Easy MCS partners with module manufacturer Winaico

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 18:13 (Solarpowerportal)

Easy MCS has signed a partnership agreement with solar photovoltaics manufacturer, Winaico. Together the companies will offer an exclusive discount programme, which will assist installers with the costs of entering the renewable marketplace. Read more

Potential EU savings through standardization is top of the bill at PV Power Plants Conference

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 13:09 (PV-Tech)

Around 150 industry experts gathered at the Third PV Power Plants Conference in Vienna to discuss the issue of advances in solar module technology as preventing large-scale savings for the European market, at the Third PV Power Plants Conference in Vienna. The conference, which took place March 28 - 30, was attended by executives from many of Europe?s top solar farm projects, many of whom lamented the lack of standardization in Europe. The issue was raised on day one of the event by Projektierers Belectric CEO Bernhard Beck. Read more

Winning bids for California's RAM come in under USD 0.089/kWh

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 12:14 (Solarserver)

On March 30th, 2012 the Vote Solar Initiative (San Francisco, California, U.S.) published initial results from California's Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM) program, noting that the highest price among 11 winning bids totaling 130 MW is USD 0.0892/kWh. The RAM is a competitive solicitation program for renewable energy projects under 20 MW. Of the 11 projects identified, 9 utilized solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, seven of which will supply electricity to Southern California Edison (SCE, Rosemead, California, U.S.). Read more

National Skills Academy launches new guide to environmental technologies

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 11:12 (Solarpowerportal)

The National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies has published a new guide for those interested in learning how various environmental technologies work. The booklet, which covers a range of renewable technologies including solar thermal and photovoltaics, also outlines each technology?s suitability for different applications. Read more

Conergy sees fall in revenues, losses in 2011 results, commissions 8 MW PV plant in Northern Germany

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 9:44 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany) released results for the full year 2011, reporting a 7% increase in sales volume to 393 MW, but an 18% decrease in revenues to EUR 754 million (USD 1.00 billion). The company also reported a -24% operating margin, and a net loss of EUR 162 million (USD 215 million). On the same day, Conergy officially opened an 8 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Grimmen, Germany. Read more

GGFi offers insurance-backed solar installation protection

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 18:36 (Solarpowerportal)

GGFi, the insurance division of the Glass & Glazing Federation, has launched a new insurance-backed scheme, designed to protect consumers from the possibility that their installer ceases to trade. Read more

Solar Supporter: Clinton to Give Keynote at SPI

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 16:51 (Renewable Energy World)

This is the year of politics, so who better to speak at America's largest solar show than perhaps the most skilled politician around. Read more

Activ Solar begins commissioning of 31.5 MW PV plant in Crimea

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 15:54 (Solarserver)

On April 3rd, 2012 Activ Solar GmbH (Vienna, Austria) announced that it has completed and begun commissioning a 31.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Crimean region of the Ukraine. The Mitayevo PV plant comprises 134,000 polycrystalline PV modules on 59 hectares of land, connected by over 440 kilometers of cable. In 2011 Activ Solar commissioned the 80 MW Ohotnikovo and 100 MW Perovo PV plants, also in Crimea. Read more

Solar Trust of America files for bankruptcy

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 15:41 (Solarserver)

On April 2nd, 2012 Solar Trust of America LLC (Oakland, California, U.S.) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. state of Delaware. The company states that it has insufficient liquid funds to continue project development. In December 2011 Solar Millennium AG (Erlangen, Germany), which held a majority stake in the company, began insolvency proceedings in Germany. Solar Millennium had attempted to sell its stake in Solar Trust of America to Solarhybrid AG (Brilon, Germany), however the sale included financial conditions, and Solarhybrid filed for insolvency on March 20th, 2012. Read more

South American PV sector given another boost by policy changes in Brazil

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 13:26 (PV-Tech)

ANEEL, the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency, has announced a proposal to implement two new policies that will likely see a considerable increase in the development of PV projects throughout South America. The first change in policy aims to stimulate new solar development in utility, through the reduction of taxes on energy produced by solar power plants by 80%. The second revision will be directed at increasing demand for small scale systems by creating a true net-metering system for residential and commercial installations. Read more

CSI launches solar water heating incentive program for low-income housing

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 12:23 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012 the California Solar Initiative (CSI) began accepting applications for a new USD 25 million incentive program for solar water heating systems on affordable housing in the state. Under the CSI-Thermal Low-Income Program, single-family homes can qualify for up to USD 3,750 in incentives, and multi-family homes up to USD 500,000 in incentives. Read more

SCHOTT Solar to unveil SCHOTT PERFORM MONO 260 PV module in May

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 11:53 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012, SCHOTT Solar (Mainz, Germany) announced that it will introduce the new high-performance SCHOTT PERFORM MONO module in May. The company will launch its latest development in two performance classes of up to 260 watt (W) peak to start with. Read more

Sol Systems announces first round of solar deals financed on SolMarket

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 11:45 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012, Sol Systems (Washington, U.S.) announced that it has financed more than 4 megawatts (MW) of solar projects through its SolMarket in the last 60 days. The projects range in size from 100 kilowatt (kW) to 1.5 MW. Also, another 9 projects ranging from 200 kW to 5 MW with a combined capacity of 10 MW are either under exclusive negotiation or at term sheet with SolMarket investors. Read more

Solar Frontier, Japan Asia Group sign MOU to develop PV plants in Japan

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 11:38 (Solarserver)

On March 29th, 2012, Solar Frontier (Tokyo, Japan) announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with solar project developer Japan Asia Group Ltd. to cooperate on promoting solar power businesses in Japan. By integrating project development, construction, sales and maintenance, the companies will work together with cooperating construction contractors to provide customers with value-added solar power plant solutions and services. Read more

Pvillion constructs 1600W solar sail using United Solar PV laminates

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 10:57 (PV-Tech)

Pvillion?s newly constructed electric car charging station, located in Pflugersville, Texas, uses a solar sail with PV laminates provided by United Solar. The charging station?s solar sail generates 1600W of energy. Read more

SDG&E signs new power purchase agreements with two Silverado Power subsidiaries

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 18:48 (PV-Tech)

Silverado Power and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has announced that it has signed power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Western Antelope Dry Ranch and Victor Mesa Linda, two Californian Silverado Power subsidiaries. The two projects will supply a total of 15MW, enough electricity to power an estimated 3,225 homes. Read more

Office of Fair Trading looks into the home insulation market

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 16:42 (Solarpowerportal)

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has today issued a Call for Evidence to gauge whether the home insulation market is actually benefitting consumers. OFT has made the decision to analyse the energy efficiency markets in the UK before the implementation of the Green Deal, which is expected later this year. Read more

ReEnergise Energy launches dedicated finance brokerage for renewables

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 16:27 (Solarpowerportal)

A new finance brokerage which promises to provide specialist funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for businesses across the UK has been launched. Read more

Part 2: Political Reality and the Way Forward for Renewable Energy

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 16:06 (Renewable Energy World)

Political heavyweights know this about their rough-and-tumble game ? you project victory long before the results are in. And when you think you've won, you never give your opponent an opening. Read more

Spain Imposes "Temporary" Halt to New Renewable Energy and Co-generation Projects

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Faced with growing fiscal challenges and the specter of increasingly trigger-happy credit rating agencies, the new center-right Spanish government has acted to temporarily put a halt to awarding new feed-in tariff (FIT) contracts starting in January 2013. The move is expected to have immediate impacts on approximately 4,500 MW of wind power projects, 550MW of solar PV projects, as well as a number of projects in other technology classes. Read more

German Energy Policy: Reconciling Energy Storage and Feed-in Tariffs with Self-consumption Tariffs

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Feed-in tariffs for generated energy are often seen as dis-incentivizing for storage. Indeed, if one gets an advantageous payment for energy delivered to the grid, why should the energy be stored and later self-consumed? With the introduction of "self-consumption" tariffs, German policy-makers tried to solve this problem for PV. Read more

Carbon Capture and Storage: Government launches UK?s first roadmap

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 12:01 (Solarpowerportal)

Furthering its mission to become the ?greenest Government ever?, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has today revealed plans to make the UK a world leader in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Read more

Lark Energy renews Investors in Environment sponsorship

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 11:17 (Solarpowerportal)

Bourne-based Lark Energy has announced that it will be renewing its sponsorship of the Investors in the Environment scheme.  Read more

Day4 Energy reports 60% decline in revenues, heavy losses in 2011

Tuesday, 4.3.2012 - 9:14 (Solarserver)

On March 30th, 2012 Day4 Energy Inc. (Burnaby, Canada) reported operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2011, reporting an 84% year-over-year decline in quarterly revenues to USD 9.5 million, and a net loss of USD 19.0 million. Over the full year 2011, the company reported a 60% decline in revenues to USD 66.7 million, and a net loss of USD 41.1 million, compared to a net loss of USD 9.9 million in 2010. The company blames diminished PV market conditions for its losses. Read more