PV inverter producer Satcon files for bankruptcy protection

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:56 (Solarserver)

Satcon Technology Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.), a provider of utility scale power solutions for the renewable energy market and producer of solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. bankruptcy court. Along with the filings for bankruptcy, the company filed a series of motions to continue business without interruption. Satcon expects to obtain consent from its lenders to use cash collateral for continued funding of business operations. Read more

SunPower to reduce solar cell, PV module output in the Philippines

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:52 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) has announced a reorganization plan which will include idling six of 12 lines at its solar photovoltaic (PV) cell plant and 20% of its PV module manufacturing capacity in the Philippines. These and other measures will result in the loss of 900 positions, mostly in the Philippines. SunPower states these moves are necessary to reduce inventory, lower operational costs and improve efficiency. Read more

Inverter Maker Satcon Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:32 (Renewable Energy World)

In yet another sign of the struggles that solar power manufactures are facing, today utility-scale inverter maker Satcon announced that it has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The petitions were filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Read more

Ingeteam develops an inverter to manage energy storage at PV plants

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:15 (PV-Tech)

Ingeteam has announced the development of the Ingecon EMS Plants, a new inverter concept for batteries and part of Ingeteam?s range of Energy Management Solutions. Read more

Organic solar cell record opens the door for consumer electronics applications

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 14:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Molecular Solar, a spinout company from the University of Warwick, has been able to achieve and demonstrate a record voltage for organic photovoltaic cells (OPV). The company has developed OPV technology capable of producing cells with open-circuit voltages in excess of 4 volts for the first time ever. Read more

China Sunergy signs sales contract with Japanese INFiNi for 1.65 MW of PV modules

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 14:48 (Solarserver)

On October 15th, 2012, China Sunergy Co. Ltd. (Nanjing, China) announced that it has signed a sales contract with INFiNi Group (Osaka, Japan) to supply 1.65 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. The PV modules will be installed in Okayama Solar Plant in Japan, the first ground-mounted solar project of INFiNi. The modules will be shipped by the end of October 2012, China Sunergy states. Read more

SunPower Reducing Workforce in an Effort To Streamline Organization

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 14:40 (Renewable Energy World)

As solar module manufacturers continue to struggle to stay afloat in an oversupplied market, one more major player is planning to restructure. Yesterday module manufacturer SunPower announced its plan to idle half of its Fab 2 production lines in the Philippines and lay off 900 employees. The company said in a statement that the re-organization is a temporary measure. Read more

GTM: 180 PV module manufacturers to fail or be acquired by 2015

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 9:30 (Solarserver)

Greentech Media Research (GTM, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) has released a report which predicts that 180 solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers will either fail or be bought out by other companies by 2015. "Global PV module manufacturing 2013: Competitive positioning, consolidation and the China factor" cites a global PV supply 35 GW greater on the average than annual demand over the course of the next three years. GTM estimates that 88 of these failing companies will be in high-cost manufacturing markets in the United States, Europe and Canada. Read more

Solar Shakeout: Satcon files for bankruptcy

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 18:15 (PV-Tech)

Provider of utility scale power conversion solutions, Satcon Technology, has announced that the company and its subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. The petitions were filed in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Read more

The Question Day 11: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 17:20 (Renewable Energy World)

It's been a year of both continued expansion and mounting challenges for the global solar industry. RenewableEnergyWorld asked solar industry executives to share their thoughts and insights on one burning question: Read more

Solyndra Lawsuit: War of the Solar Dead Solyndra

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 16:57 (Renewable Energy World)

The fight for survival among the world's embattled solar panel makers is starting to look more like a battle of the dead, with word that bankrupt US player Solyndra is suing 3 of its biggest Chinese rivals over allegations of running an illegal cartel. Some of you might be saying: "Wait a minute, doesn't Solyndra have better things to do than to be Read more

Saint-Gobain helps develop Solar Energy in Saudi Arabia

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 16:49 (PV-Tech)

Saint-Gobain has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with HRH Prince Faisal Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to set up a high-tech company in the solar energy sector in Saudi Arabia. Read more

Woodward and SolarEdge to develop power optimization system

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

US firms Woodward and SolarEdge are to join forces to develop a new power optimization system for utility-scale PV plants. Read more

Solar PV-powered boat Planet Solar to study the Gulf Stream

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:47 (Solarserver)

Planet Solar in its newsletter, published October 11th, 2012, said that it has formed a partnership with the University of Geneva to study the Gulf Stream. Under the partnership, the solar boat will take a team of scientists from Florida (U.S.) to Iceland, following the Gulf Stream, in an effort to collect new information and data. Read more

Ascent Solar announces solar PV charger product launch with CTC GmbH

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:15 (Solarserver)

On October 15th, 2012, Ascent Solar Technologies (Thornton, Colorado, U.S.), a developer of flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, announced the initial sale of SOLab Basic and SOLab Premium products, as branded by the company joint development partner CTC CarTech Co. Read more

Schools Raise the Roof on Solar Energy

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In one 50-minute period last month, the Intro to Engineering students at Chatfield High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, charted the strength of solar panels at their desks, then climbed through a trap door to examine the 100-kilowatt solar array on their school's flat roof. Read more

Principal Solar launches PV module rating system

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 14:44 (Solarserver)

On October 15th, 2012, Principal Solar Institute (Dallas, Texas, U.S.), an online reference center and resource guide for the commercial and utility scale solar market, announced that it has introduced the PSI PV Module rating that allows easy, unbiased, comprehensive analysis and comparison of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. Read more

Phono Solar and Electrasol Proiect announce completion of 500kW installation in Romania

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 13:57 (PV-Tech)

Phono Solar, a global renewable energy solutions manufacturer, and Electrasol Proiect, a photovoltaic system manufacturer and developer,  have announced the completion of a 500 KW installation in the Galati region of Romania. Read more

Dresden Court ratifies Solarwatt restructuring plan

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 13:49 (PV-Tech)

Billionaire Stefan Quandt?s appearance at Solarwatt may have been timely. Since the restructuring plan developed by the management of Solarwatt and ratified by Dresden Municipal Court on September 11, 2012, is now legally valid, Dresden Municipal Court has repealed the insolvency proceedings that had been hanging over the company. Read more

Solarcentury pledge to help tackle African kerosene deaths

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 12:36 (Solarpowerportal)

The UK?s Solarcentury is to donate £35,000 to charity SolarAid?s ?Share a Light? campaign. Read more

Solar Schools unveils new website and toolkit

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 12:32 (Solarpowerportal)

The Solar Schools project, launched by carbon cutting organisation 10:10 in conjunction with Mumsnet, has unveiled its improved website and toolkit as it continues its work with schools across the UK. Read more

Upsolar introduces smart modules powered by Tigo Energy

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 12:08 (Solarpowerportal)

Solar PV module provider, Upsolar, has unveiled its smart modules optimized by Tigo Energy. The smart modules, which are the first to be certified by TÜV Rheinland PTL for Europe and North America, are now available for residential, commercial and utility-scale installations. Read more

Heat Is On for the King's Cross Solar Project

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 11:42 (Renewable Energy World)

King?s Cross railway station in London has a lot to be happy about today, celebrating the birth of the iconic and forward-thinking £1.3 million solar project, which boasts a 240-kW rooftop PV system. The project is part of a much larger £550 million redevelopment programme at Kings Cross railway, where £42 million was assigned to renovate the roof. Read more

Canadian Solar to partner with PetersenDean, will build 10 MW PV plant for Penn Energy

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 10:48 (Solarserver)

Canadian Solar Inc. (Guelph, Canada) has announced a partnership with roofing company PetersenDean (Fremont, California, U.S.) on a new roofing program, wherein PetersenDean will offer solar installations using the company's modules. PetersenDean will kick off the new program at the Santana Row shopping center in San Jose, California on October 19th-21st, 2012. Read more

REC preliminary results for 3Q 2012: USD 265 million in revenues, solar division to report a negative EBITDA

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 9:25 (Solarserver)

Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC, Sandvika, Norway) has released selected preliminary third quarter 2012 financial results, stating that it expects to report USD 265 million in revenues and an EBITDA margin of -12%. REC expects its silicon division to report break-even EBITDA, and solar division to report an EBITDA of USD -31.0 million. The company expects third quarter polysilicon sales of 4,800 metric tons, 360 metric tons of silane gas sales and 170 MW of module sales. Read more

First Solar signs MOU to develop 100 MW of PV plants in Indonesia

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 9:20 (Solarserver)

First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) has signed a memorandum of understanding with PT. Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Services (PJB Services, Sidoarjo, Indonesia) to collaborate on 100 MW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in Indonesia. First Solar notes that this is its first MOU in Indonesia, and one of several that it is pursuing under its strategy of forging strategic alliances in fast-growing sustainable energy markets globally. The MOU also represents PJB Services' first venture into PV technology. Read more

Punjab Biomass Plans 96 Megawatts of Renewable Projects in India

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 17:09 (Renewable Energy World)

Punjab Biomass Power Ltd., a developer of clean-energy projects in India, plans to set up 96 megawatts of plants fueled by rice straw by 2017. Read more

Energy Development May Help Fund Alterra Geothermal Projects in South America

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:58 (Renewable Energy World)

Energy Development Corp., the largest Philippine geothermal company, may form a joint venture to fund as many as six South American projects being developed by Alterra Power Corp. Read more

Green Investment Bank given EU clearance

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 17:32 (Solarpowerportal)

The European Commission has given the go-ahead for the creation of the long-awaited Green Investment Bank after ruling that it would not fall foul of EU state aid rules. Read more

Adoption De-Paralysis: Examples of Elegant Policy Models for Anaerobic Digestion Development

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Progress and innovation in the renewable energy sector is frequently stymied by, what I call, the adoption paralysis. The technology may be sound, the economics attractive, the demand great and the environmental benefits substantial. But because a shift requires multiple parties who are all waiting for someone else to act first, an anxious inertia takes over. For example, look at alternative fuel vehicles: no one will buy them if there are no fuelling stations, and no one will build fuelling stations if there are no cars, and no one will build cars if no one will buy them. Chicken and egg, Catch-22, whatever you'd like to call it, it resembles two overly solicitous gentlemen Read more

Report: Prime Minister to bridge green gap between Treasury and DECC

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 12:45 (Solarpowerportal)

The Guardian is reporting that the four most senior Coalition figures - David Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg - have called an emergency meeting with energy secretary Ed Davey to address a number of energy policy issues that have been threatening to boil over in the last few weeks and jeopardise the UK?s long-term energy strategy. Read more

Germany confirms 47% renewables surcharge

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Further to a report by Reuters last week Germany?s high voltage network operators (TSOs), 50Hertz, Amprion, TenneT and TransnetBW, have announced that the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG) will increase charges levied on German consumers (umlage) to support renewable energy to ?0.05277 in 2013 from ?0.036 in 2012. Read more

PV, CSP meet 5.1% of Spanish electricity demand in August 2012

Wednesday, 10.17.2012 - 10:43 (Solarserver)

Spain's National Energy Commission (CNE) has released a report finding that the nation met 5.1% of its electricity demand in August 2012 with solar technologies, with a 3.9% contribution from solar photovoltaics (PV) and 2.2% coming from concentrating solar power (CSP) technology. PV produced 841 GWh during the month, with CSP supplying another 466 GWh, compared to 21.5 TWh of demand. Altogether, renewable energy technologies met nearly 30% of total demand, with wind power supplying 14%, and another 7% coming from hydropower of various scales. Read more