California prisons commissioned 14 MW of PV plants

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 21:33 (Solarserver)

On October 22nd, 2012, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced that it has commissioned solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants with a total generation capacity of 14 megawatts (MW) that will produce solar power for four of the department's prisons. The PV arrays include about 56,000 solar panels, mounted adjacent to the four prisons at no cost to taxpayers by Sun Edison Corp. In return, CDCR purchases the electrical power from Sun Edison at discounted rates, which results in reduced energy costs. Read more

30-Year-Old Solar Module Performing to Factory Specs

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 15:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Martin Halloway, a green building designer, had been living without electricity for five years before he purchased his first solar panel in 1980.  This exact module, an Arco Solar 16-2000, 33 Watt solar panel, was manufactured in 1979. In 2010, Halloway decided to bring the solar panel down from his roof after 30 years to test it out.  It was an od Read more

Centrotherm Photovoltaics alters insolvency plan including 5:1 reverse stock split

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 13:13 (Solarserver)

On October 24th, 2012 Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG's (Blaubeuren, Germany) management board passed a resolution to make changes to the insolvency plan which it has submitted to the insolvency court in Ulm, Germany. These changes will require the approval of the creditors and confirmation by the court. Under the draft insolvency plan, Centrotherm is to be continued along with its stock market listing, and the company's capital structure will be reorganized so that unsecured creditors' receivables are transferred to the company in exchange for stock. Read more

Lux Research: Equipment upgrades key for PV manufacturers to compete

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 9:30 (Solarserver)

On October 25th, 2012 Lux Research Inc. (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.) released a new report which states that solar photovoltaic (PV) equipment manufacturers need to acquire innovative production equipment in order to cut costs, increase margins, and offer differentiated products. "Turning lemons into lemonade: Opportunities in the turbulent photovoltaic equipment market" notes that in 2012, global capacity utilization has fallen to 55% for crystalline silicon (c-Si) module production and 70-80% for leading thin film module technologies. The report says that as a result of this cell and module manufacturers must differentiate their products to regain profitability. Read more

Development Bank of Southern Africa approves USD 991 million to support PV, CSP, CPV projects in South Africa

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 9:23 (Solarserver)

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has approved loan facilities totaling USD 991 million to support 13 solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP) and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) projects in South Africa. These projects include 427 MW of PV, 300 MW of CSP and a single 36 MW CPV project, for a total of 763 MW. These represent part of the 28 successful preferred bidders in the first bid window for the South African Department of Energy's (DoE) Renewable Independent Power Producers Program. Read more

Frost & Sullivan: Diminishing incentives cast shadow on the European solar market

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 23:05 (Solarserver)

On October 24th, 2012, Frost & Sullivan (London, England) released a new report titled European Solar Power Markets. According to the report, overall revenues in 2015 will shrink to EUR 6.57 billion (USD 8.5 billion), with the European concentrating solar power (CSP) market set to expand from EUR 2.114 million (USD 2.735 million) to EUR 5.227 million (USD 6.676 million) over 2010 - 2015. The European solar photovoltaic (PV) market due to Frost & Sullivan is undergoing a transition as the era of generous subsidies comes to an end. System prices continue to plummet as Chinese manufacturers exert pricing pressure on their European counterparts, forcing inefficient companies Read more

Corning receives USD 48 million in earnings from Dow Corning in 3Q 2012

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 21:42 (Solarserver)

On October 24th, 2012 Corning Inc. (Corning, New York, U.S.) released financial results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 21% sequential decline in equity earnings from joint venture Dow Corning Corporation (Midland, Michigan, U.S.) to USD 48 million. The company notes that this also represents a 46% decline on a year-over-year basis, which it attributes to "severe weakness" in the polysilicon market for solar applications. Corning also recorded a USD 10 million credit for its share of Dow Corning's settlement of a dispute related to long-term supply agreements. Read more

Bentek Solar ships 70 MW of disconnect safety systems for Ontario PV plant

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 21:38 (Solarserver)

Bentek Solar (San Jose, California, U.S.) has shipped 70 megawatt (MW) of 1000V-DC fused disconnect safety systems (FDSS) for a solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Canadian Province of Ontario. Bentek plans to ship a second phase of 60 MW of FDSS units in early 2013 for the project. The 1000V FDSS is designed for 1000V utility-scale PV systems with 1000V utility-scale inverters. Read more

The Question Day 18: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 18:00 (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

The Asia Report: Brightsource and Alstom Target Australia and India with New Funding

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 14:27 (Renewable Energy World)

U.S. solar thermal developer BrightSource Energy and Europe's second largest power-equipment maker Alstom said they plan to expand their geographical partnership to India and Australia, where solar conditions best suit BrightSource's tower technology and where Alstom has a strong track record in engineering and construction of power plants. Read more

NRG and SunPower commission first 22 MW phase of California Valley Solar Ranch

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 13:18 (Solarserver)

On October 24th, 2012 NRG Energy Inc. (Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.) and SunPower Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced the commissioning of the first 22 MW phase of the California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. SunPower and Bechtel Corporation (San Francisco, California, U.S.) began construction on the plant in September 2011, and the companies expect to commission the full 250 MW plant by December 2013. NRG completed the acquisition of CVSR in September 2011. Read more

Report: All new US capacity in September from solar and wind

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 13:13 (PV-Tech)

Every megawatt of new electrical generation capacity in the US in September came from solar or wind power, official figures reveal. Read more

SolarCity and MC Solar complete Bronx installation

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 12:15 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity and MC Solar Development have completed the installation of a 237kW rooftop solar system next to the Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. Read more

Lux Research: Manufacturers need to innovate to survive solar shakeouts

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 12:07 (PV-Tech)

Solar panel manufacturers need to acquire innovative production equipment in order to cut costs, increase margins, and offer differentiated products. This is the finding of a new report from Lux Research?s Solar Components Intelligence service, the group has released its latest report, Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Opportunities in the Turbulent Photovoltaic Equipment Market. Read more

Martifer Solar agrees first project in Ukraine

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 12:02 (PV-Tech)

Portugal-based project developer Martifer Solar has signed an EPC contract with Green Agro Service for the construction of aMW photovoltaic project in Ukraine. Read more

Five Scary Solar PR No-No's for Halloween. Boo!

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Since it?s nearing Halloween, it?s a good time to visit five ways you may be scaring away a solar reporter. Be very, very frightened. This list actually comes from personal experience. I?m in a quasi solar reporter world and a professional solar world. By day, I?m a solar marketer, and by whenever I have time or inspiration ? about once a week ? I Read more

3.34 GW of solar projects under development in Chile

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 9:36 (Solarserver)

Chile's Center for Renewable Energy (CORFO) has released its latest monthly report on the status of renewable energy projects in Chile, finding that 2.05 GW of solar projects have received environmental approval, but that only 3.9 MW are currently under construction. The agency also finds that 1.29 GW of solar projects are currently before the nation's Environmental Assessment Agency (SEA), for a total of 3.34 GW of solar projects. The vast majority of solar projects are planned for the nation's northern grid (SING), at roughly 2.9 GW, with another 400 MW planned for the central grid (SIC). Read more

The October Surprise: BP Cancels Plans for US Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 16:20 (Renewable Energy World)

In Florida, BP announced it is canceling plans to build a 36 million gallon commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Highlands County. The company said that it would refocus its US biofuels strategy on R&D, as well as licensing its industry?leading biofuels technology. Read more

Pike Research report on energy storage in Asia Pacific: Installed capacity to surpass 25 GW by 2022

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 22:55 (Solarserver)

On October 23rd, 2012, Pike Research (Boulder, Colorado, U.S.) announced that it has released a new report on energy storage systems (ESS) in Asia Pacific. Pike Research forecasts that cumulative installed capacity of ESS in the region will surpass 25,082 megawatts (MW) by 2022, with nearly 6,400 MW of capacity added that year. According to the report, the market value for this capacity will be more than USD 12 billion in 2022. Read more

Australia Urged to Stick With Renewable Energy Policy

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 16:39 (Renewable Energy World)

Australia's renewable energy target should be retained in its current form to avoid undermining investors' confidence in wind, solar and geothermal power, according to the government's adviser on climate change. Read more

DECC announced 1.3GW of installations in UK

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 14:03 (PV-Tech)

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that installations under the country?s feed-in tariff (FiT) have reached 1.3GW across the UK, according to Solar Power Portal. Read more

BrightSource Energy raises USD 80 million in latest funding round

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 13:07 (Solarserver)

BrightSource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S) has announced that it has raised more than USD 80 million in equity financing in its latest round, to bring it to more than USD 615 million in equity financing. Alstom and VantagePoint Capital Partners led the round, with additional investors including DFJ, CalSTRS, DBL Investors, Goldman Sachs, Chevron Technology Ventures and BP Ventures. BrightSource says that the new funding positions it for international growth. Read more

EDF announces 10.8% bill rise from December

Friday, 10.26.2012 - 12:15 (Solarpowerportal)

EDF Energy has become the latest member of the ?Big Six? energy companies to announce price rises, citing ?obligatory? investment in renewables as a major driver behind its decision. Read more