FedEx breaks ground on 2 MW rooftop PV plant in New Jersey

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 22:06 (Solarserver)

On October 17th, 2012, FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., announced that it plans to install a 2 megawatt (MW) rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its distribution hub in Newark, New Jersey. The PV system includes 8,684 PV modules to be installed on 3.5 acres across three roofs of the FedEx Express hub at Newark airport. Read more

Nanomarkets releases report on BAPV, sees USD 4.6 billion market in 2015

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 22:02 (Solarserver)

On October 18th, 2012, industry analyst firm NanoMarkets (Glen Allen, Virginia, U.S.) has issued a new report titled, Building Attached Photovoltaics Markets (BAPV). According to the report, the BAPV market will grow from USD 1.9 billion this year to a peak of USD 5.9 billion in 2017 before being surpassed by building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Read more

Belectric acquires Konarka Technologies GmbH

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:16 (Solarserver)

Belectric Holding GmbH (Kolitzheim, Germany) has reached an agreement to acquire organic photovoltaic (OPV) manufacturer Konarka Technologies Inc.'s (Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.) German subsidiary. Konarka Technologies GmbH (Nürnberg, Germany) had filed for insolvency shortly after its parent company announced filing for bankruptcy on June 1st, 2012. The company will now operate as Belectric OPV GmbH, with current Director of European Operations and CEO Dr. Ralph Pätzold working closely with Belectric headquarters. Read more

Marubeni to build 81.5 MW PV plant in Oita, Japan

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:11 (Solarserver)

Marubeni Corporation (Tokyo, Japan) has announced plans to build an 81.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in an industrial area in the city of Oita, Japan, as the largest single-site PV project announced in Japan to date. The company will begin construction in November 2012 on 105,000 square meters of land owned by a subsidiary, Showa Denko K.K. (Tokyo, Japan) and other companies. Commissioning of the Oita plant is planned for after March 2014. Read more

SunPower completes 13.8 MW-DC PV plant at U.S. Navy Base

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:11 (Solarserver)

SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) and the U.S. Navy have completed a 13.8 MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant at a U.S. Navy Base in Southern California's Mojave Desert. The PV plant at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake will generate the equivalent of more than 30% of the base's energy load, and will be the first federal agency project to be financed through a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA). The plant will incorporate tracking technology. Read more

Panasonic, Macerich to build PV plants on malls in four U.S. states

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:04 (Solarserver)

Panasonic Eco Solutions North America (Seacaucus, New Jersey, U.S.) has partnered with Macerich (Santa Monica, California, U.S.) for the first phase of a multi-property retail real estate solar program. Through the program, the companies plan to install 10-12 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in the next 12 months. The plants will be installed on Macerich shopping centers in Arizona, California, Connecticut and New York. Each of the projects will be developed by Panasonic and financed and owned by affiliates of Coronal Management. Read more

Sky Solar Qinghai announces 50MW photovoltaic power station project

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 12:48 (PV-Tech)

International PV project developer, Sky Solar Holdings, has announced plans for a 50MW large-scale PV power station project in Gonghe County, Qinghai, China. Read more

First Solar opens new global PV operations center in Mesa, Arizona

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 22:16 (Solarserver)

On October 18th, 2012, First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) announced that it has launched its new global operations center in Mesa, Arizona. The new centralized monitoring and control center will monitor and operate solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in the company's operations and maintenance (O&M) program. The center will also connect PV power plants to utility and customer networks. Read more

Comparing Residential Solar Ownership to a Solar Lease

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 21:17 (Renewable Energy World)

If you're in one of the larger solar markets in the country (California, New Jersey, etc) then "going solar" doesn't mean going it alone.  You can likely get a "zero money down" lease or some similar financing tool to reduce the upfront cost.  But is it worthwhile?  The following analysis, done for a friend in Ithaca, NY, provides some context. Sol Read more

Siemens Bows Out of Solar, Announces Renewed Focus on Wind and Hydro Power

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 20:17 (Renewable Energy World)

Citing slow growth, low profit and high cost, Siemens AG announced that it would be selling its solar energy business as part of a larger strategy to reorganize the company's overall stake in renewable energy. According to Bloomberg, Siemens also plans to end its involvement in DESERTEC, a joint venture it entered into in late 2011, which would build an immense network of solar farms in the Sahara desert. Read more

SunPower completes largest PV system in the US Navy

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 17:52 (PV-Tech)

US PV manufacturer SunPower Corporation has announced the completion of a 13.78MW solar power system at a ceremony attended by acting assistant Secretary of the Navy Roger Natsuhara. Located at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS China Lake), the PV system is hailed as the largest PV system in the US Navy. Read more

Tamil Nadu sets target of 3,000MW solar power by 2015

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 16:15 (PV-Tech)

The government of Tamil Nadu, India, has committed to generate 3,000MW of solar power by 2015 (1,000MW per year) through its newly launched Solar Energy Policy 2012, according to reports. Read more

Solar REITs: A Better Way to Invest in Solar

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:41 (Renewable Energy World)

The last day for a solar developer to submit an application for the Treasury's 1603 grant program was September 30th, and only for grandfathered solar projects which broke ground before the end of 2011. Read more

The Question Day 14: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:00 (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

Marubeni plans large-scale 81.5MW PV plant in Japan

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

The surge in solar activities in Japan is continuing with Tokyo-based Marubeni Corporation announcing plans to create a ?mega-solar power business? by building an 81.5MW solar plant in Oita City, Japan. Read more

UK solar companies demand £50 million in compensation

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

Solar Power Portal reports five companies will be joining UK-based Solar Power PV, Crystal Windows and Doors and Solarlec PV Solutions in demanding damages from the UK?s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The companies claim that the ?unlawful and unfair? cuts to the feed-in tariff caused substantial damages to the companies? respective businesses. E-tricity is the only company to come forward, with the remaining four opting for anonymity. Read more

NPD Solarbuzz: Order cancellations exceed US$3 billion

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

Production equipment order cancellations and forced shuttering by solar PV manufacturers during 2012 exceeded US$3 billion by the end of Q3?12, according to new research in the latest NPD Solarbuzz PV Equipment Quarterly report. When combined with maintenance-only quantities of new orders seen by PV equipment suppliers, the PV book-to-bill ratio has fallen into negative territory, the first time since the industry began to take off in the mid-2000s. Read more

LDK Solar signs share purchase agreement with Heng Rui Xin Energy

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 13:15 (PV-Tech)

PV manufacturer LDK Solar has entered into a share purchase agreement with investment firm Heng Rui Xin Energy (HRX). Read more

Sky Solar announces 50MW PV power station project in Qinghai

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 12:48 (PV-Tech)

International PV project developer, Sky Solar Holdings, has announced plans for a 50MW large-scale PV power station project in Gonghe County, Qinghai, China. Read more

Siemens drops solar to focus on wind and hydro

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 12:39 (Solarpowerportal)

PV-Tech is reporting that German manufacturer Siemens has announced that it is to sell its solar business activities as part of a reorganisation of its energy division and is already in talks with a number of potential buyers. Read more

Solar project launched for tsunami-hit homes in Japan

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

Housing charity Habitat for Humanity is launching an initiative to provide solar installations for households in Ofunato, a Japanese city that was badly hit by last year?s tsunami. Read more

Siemens plans solar business exit

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

German manufacturer Siemens has announced that it is to sell its solar business activities as part of a reorganization of its energy division and is already in talks with a number of potential buyers. Read more

SolarCity to build 14 MW PV plant in Hawaii

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 9:44 (Solarserver)

The Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC, L?hu'e, Hawaii, U.S.) has selected SolarCity Corporation (San Francisco, California, U.S.) to build a 14 MW-DC solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the island. KIUC and SolarCity expect to begin work on the Grove Farm PV plant in July 2013 and bring it online in 2014. When complete, the plant is expected to generate enough electricity to supply roughly 6% of Kaua'i's electricity needs on the average, as well as reducing its petroleum use. Read more

Q-Cells transferred to Hanwha SolarOne

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 9:39 (Solarserver)

On October 19th, Q-Cells insolvency administrator Henning Schorisch officially transferred the company to new owner Hanwha Chemical Corporation (Seoul, South Korea). Q-Cells notes that roughly 1,300 jobs, or more than 80% of positions at the company, will be retained. The transfer follows the European Commission's approval of the acquisition on October 10th, 2012. Q-Cells states that the acquisition provides the company with a "strong partner exhibiting a long-term orientation". Read more

Gevo, Syntroleum Vie for Military Biofuel Supply Deals

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:22 (Renewable Energy World)

Gevo Inc., Syntroleum Corp. and Solazyme Inc. may be among a "small set" of biofuel producers vying for supply contracts from the U.S. Defense Department, the world's largest consumer of fossil fuels, analysts said. Read more

Ending The Food V. Fuel Debate: Researchers Define Surplus Land

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:09 (Renewable Energy World)

Which is the better use for a plot of land: growing crops to feed nations or growing crops to power them with biofuel? The answer to this question is, perhaps not surprisingly, complex and turns on the definition of "surplus" land, or idle, marginal spaces. Now, an interdisciplinary group of researchers from Europe and the US has decided to nail these concepts. Read more

Poland to Boost Renewable Power Use Targets as Output Beats Plan

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Poland will from next year increase its short-term targets for renewable energy use as output surpasses plans, damping the price of green certificates. Read more

Updated: Five more solar companies join £50 million DECC damages claim

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 10:59 (Solarpowerportal)

Five companies have announced that they will joining the three previous solar companies in requesting damages from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The companies claim that the ?unlawful and unfair? cuts to the feed-in tariff caused substantial damages to the solar companies? respective businesses. Read more

Five more solar companies join £50 million DECC damages claim

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 10:59 (Solarpowerportal)

Five companies have announced that they will joining the three previous solar companies in requesting damages from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The companies claim that the ?unlawful and unfair? cuts to the feed-in tariff caused substantial damages to the solar companies? respective businesses. Read more

North Carolina clean energy sector creates over 15,000 full time jobs, USD 3.7 billion in revenue

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 22:11 (Solarserver)

On October 10th, 2012, NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA, Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.) has released the 2012 North Carolina Clean Energy Industries Census. The annual Census, which surveyed over 1,100 North Carolina clean energy companies mid-summer through early September, finds the clean energy sector is a growing economic force in North Carolina that conservatively contributes over USD 3.7 billion in revenue and more than 15,200 full-time equivalent jobs directly from activities in clean energy. Read more

Survey: What Will It Take to Make Buildings More Energy Efficient?

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In 2010, China built more housing than Spain has homes. That factoid underscores the significance of energy efficiency for buildings in a report released this week by an affiliate of the respected publication, The Economist. Commissioned by the Global Buildings Performance Network, the report emerged from a survey of real estate and construction ex Read more

7 Ways Tesla Motors is Changing the Game

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Though the company is less than 10 years old, Tesla Motors has made great strides in the automotive industry. The producer and innovator of electric, sustainable vehicles is changing the way we view cars and energy sources. Not convinced of Tesla Motors' vast potential? Take a look at these seven ways the company is already changing the auto game. Read more

China's National Energy Administration to subsidize distributed PV

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:16 (Solarserver)

China's National Energy Administration (NEA) has produced a plan to subsidize distributed, small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) generation in model "zones". NEA has solicited a list of up to three proposed zone locations to host a total of up to 500 MW of PV from administrators in each province, region and municipality of the nation. Following receipt of this list, NEA will confirm a list of approved zones. Read more

Italy opens consultation on national energy plan

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 14:09 (Solarserver)

The government of Italy has opened a consultation on a new national energy strategy, with an aim to modernize the nation's energy sector and set policies to encourage renewable energy following the pending closure of the nation's feed-in tariff program. Only EUR 242 million (USD 315 million) remains to be allotted in the feed-in tariff's annual budget, after which the program will close to new applicants. In the new plan, the government proposes an EUR 180 billion (USD 230 billion) investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2020, with a goal for renewables to supply 36-38% of electricity consumption. Read more

Energy Conversion Devices co-founder Stanford Ovshinsky dies at 89

Monday, 10.22.2012 - 9:33 (Solarserver)

Inventor and Energy Conversion Devices (ECD, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S.) co-founder Stanford Ovshinsky died of prostate cancer on October 17th, 2012 at the age of 89. In addition to founding ECD, Ovshinsky was an inventor and scientist who made contributions to advanced battery technology, thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, flat screen displays, information storage devices and hydrogen fuel cells. Read more