more

Sustainable energy charity extends free PV scheme

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 18:48 (Solarpowerportal)

Just two months after launching a £20 million investment package for community buildings in Cornwall, Community Energy Plus has now announced it will extend its offer. Read more

Breaking News: FiT loophole is now closed

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 18:32 (Solarpowerportal)

After weeks of silence the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has finally announced that the consultation on extensions to the large-scale feed-in tariff has ended and the loophole is now closed. Read more

Renewable Industries Predictions for the Second Half of 2011

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The impact of the economic downturn that began in Q2 2011 is already being felt across the energy markets, including the renewable sector. While the sustainable industries saw an uptick in private equity and M&A deal activity in Q1 2011, with cleantech investments totaling $2.27 billion for the quarter, this surge was fueled in-part by spillover from deals that didn't close during Q4 2010. Read more

Mitsubishi opens the green gate to tackle the challenges of climate change

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 12:42 (Solarpowerportal)

Mitsubishi Electric launched the second phase of its Green Gateway philosophy at the recent World Green Building Week, organised by the UK Green Building Council. Read more

U.S. House passes TRAIN Act, preventing regulation of pollution from power plants

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:19 (Solarserver)

On September 26th, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill which blocks the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing certain controls on pollution from power plants. H.R. 2401, the TRAIN Act, would allow the indefinite suspension of the EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and Mercury and Air Toxics standards, giving fossil fuel generation further price advantages by allowing cheaper, dirtier generation. Read more

Indian customers prepared to pay higher price for renewable electricity

Tuesday, 9.27.2011 - 11:09 (PV-Tech)

Despite a survey from Mercom Capital Group revealing that just 56% of Indians have heard of renewable energy, nearly three-quarters of the country?s energy customers are willing to pay more for uninterrupted power and the opportunity to use renewable sources. These findings will help dispel the misconception at government level in India that the public are unwilling to pay more for electricity and offers further encouragement to India?s renewable energy sector. Read more