California school district commissions 3.7 MW of PV systems

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 20:27 (Solarserver)

Porterville Unified School District (California, U.S.) and SunPower Corp. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced the installation of 3.7 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at six district schools. The PV systems are expected to reduce the district's electricity costs by USD 44 million over the next 25 years. SunPower installed ground-mounted solar arrays as well as solar shade structures in school parking lots, taking advantage of underutilized space and providing needed shade. The systems use high efficiency SunPower solar panels. Read more

Smart Energy Capital, BELECTRIC, Obsidian reach halfway completion point for 5.7 MW PV plant in Oregon

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 20:11 (Solarserver)

On September 21st, 2012, Smart Energy Capital (Portland, Oregon, U.S.) announced that construction work on the 5.7 MW Outback solar photovoltaic (PV) project has reached 50% completion mark. The PV project, which is being developed by BELECTRIC Inc. (Newark, California, U.S.) and Obsidian Finance (Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S.), is the largest solar power plant in the Northwest and the first to utilize the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) transmission system, according to Smart Energy Capital. Read more

Heraeus opens Taiwanese PV manufacturing facility

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 17:15 (PV-Tech)

The Heraeus Photovoltaics business unit, part of German technology firm Heraeus, has opened a new manufacturing facility in Taiwan demonstrating its commitment to the PV industry in the country and region. Read more

PV production technology: Plansee exhibits new CIGS sputtering targets at EU PVSEC

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 15:54 (Solarserver)

Plansee SE (Reutte, Austria) presents a new molybdenum sputtering target design for copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar photovoltaic (PV) production at the EU PVSEC trade show from in Frankfurt, Germany. The company has developed a polymer-based inner diameter coating system for monolithic rotary targets, which prevents direct contact between the target material and cooling water during the sputtering of CIGS back contacts. Read more

Meyer Burger produces 303 W PV module

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:40 (Solarserver)

Meyer Burger Technology Ltd. (Baar, Switzerland) has produced a 303 W solar photovoltaic (PV) module based on a 60-cell design, using heterojunction PV cells under production conditions. This represents a record for the 60-cell design, which Meyer Burger says was made possible through a high level of process integration between wafer, cell and module technologies, including its SmartWire Connection technology. The company is displaying these modules at the EU PVSEC trade show in Frankfurt, Germany from September 25th-28th, 2012. Read more

EU PVSEC: InnoLas Systems teams with Meyer Burger on PERC cell efficiency gains

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 10:15 (PV-Tech)

As part of a current technology partnership, InnoLas Systems and Meyer Burger subsidiary, Roth & Rau have collaborated to improve the efficiency of standard mono-crystalline cells by up to 1%. The combination of optimized laser processing and coating technology is claimed to provide a throughput of 3,400 wafers per hour. Read more

Sharp to Sell Full Stake in Solar Project Developer Recurrent Energy

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 23:16 (Renewable Energy World)

Despite the lack of an official announcement by the Sharp Corporation, it's been reported by Bloomberg that the Osaka-based electronics company is seeking to sell Recurrent Energy LLC, a solar project development company it acquired in 2010. As part of a larger restructuring plan, Sharp is predicted to sell full stake in the San Francisco-based company, which it bought for $305 million, for the U.S. equivalent of $321 million (25 billion yen). Read more

SPUK: The Solar Building Company announces partnership with Photonics Power Srl

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 18:50 (Solarpowerportal)

The Solar Building Company Ltd is announcing a new partnership with Italian BIPV manufacturer, Photonics Power Srl, at this year?s Solar Power UK that will see the Monmouth-based distributor supply Photonics? range of solar tiles to the UK. Read more

Europe Dominated Solar Panel Installations in 2011

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 18:03 (Renewable Energy World)

Europe accounted for two thirds of the world-wide newly installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2011, with 18.5 GW. Its overall PV capacity totalled 52 GW. The yearly electricity produced by PV could power a country with the electricity demand of Austria, which corresponds to 2% of the EU's electricity needs. These are some of the highlights of the 2012 Photovoltaics Status Report published today by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. Read more

Why We Pay Double for Solar in America (But Won't Forever)

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 17:58 (Renewable Energy World)

I often get flak when I publish research on the cost trajectory for solar (e.g. my Rooftop Revolution report estimates 100 million Americans reaching grid parity by 2021).  About half think I?m too conservative, and half think I?m too overconfident that solar will continue to drop in price by 7% per year indefinitely. But I?m not alone in perceivin Read more

EU PVSEC: Gas and solar cooperation could make PV competitive against traditional energy sources

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 17:15 (PV-Tech)

An alliance between solar power and gas could bring the PV industry to the level playing field with traditional energy sources that the sector has dreamed of since its inception, an animated Björn Emde, communications manager from Suntech, told the audience of the 9th European PV Industry Summit at EU PVSEC this afternoon. Read more

Latin America Report: Emerging Markets Are Hot Spots for Solar Development

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 17:13 (Renewable Energy World)

At Solar Power International 2012 in Orlando, Fla., panelists from the Outbound from America to Latin America session sat down to continue the conversation in the Solar Central booth on the show floor. Watch the entire discussion on video below. Read more

Tesla Building $250,000 Chargers for Model S Drivers in Highways

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 16:23 (Renewable Energy World)

Tesla Motors Inc., the electric-car company led by Elon Musk, plans to build a network of solar- powered chargers on major U.S. highways to expand the driving range for owners of its cars at no charge. Read more

PSEG purchases 12 MW-AC PV project in Delaware from Juwi Solar

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 16:00 (Solarserver)

PSEG Solar Source (Newark, New Jersey, U.S.) has completed the acquisition of a 12 MW-AC solar photovoltaic (PV) project in the U.S. state of Delaware from Juwi Solar Inc. (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.). Juwi will perform engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the Milford Solar Farm, as well as operations and maintenance services. Construction on the USD 50 million plant will begin by the end of September 2012, and Juwi expects to complete the Milford plant in the fourth quarter of 2012. Read more

Mainstream Solar: Room for Contractors to Grow

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

For solar energy to spread mainstream on U.S. homes, installation will need to move beyond specialized solar contractors to traditional building trades, such as roofers and electricians. Read more

Is Timeshifting PV's Post-Incentive Future?

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Timeshifting. The ability to store something for consumption at a more convenient time. Great for watching your favourite television shows. Ideal for solar PV, too, but sadly we are not at a stage where solar energy is widely timeshifted via a programmable box. At least, not yet. Read more

EU Solar Makers Demand China Tariffs With Second Complaint

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

European Union solar-panel makers stepped up demands for tariffs against Chinese rivals by accusing them of receiving illegal subsidies after persuading the EU to probe them for alleged unfair price undercutting. Read more

SPUK: Navitron to announce new HFC range of solar thermal modules

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 13:45 (Solarpowerportal)

Following the announcement of the Domestic RHI, Navitron are hoping to capatilise on the newly-available subsidy by announcing the launch of its new HFC range of curtained solar thermal panels. Read more

SPUK: Clenergy to debut PV-ezRack and PV-ezDesign at Solar Power UK

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 13:26 (Solarpowerportal)

Clenergy will be announcing its brand new PV mounting system at this year?s Solar Power UK exhibition and conference, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham throughout October 2-4. Read more

Malaysia opens Solar Home Rooftop Programme

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

The Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) of Malaysian has announced that applications for its Solar Home Rooftop Programme will be accepted from September 24. The Authority will allocate 2,000kW of solar PV for the fourth quarter of 2012 and 6,000kW for 2013 to homeowners. Read more

Hanwha SolarOne supplies modules for largest rooftop PV plant in France

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:35 (Solarserver)

Hanwha SolarOne Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) has supplied 7.7 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for a PV plant on the roof of an agricultural facility in the Aquitaine region of France. The total project is 8.7 MW in size, and covers 9 hectares on the roof of a Ginseng plantation in Rion-des-Landes (Aquitaine). Solvéo Energie (Fenouillet, France) constructed the building and the PV plant, which was inaugurated on September 21st, 2012, as the largest rooftop PV plant in the nation. Read more

Greece approves 131.074MW solar park

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:29 (PV-Tech)

The construction of 39 PV parks by Spes Solaris and Solar Concept has been approved through a fast track process by the Greek Ministry of Finance?s Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments. The projects will be constructed in Thessaly, the Peloponnese and central and western Greece and are expected to have a total output of 131, 074MW, worth ?301, 470 million. Read more

IBC Solar donates 14.4kW to Kenyan orphanage

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

IBC Solar has upped its corporate social responsibility profile by donating a 14.4kW solar power system to the Lewa Children?s Home in Eldoret, Kenya. A total of 120 solar panes and six inverters have been supplied to the orphanage, which house approximately 120 children aged between a few months to 18 years. Read more

Greece approves 131, 074MW solar park

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

The construction of 39 PV parks by Spes Solaris and Solar Concept has been approved through a fast track process by the Greek Ministry of Finance?s Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments. The projects will be constructed in Thessaly, the Peloponnese and central and western Greece and are expected to have a total output of 131, 074MW, worth ?301, 470 million. Read more

EU PVSEC: Canadian Solar achieves 21.1% efficiency with Merck/RENA technology

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 12:08 (PV-Tech)

Canadian Solar has adopted Merck?s and RENA?s new advanced technology for its high-efficiency p-type solar cell technology, achieving a 21.1% efficiency on monocrystalline solar cells, according to in-house testing. Canadian Solar implemented the technology in the efficient long-term PV solution high-efficiency cell structure. Read more

Industry Responds to Consumer Reports Claim that Solar Power is One of "America's Scams"

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 11:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Consumer Reports is a reputable publication that prides itself on informing its readers and empowering consumers through education. At Brightergy, we also believe in those principles. The October issue of Consumer Reports contains an article on rising scams and fraud in multiple industries - including solar energy. We encourage you to read the repo Read more

Canadian Solar reaches 21.1% cell efficiency

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 8:32 (Solarserver)

As verified by in-house testing, Canadian Solar Inc. (Guelph, Canada) has produced solar photovoltaic (PV) cells with 21.1% efficiency by implementing a selective emitter concept incorporating technology by Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany) and RENA GmbH (Gütenbach, Germany). The process includes the use of Merck's isishape paste, to which the companies credit an efficiency gain of 0.5%, and RENA's InClean technology. Canadian Solar adopted the new solution for its high-efficiency p-type cell technology, and has integrated the new concept into its mass production. Read more

SRECTrade, GTM Research to publish quarterly reports on solar renewable energy credit markets

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 8:28 (Solarserver)

SRECTrade Inc. (San Francisco, California, U.S.) and GTM Research Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) have released a new series of quarterly reports on U.S. state solar renewable energy credit (SREC) markets, which they describe as the first such report of its kind. The companies estimate that SREC programs will support nearly 25% of the 3.2 GW of solar photovoltaics (PV) which the United States will install in 2012. "SREC Market Monitor" will provide state-by-state SREC market analyses, regulatory policy updates, quarterly bid/offer pricing by state, and other data, starting with the second quarter of 2012. Read more

aleo solar continues production rationalization

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 8:14 (PV-Tech)

As part of efforts to fully-utilize is state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Prenzlau, Germany, aleo solar is dissolving its low-cost module manufacturing joint venture in Gaomi, China. aleo solar said that avim solar production Co. Ltd would be closed down completely, citing inadequate margins due to the continuous price declines, especially for non-premium modules. Read more

Geothermal Transmission 101: Technologies Are Not Treated Equally

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Among renewable resources, one of the most valuable attributes of geothermal electricity is the baseload characteristic of the energy resource. That is, geothermal electricity generators are able to deliver a stable level of power production over time. Yet for better or worse, this baseload characteristic ? along with other notable factors such as size constraints and varying market segments ? reveals that interconnecting a geothermal plant to a transmission or distribution system poses unique challenges compared to other renewable energy technologies. Read more

Californian Imperial Irrigation District to exceed renewable energy portfolio standard targets

Tuesday, 9.25.2012 - 20:17 (Solarserver)

On September 20th, 2012, the Imperial Irrigation District (California, U.S.) announced that it expects its renewable energy portfolio standards (RPS) will soon meet, if not exceed, state requirements. From a level of about 9% in 2011, the district has been able to ramp up its renewable energy mix to such a level where it expects it will easily meet the 20% mark in 2012. Read more