Astronergy PV modules passed PID test

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:39 (Solarserver)

On October 25th, 2012, Astronergy (Hangzhou, China) announced that its mono- and polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have passed the Potential induced degradation (PID) test conducted by TUEV Rheinland. The testing results illustrated the good performance and high reliability of Astronergy's PV modules, the company emphasizes. Read more

Natcore scientists develop ?blackest? silicon solar cell surface

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

From the heart of its R&D centre in Rochester, New York, Natcore Technology scientists have developed what they call the ?first black silicon solar cell?. Read more

Sustainable Energy expects certification for STX inverter next year

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

Sustainable Energy Technology anticipates that its 5kW Paralex STX inverter for Japan?s solar market will be certified by the first quarter 2013. Read more

LIPA board votes to expand FiT program by 100MW

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

The Long Island Power Authority?s (LIPA) board of trustees has passed an authorized plan to expand its Feed-in-tariff (FiT) by 100MW, no later than next July. Read more

Sunways achieves higher peak performance in PV cells

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 18:13 (PV-Tech)

German PV manufacturer Sunways has increased the peak efficiency of its solar cells to almost 20%, the company has announced. Read more

France proposes cut to Q4 2012 FiT

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

The French Energy Regulation Commission (CRE) has fixed its feed-in tariff (FiT) to ?0.035 (US$0.045) and ?0.075 (US$0.097) for the fourth quarter of 2012, having fallen from ?0.045 (US$0.058) and ?0.095 (US$0.123). Read more

Natcore produces "black silicon" PV cell using scalable production processes

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 13:12 (Solarserver)

On November 25th, 2012 Natcore Technology Inc. (Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.) announced that it has created the world's first "black silicon" solar photovoltaic (PV) cell using processes that can be reproduced in low-cost mass production. Natcore produced the cell using its liquid phase deposition (LPD) process in its research and development (R&D) center in the U.S. state of New York. The company will now send the cell to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL, Golden, Colorado, U.S.), for further development. Read more

Upsolar completes 1 MW PV plant in Sicily

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:30 (Solarserver)

On October 25th, 2012, Upsolar (Shanghai, China) announced that it has completed a 1.1 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Sicily. The PV plant is comprised of four rooftop arrays featuring UP-S190M monocrystalline Upsolar modules with Schweizer Solrif frames. The solar system will generate electricity for agricultural facilities in Portopalo di Capopassero, Sicily. Read more

Peru?s President Humala on hand to open T-Solar?s power plants in country?s Arequipa region

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:15 (PV-Tech)

President Ollanta Humala from the Republic of Peru joined local and company representitives in inaguraitng 44MW of Peruvian PV plants. Read more

Peru president opens T-Solar?s Arequipa PV plants

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 21:28 (PV-Tech)

Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has joined local and company representatives to inaugurate 44MW of Peruvian PV plants. Read more

Order Focus: Proinso delivers 432 solar inverters to solar plants in Greece

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 21:15 (PV-Tech)

Four hundred thirty two solar inverters were delivered to four new solar plants in northern Greece by Proinso. Read more

SPG Solar adds two new executive team leaders

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 20:15 (PV-Tech)

Effective immediately, John Tomaszewski and Soren Jensen have been named senior VP of operations, customer service and warranty and director of engineering, respectively, for SPG Solar. Read more

China Development Bank Gives Sky Solar $1.6B Loan for Downstream Development

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 20:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The China Development Bank (CDB), largely considered to be the main engine behind the Chinese government's economic development policies, has issued solar project developer Sky Solar Holdings a loan for 10 billion RMB (US$1.6 billion). The agreement, which runs until 2016, is being seen as a way for China to solve its problem of PV solar panel overcapacity while simultaneously ushering downstream development of its solar interests. Read more

Poland to implement FiT to meet EU 2020 renewables target

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 19:12 (PV-Tech)

Poland looks set to ramp up its support for large solar plants through a new feed-in tariff and a green certificates programme in a bid to meet European Union 2020 renewables targets. Read more

The Question Day 19: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 16:00 (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

LDK Solar sells 3 PV plants totaling 14 MW to Henan Xindaxin Materials in exchange for USD 22 million in canceled debt

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 15:37 (Solarserver)

LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) has agreed to sell three rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 14 MW to Henan Xindaxin Materials Co. (Daxin, Kaifeng, China) in exchange for repayment of USD 22 million in debt. The plants include a 2 MW PV plant created as part of its PV application model project, a second 2 MW plant located at its first and second plant expansions, and a 10 MW plant located at the third plant expansion. LDK will lease the three plants back from Henan at a rate of USD 1.6 million annually until November 2018, after which an extension is possible. Read more

Tindo Solar opens PV factory in South Australia

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 15:31 (Solarserver)

Tindo Solar Pty Ltd. (Mawson Lakes, Australia) has opened a solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing facility in Adelaide, South Australia, as the nation's only PV module factory. The plant has the capacity to produce 60 MW of PV modules annually, and will produce AC modules, complete with micro-inverter technology. The plant's opening was attended by Australian PM Julia Gillard. Read more

Bankrupt Abound officials face fraud investigation

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 15:12 (PV-Tech)

Officials from Colorado-based Abound Solar are facing a criminal investigation over possible fraud, it has emerged. Read more

Taj Mahal set to be powered by solar plant

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 15:09 (PV-Tech)

A proposed solar plant is expected to be built in Uttar Pradesh, India, near the Taj Mahal to ensure that the iconic building and its surrounding areas receive a continuous power supply, according to reports. Read more

LDK Sells Solar Plants to Henan Xindaxin for US$22 million

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 14:54 (PV-Tech)

LDK Solar, one of the world?s largest producers of solar wafers, has finalised a deal to sell three solar plants to Henan Xindaxin Materials for RMB140 million (US$22.4 million). Read more

Report: 3.34GW of PV projects under construction in Chile

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 14:15 (PV-Tech)

According to the latest monthly report released by Chile?s Center for Renewable Energy (CORFO) as cited by SolarServer, 2.05GW of Chilean solar projects received environmental authorisation during the month but just 3.9MW of this figure is currently under construction. Read more

Concentrating solar power: CPUC approves contracts for 790 MW of BrightSource projects

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 9:46 (Solarserver)

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved contracts wherein BrightSource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S.) will sell power from two concentrating solar power (CSP) projects under development to Southern California Edison Company (SCE, Rosemead, California, U.S.). The contracts cover electricity produced by unit 2 of BrightSource's Rio Mesa project and both units of its Sonoran West project, for a total of 790 MW. Businessweek reports that the CPUC rejected three other contracts between the two companies. Read more

Indian state Tamil Nadu implements new solar policy

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 9:40 (Solarserver)

Tamil Nadu, the most urbanized state in India, has released a new solar policy, which aims to install 3 GW by 2015, and establish the province as a hub for solar energy development. The "Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Policy - 2012" will implement net metering, solar purchase obligations (SPO), competitive bidding and generation-based incentives. The policy seeks to achieve grid parity by 2015 and encourage solar manufacturing in the state, along with larger goals of industry and skill development. Read more

ERCAM JV with OCI to provide 500 MW of solar trackers to Texas PV project

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 9:28 (Solarserver)

Energía ERCAM SA (Cabanillas Del Campo, Spain) has formed a joint venture with the OCI Group (Seoul, South Korea), which will supply dual-axis trackers to accompany 500 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation planned in the U.S. state of Texas. ERCAM Trackers LLC (San Antonio, Texas, U.S.) will supply the trackers during the years 2013-2017. ERCAM will also transfer its operations in the United States from San Francisco, California to San Antonio, Texas, as well as building a new factory to produce up to 250 MW of trackers annually. Read more

Russell Biomass Plant Cancelled: The Start of an Industry Trend?

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 20:25 (Renewable Energy World)

On the heels of the recent biomass regulations imposed by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the 50-MW Russell Biomass plant, which has been in the works since 2005, has been terminated. Read more

Largest Offshore Wind Farm Generates First Power in U.K.

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 17:10 (Renewable Energy World)

London Array, the largest offshore wind park approved in the world, produced its first power as backers Dong Energy A/S, Masdar Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. and EON AG seek to curb technology costs by building at scale. Read more

Denmark Won't Help Vestas if Wind Turbine Maker Needs Rescue

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The Danish government won't provide direct support to Vestas Wind Systems A/S should the world's biggest maker of wind turbines need a bailout to stay afloat. Read more

First Solar installs millionth PV module at MidAmerican Solar's 550-MW Topaz Solar Farm

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:44 (Solarserver)

On October 24th, 2012, First Solar Inc. (Tempe, Arizona, U.S.) announced that it has installed the one millionth solar photovoltaic (PV) module at MidAmerican Solar's (Phoenix, Arizona) Topaz Solar project in San Luis Obispo County, California. The Topaz PV plant is the largest solar project under construction in the world. When completed, the 550-megawatt (MW) solar power plant will include nearly 9 million PV modules. Read more

Sustainable Energy Technologies on track to receive JET certification for the Japanese PV market during the first quarter of 2013

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 22:34 (Solarserver)

On October 25th, 2012, Sustainable Energy Technology Ltd. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), a designer and manufacturer of smart grid-tied inverters for distributed electrical generation and storage systems, announced that it is on track to complete certification of the 5 kilowatt (kW) PARALEX STX inverter for the Japanese solar photovoltaic (PV) market during the first quarter of 2013. Read more

TerniEnergia establishes South African subsidiary

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 19:15 (PV-Tech)

Italian renewable energy specialist and PV systems integrator TerniEnergia has announced the establishment of a subsidiary in Cape Town, South Africa. Read more

Clenergy supplies bespoke mounting system for 7MW Haikou project

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 17:23 (PV-Tech)

Clenergy, a manufacturer of rooftop mounting systems, is supplying a customised version of its PV-ezRack SolarRoof system for use in a 7MW project in Haikou on Hainan Island, China. Read more

South Africa Seeks New Bids for 3,200 Megawatts of Green Energy

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 15:30 (Renewable Energy World)

South Africa said it will open a new bidding round for alternative energy projects that should add an additional 3,200 megawatts of power to the national grid in Africa's largest economy by 2020. Read more

The WTO vs. Ontario: Addressing the Bigger Picture of Trade and Renewable Energy

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

In a move that will likely set a worldwide precedent barring governments from imposing local content requirements to their feed-in tariff programs, a forthcoming World Trade Organization report indicates that it will side with the European Union and Japan against the Canadian province of Ontario. Although the official report is not expected to be released until November, a leaked preliminary dispute settlement floated by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) signals the WTO's acceptance of two separately filed claims of protectionism against Ontario. Both Japan and the EU have claimed Ontario's feed-in tariff (FIT) program discriminates against Read more

Report: Policy clarity needed to maintain energy investment

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 13:36 (Solarpowerportal)

Energy investment in the UK is at a 20-year high, but could slow down without greater policy certainty, an industry-backed report has warned. Read more

PV comprises 3/4 of new U.S. electricity generation in September 2012

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 13:26 (Solarserver)

Solar photovoltaic (PV) projects made up 18 of the 24 new electricity generating units put into service in the United States in September 2012, according to a report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The new units total of 133 MW of new capacity, and include the fifth phase of NRG and MidAmerican's Agua Caliente PV project. The other projects put into service during the month were 5 wind units totaling 300 MW, and one biomass project. Read more

Energy Information Administration begins reporting on-grid U.S. PV capacity

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 13:19 (Solarserver)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) has begun releasing annual information on grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the United States. The EIA estimates that there was 3.54 GW-AC of grid-connected PV in the United States at the end of 2011, which it notes is a "lower-bound" estimate. This is on the high end of estimates from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC, New York, U.S.), which are roughly equal to estimates by GTM Research (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.). Read more

Cleantech 2012 Election Preview: What Can We Expect?

Monday, 10.29.2012 - 12:07 (Renewable Energy World)

President Obama has been a reliable advocate for the cleantech sector, but his ability to deliver tangible benefits is not what it was in 2008. Energy legislation is a significant piece of unfinished business from the administration's first term, but polls suggest it is not a high priority among voters. In a recent survey, likely voters ranked energy policy the 9th most important issue from a list of 10 choices. And even if energy becomes a higher political priority, the debate will likely be shaped by deficit concerns and developments in the natural gas industry. Read more