Joule Unlimited Raises $70 Million, Heads for Commercialization

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:55 (Renewable Energy World)

In Massachusetts, Joule Unlimited announced the closing of a $70 million third round of funding, bringing its total to just over $110 million raised to date. The round included investments from both new and prior undisclosed institutional and private sources that joined Flagship Ventures, Joule's founding venture capital investor. Read more

Conergy USA announces a new value PV module manufactured outside of China that will not be impacted by any possible tariff decisions associated with recent trade complaint

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:54 (Solarserver)

Conergy USA (Denver, Colorado) is introducing the "Conergy PM" to its diverse portfolio of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Manufactured in Europe, the Conergy PM is not subject to any potential tariffs or duties associated with the recent trade complaint against Chinese cell and module manufacturers, Conergy emphasizes. "The Conergy PM is manufactured by a European contract manufacturer which passes Conergy?s rigorous and comprehensive vendor qualification process in order to ensure that the photovoltaic panel meets Conergy?s precise specifications," the company reports in a press release. Read more

Eight19 commissions new roll-to-roll printing facility

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 16:37 (Solarpowerportal)

Adding to the growing number of solar manufacturing facilities in the UK, organic solar cell developer Eight19 has commissioned a new development and roll-to-roll printing facility at its Cambridge headquarters. The new line is expected to optimise the processes necessary for high-volume organic solar cell production. Read more

DEGERenergie sees 20% increase in 2011 turnover

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 16:10 (PV-Tech)

DEGERenergie increased its turnover by about 20% in 2011. This year, the company expects a continued sharp rise in demand for its MLD tracking technology, with more than 47,000 systems installed worldwide in 46 countries. Read more

Siemens commissions 50 MW CSP plant, signs R&D agreement with Masdar Institute

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 15:55 (Solarserver)

On January 18th, 2012 Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany) announced the commissioning of the 50 MW Lebrija concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Spain's Andalucía region. The local government of Andalucía granted RIPRE Final Registry for the plant on December 27th, 2012, and the Lebrija plant began delivering electricity to the grid on the same day. Also on January 18th 2012, the company announced that it has signed a one-year research and development (R&D) agreement with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.) to address challenges of deploying photovoltaic (PV) technology in the Middle East, with an emphasis on PV module coatings. Read more

ZBB Energy receives certification for grid-tied PV inverter

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:18 (Solarserver)

On January 12th, 2012, ZBB Energy Corp. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.), developer of renewable energy power platforms, announced that it has received the ETL listing to UL 1741 certification from Intertek Testing Services for its 25-kW grid-tied inverter module of the ZBB EnerSection power and energy control center. Read more

Q-Cells sets world record 18.5% efficiency with multi-crystalline PV module

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 8:57 (Solarserver)

On January 17th, 2012 Q-Cells SE (Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany) announced that it has reached 18.5% conversion efficiency with a multi-crystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) module, a new world record which surpasses the company's previous record of 18.1%. The company has also set another record with an output of 283 watts from a module comprising 60 of its quasi-monocrystalline PV cells. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Freiburg, Germany) has confirmed both records. Read more

California?s Governor, US Secretary of the Interior sign MOU to fast-track renewable projects

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 21:37 (PV-Tech)

California?s Governor Jerry Brown and US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar met at Recurrent Energy?s Elk Grove, California?s solar project so sign a MOU that aims to strengthen the state and federal partnership for renewable energy projects in California. The newly signed agreement broadens the partnership to include transmission projects and bring in new partners, including the California Independent System Operator, the California Public Utilities Commission and the California State Lands Commission. Read more

Ameresco celebrates completion of first two phases of solar initiative in Massachusetts

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 21:09 (PV-Tech)

State, town and school officials in Massachusetts joined Ameresco in celebrating the ribbon cutting on the first two phases of a US$6.05 million multi-phase solar initiative. The ceremony was held at Wilson Middle school, which now boasts a solar kiosk thanks to the installation by Ameresco. Similar solar installations are taking place at Kennedy Middle School, Bennett-Hemenway Elementary School, Natick High School, Memorial Elementary School and the Natick Community Senior centre. Read more

GE commits to provide 23MW of solar equipment to Invenergy?s Grand Ridge Solar project

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 20:46 (PV-Tech)

Invenergy advised that GE had committed to supplying 23MW of solar equipment to its Grand Ridge Solar project, which is under construction in Illinois. Expected to be completed in mid-2012, the Grand Ridge Solar project will be, according to Invenergy, the largest solar farm in the Midwest. Located in La Salle County, and adjacent to Invenergy?s Grand Ridge Wind project, GE will provide its thin-film solar panels as well as packaged inverter skids that include Brilliance inverters, transformers and re-combiners in addition to its SunIQ plant controls. Read more

Upsolar?s initial life cycle assessment for two of its PV modules reaches completion

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 20:23 (PV-Tech)

Upsolar revealed that the initial life cycle assessment (LCA) for the production of its UP-M185M and UP-230P PV modules has been completed after a 10-month assessment period, during which Bureau Veritas CODDE provided technical assistance. The LCA looks into the environmental impact of the modules from the raw materials stage through the production process, installation, operation and end-of-life procedures. Read more

NABCEP approves three new Zep Solar PV education courses

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 20:08 (PV-Tech)

Zep Solar advised that three of its latest PV continuing education courses had been approved and registered by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners? (NABCEP), giving NABCEP certified PV installers the option to receive continuing education units for training on Zep?s mounting and grounding products. The approved Zep curriculum includes a two-hour ?Zep System: Design and Installation? course and a four-hour intermediate and six-hour advanced course options. Read more

TVP Solar installs solar thermal collectors to power cooling plant in Masdar City

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 19:01 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2012 TVP Solar SA (Geneva, Switzerland) announced that it has installed a field of its MT-Power solar thermal modules to power a solar cooling plant at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The companies expect the collectors to provide over 70% solar-to-cooling efficiency operating at 180 degrees Celsius to drive a double-effect absorption chiller at the plant. Masdar City is currently testing the company's MT-Power modules for potential future use to meet the air conditioning requirements of Masdar City. Read more

TTi releases residential solar PV roof mount; requiring no shingle trimming or sealants

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:47 (Solarserver)

Solar mounting and racking solutions provider, TTi (Novato, Calif.) on January 17th, 2012 announced the next generation of its residential solar photovoltaic (PV) roof mount, the patented "TTi Flat Jack" comp shingle mount. The durable and reliable mount for installing PV panels on composition shingle roofs now requires no shingle trimming or sealants, reduces labor costs and protects roofs, TTi emphasizes. Read more

Abound Solar and Solarsis commission 1-MW PV plant in Andhra Pradesh, India

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:38 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2012, Abound Solar (Loveland, Colorado, U.S.) and Solar Integration Systems India Private Limited (Madhapur, Hyderabad, India) announced the commissioning of a 1-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh, India. The solar power plant uses Abound Solar cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules to produce electricity. Read more

Brussels Airport installs 1.7 MW solar PV plant

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:32 (Solarserver)

On January 12th, 2012, The Brussels Airport Co. announced that it has installed a 1.7-MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of its logistics building at Brucargo West. The solar system is connected to the airport?s power grid and will cover about 1% of the annual consumption of the airport. Read more

SDG&E opens up solar power to the masses

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 17:56 (PV-Tech)

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval of a proposal offering its customers solar purchasing options. The proposal complements rooftop solar and includes two different pilot programs. Customers can opt buy some or all of their energy from solar projects located in SDG&E?s service territory or negotiate directly with a local solar provider, even if they do not own a home, cannot afford a solar investment, or do not have the ability to put photovoltaic panels on their roof. Read more

SDG&E brings opens up solar power to the masses

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 17:56 (PV-Tech)

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for approval of a proposal offering its customers solar purchasing options. The proposal complements rooftop solar and includes two different pilot programs. Customers can opt buy some or all of their energy from solar projects located in SDG&E?s service territory or negotiate directly with a local solar provider, even if they do not own a home, cannot afford a solar investment, or do not have the ability to put photovoltaic panels on their roof. Read more

SunPower breaks ground on 13.78MW plant at naval air weapons station, California

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 17:03 (PV-Tech)

SunPower has announced that the company has broken ground on a 13.78MW solar PV power system at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS China Lake) in California, US. The plant is expected to create 140 jobs during construction and generate the equivalent of more than 30% of NAWS China Lake?s annual energy load, helping to reduce costs by an estimated US$13 million over the next 20 years. The plant was financed through a solar 20 year PPA. Read more

Soitec solar sales boost 3Q 2011-2012 results

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 15:47 (Solarserver)

On January 16th, 2012 Soitec SA (Bernin, France) released results for the third quarter of its 2011-2012 financial year, noting that consolidated sales were stable as a result of its first substantial solar division sales offsetting a decline in silicon wafer sales. The company reported a 1% increase to EUR 80.7 million (USD 105 million) in total sales in the third quarter of 2011, including EUR 6.8 million (USD 8.8 million) in sales from its solar division. This contributed to a total revenue of EUR 243 million (USD 316 million) in the first nine months of the 2011-2012 financial year, a 20% increase over the previous year. Read more

Verengo Solar hires former nuclear power student as VP of operations

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 15:36 (PV-Tech)

Verengo Solar has hired nuclear-power-educated Akiko Koh. She will be responsible for the operational infrastructure growth needed to deliver and support affordable residential solar power to thousands of American homes as Verengo continues to expand throughout California and the East Coast. Read more

JinkoSolar connects 18MW plant to China?s state grid

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 14:32 (PV-Tech)

JinkoSolar has announced that it has connected China Guangdong Nuclear Solar Energy Development?s 18MW PV power plant to China?s grid. The plant, located in Dunhuang, Gansu Province in west China, consists of 76,000 of JinkoSolar?s modules on a plot area of 400,000m2. Read more

700 rent-a-roof systems cancelled

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 13:39 (Solarpowerportal)

The Energy Saving Group (ESG) – not to be confused with the Energy Saving Trust – has cancelled solar PV installations for 700 customers after taking deposits worth £350,000. According to Money Mail, ESG requested a £500 deposit in order to install a solar PV system on the roof of interested customers. Read more

MEMC clears confusion regarding Japan projects

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 13:20 (PV-Tech)

MEMC has issued a statement of clarification in regard to its recent release that appeared to claim that its parent company, SunEdison, has plans to establish solar projects in Japan in the near future. Media reports? assumptions that there are concrete plans for Japanese projects have been refuted by MEMC, which cites ?uncertain project economics? and a lack of government incentives for the company?s ambiguity on its plans for the country. Read more

Solar in MENA: ESIA report shows solar competitive with existing generation in most MENA nations

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:41 (Solarserver)

On January 17th, 2012 the Emirates Solar Industry Association (ESIA, Dubai, United Arab Emirates) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC, London, U.K.) released a report stating that solar photovoltaic (PV) generation is currently competitive with conventional generation across most nations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. "Sunrise in the Desert" states that the break-even point for PV generation to be competitive without subsidies is when oil prices are above USD 80 per barrel or liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are above USD 13/million BTU (MMBTU). The report estimates the current levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) from PV in the region at USD 0.154/kWh, Read more

Solar Frontier wins bid for world?s largest commercial CIS plant in California

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:36 (PV-Tech)

Solar Frontier has defied the thin-film doom merchants by successfully bidding for the role of module supplier for enXco?s 100MWp+ PV plant in California. The agreement refers to the supply of up to 150MWp of Solar Frontier?s CIS modules, and the project, when completed, will be the world?s largest thin-film CI(G)S plant in the world. Read more

Solar Frontier modules chosen for world's largest CIS PV plant

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:34 (Solarserver)

On January 17th, 2012 Solar Frontier KK (Tokyo, Japan) announced that it has signed an agreement to deliver between 100 and 150 MW of its copper indium gallium diselenide (CIS) solar photovoltaic (PV) modules to enXco Inc. (San Diego, California, U.S.) for a PV plant to be built in Kern County, California. The project will be built in two phases, with construction on the first 60 MW phase to begin in the summer of 2012 and commissioning planned by the end of 2012. enXco plans to commission second phase of the plant, which will be by far the largest CIS PV plant in the world, by June 2013. Read more

Siemens and Masdar Institute sign R&D agreement on solar technology development in Middle East

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Siemens Energy and Masdar Institute of Science and Technology are building on their existing partnership and have signed a one-year R&D agreement, for cooperation in solar energy technology research and development to enhance the use of PV panels in the Middle East. Joint testing and research activities will focus on investigating the properties of solar panel coatings. Read more

Australians Want Wind, but Politics and Media Get in the Way: Two New Reports

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Two new reports about the wind industry in Australia provide good news about the facts but bad news about the politics. The first report is from CSIRO, Australia’s peak scientific research organisation, on community acceptance of rural wind farms. Dr. Nina Hall from the CSIRO Science into Society Group was lead author. Hall and her colleagu Read more

Latin America Report: Critics Urge More Solar, Wind, Geothermal in Chile

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 21:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Chile is built for renewable energy. The seemingly unending coastline that runs the length of its boundary is prime real estate for wind development, and eventually the offshore wind projects, that could power the cities found along its spine. The nation's solar resources, especially in the northern regions, are among the best in the world. And its place along the ring of fire means its geothermal potential is vast, yet untapped. Read more

Geothermal Heating Up in Nevada Despite Frigid Industry Climate

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 16:37 (Renewable Energy World)

Amidst a year of frustrating inactivity in the geothermal industry, many are holding hope for a brighter 2012. The industry holds more than 700 MW of projects in its pipeline to be completed before the federal tax credit expires in 2013. One project that has the upper hand in this race is Gradient Resource's 60-MW Patua project, about 38 miles east of Reno, Nevada, set to go online in late 2012. Gradient has partnered with TAS Energy Inc., a technology provider, and SAIC Inc., a technology applications company. Read more

Leading Global Investors Call the False Dichotomy Between Economy and Environment "Nonsense"

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 19:32 (Renewable Energy World)

A top GE executive is calling the political battle between economy and environment "nonsense." In a video interview at an international clean energy investment conference last week, Mark Vachon, vice president of GE's successful Ecomagination program, hailed "environmental performance" as a key driver for business. Read more

Barker defends ?inconsistent? Green Deal

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 18:01 (Solarpowerportal)

Greg Barker, the Climate Change Minister, has defended the Government’s flagship green policy: the Green Deal. In recent weeks, the policy has come under mounting criticism from interested parties, with the consultation period set to draw to a close today. Read more

PowerGuard PowerClip Warranty Solution adopted by SunEdison

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 14:59 (PV-Tech)

Following in the footsteps of Talesun and Long Energy this year, SunEdison has confirmed that it will adopt PowerGuard Specialty Insurance Services? PowerClip extended warranty protection. Read more

Policy Exchange calls for the ?abolition? of FiTs

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 14:50 (Solarpowerportal)

Political think-tank, Policy Exchange, has criticised the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s renewable energy policies, calling for the “wasteful” feed-in tariff scheme to be scrapped completely. Read more

German economy minister calls for overhaul to FiT

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 13:22 (PV-Tech)

Tensions in German chancellor Angela Merkel?s government continue over the future of feed-in tariffs. Economy minister Philipp Roesler is calling for an overhaul to the country?s subsidy system for renewable energy, created in the 1990s to ensure the clean-power industry remains competitive. Read more

Media Matters exposes faulty reporting on U.S. loan guarantee program, renewable energy industries

Wednesday, 1.18.2012 - 12:27 (Solarserver)

On January 13th, 2012 U.S. media watchdog Media Matters (Washington D.C., U.S.) issued a statement correcting what it describes as an "error-ridden" CBS news story on U.S. funding of renewable energy industries through the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) loan guarantee program. The CBS News story on January 13th, 2012, claimed to identify "new Solyndras" and alleged that the DOE is supporting uncompetitive and troubled clean energy companies. Read more