German FiT to be reduced as September PV installations rebound

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 17:18 (PV-Tech)

Solar module installations in Germany rebounded significantly in September, according to the latest figures from the German Federal Network Agency. Read more

New FiT rates come into force

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 13:06 (Solarpowerportal)

The new feed-in tariff (FiT) rates for solar photovoltaic technology have become effective as of today. Read more

Weak international PV sales impact Kyocera results

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 8:59 (Solarserver)

Kyocera Corporation (Kyoto, Japan) has stated that declining sales of its solar photovoltaic (PV) products outside of Japan have impacted its financial results, in a report on the first six months of its fiscal year 2013, ending on September 30th, 2012. The company's Applied Ceramics Products Group, which includes PV and other products, saw a 5.8% year-over-year fall in sales to JPY 85.4 billion (USD 1.07 billion), and an operating margin of 6.2%. The company also reports an increase in domestic PV sales, and predicts future growth in the Japanese market. Read more

Advanced Energy increases PV inverter sales in 3Q 2012

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 8:55 (Solarserver)

Advanced Energy Industries Inc. (Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.) has released financial results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 17% increase in revenue in its Solar Energy business unit to USD 60.7 million, which it credits to growing demand for its inverters in North American markets. Overall, the company reported USD 117 million in revenues, an 8.5% operating margin and USD 5.7 million in net income. The board of Advanced Energy has also authorized the repurchase of up to USD 25 million in company stock over the next 12 months. Read more

Amonix reaches world record 33.5% CPV module efficiency

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 8:47 (Solarserver)

Amonix Inc. (Seal Beach, California, U.S.) has achieved a 33.5% outdoor efficiency rating with its concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) modules, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL, Golden, Colorado, U.S.). This sets a new world record for CPV modules, breaking the previous 30.3% record also held by Amonix. The company notes that during the test its module efficiency peaked at 34.2%. Read more

AEG Power revises 2012 revenue projection

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 1:26 (PV-Tech)

AEG Power announced that its expected full year, 2012 revenue has been reduced to ?370-?380 million (US$479-US$492 million). Read more

Solar Planet Power connects PV arrays for Ohio schools

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 16:46 (PV-Tech)

Solar Planet Power, PV installers based in Ohio, US, has commissioned several ground-mounted and rooftop PV projects at elementary and high schools located in West Jefferson and Blacklick, Ohio. Read more

OHL Industrial plans 20MW solar project in Arizona

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 15:22 (PV-Tech)

Spanish industrial plant developer OHL Industrial and NVT Licenses USA have signed a contract for the development of a 20MW PV plant in Picture Rocks, Tucson in Arizona, US. Read more

The Question Day 22: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 15:20 (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

Infographic: How Archaic Utility Rules Stall Local Solar

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 14:57 (Renewable Energy World)

Many people expect that solar power will dramatically expand once it bursts through the cost barrier and becomes less expensive than grid electricity.  But archaic utility rules can effectively cap local solar development at just 15% of peak demand.  Fortunately, pioneering states like Hawaii and California are exploring ways to lift the cap and br Read more

Westmill Solar Park becomes world?s largest co-operatively owned solar farm

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 12:40 (Solarpowerportal)

Westmill Solar Co-operative has finalised its acquisition of Westmill Solar Park, making the £16.5million project the UK?s first, and, it claims, the world?s largest, co-operatively owned solar farm. Read more

Solar trade war escalates as China launches EU probe

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 11:27 (PV-Tech)

China has fired the latest salvo in the mounting international solar trade war by launching anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probes into solar-grade polysilicon imports from the EU. Read more

Ferro revenues fall in solar pastes business as layoffs loom

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 9:06 (Solarserver)

Ferro Corporation (Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.) has released results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 46% year-over-year decline in revenues in its Electronic Materials segment, which makes solar photovoltaic (PV) cell pastes, to USD 35.3 million. Ferro notes USD 188 million in impairment charges associated with the segment, and has warned that it is considering changes for the business in response to market difficulties. Overall, Ferro reported a decline in sales and heavy losses, and is planning a 10% workforce reduction over the next few years. Read more

Concentrating solar power: BrightSource's Ivanpah CSP project 2/3 complete

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 9:03 (Solarserver)

BrightSource Energy Inc. (Oakland, California, U.S.) has announced that its Ivanpah concentrating solar power (CSP) project is two-thirds complete, with more than 117,000 steel pylons and 77,000 heliostats installed and interim transmission interconnection completed. In a newsletter dated October 30th, 2012, BrightSource notes that more than 2,100 workers were on site in October 2012, and that solar field commissioning is underway at the first of the plant's three units. BrightSource expects to commission the 370 MW project in Southern California's Mojave Desert in 2013. Read more

Voltech Group and NanoPV plan manufacturing plant and solar park

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 1:54 (PV-Tech)

NanoPV and the Voltech Group are to build a 100MW solar module manufacturing plant and a 100MW solar farm in India. Read more

Report: Voltech Group and NanoPV to set up manufacturing plant, solar park

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 1:54 (PV-Tech)

NanoPV and the Voltech Group will not only construct a 100MW solar module manufacturing plant, but will additionally build a 100MW solar farm. Read more

Wind Farm Operating Costs Fall 38% in Four Years, BNEF Says

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 19:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The cost of running and maintaining wind farms has fallen 38 percent in four years as competition among contractors increased and turbine performance improved, bringing closer the day that the technology matches fossil fuel. Read more

U.K. Coalition Parties Clash on Expansion of Wind Farms

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Britain's two government coalition parties clashed over the policy for wind-farm expansion, unsettling industry officials seeking clarity on how much support they can expect. Read more

Proposed Investment May Help Wave and Tidal Technologies Thrive

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 15:27 (Renewable Energy World)

With the recent announcement that the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is launching a £103 million fund for Scottish renewable energy projects, it is a prosperous time for the industry, especially for wave and tidal technologies. Wave and tidal energy generation is significant in the provision of energy to the UK, with the UK highly sought upon Read more

Hurricane Sandy Uncovers Strength and Simplicity of Renewable Energy Systems

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 14:52 (Renewable Energy World)

Wind and solar are relatively safe forms of energy, a feature that we tend to overlook until a disaster hits like the "superstorm" that disabled New York City's power grid this week. Read more

Energy: A Nonpartisan Guide for U.S. Voters

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 14:00 (Renewable Energy World)

While most of us probably take it for granted, energy plays an integral role in our daily lives?in commuting to work, running the dishwasher, charging our mobile devices, and cooling an office building, not to mention the manufacture of every product we buy. For better or for worse, nearly everything we do requires energy, and we use more energy now than we ever have before. Read more

China State Grid records massive increase in PV generating capacity

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 13:02 (PV-Tech)

The PV power generation installation capacity connected to the China State Grid was up 415% by the end of September compared to the same period last year, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) said yesterday. Read more

Amonix reaches 34.2% module efficiency record

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 1:38 (PV-Tech)

The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) confirmed that Amonix?s tested module reached a peak 34.2% efficiency rating. Read more

Advanced Energy enters distribution agreement with Ebara Field Tech

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 1:09 (PV-Tech)

Advanced Energy Industries (AE) and Ebara Field Tech (EFT) will collaborate on sales and service support for AE thin-film products in Japan. Read more

Ambassador Energy adds personnel to sales team

Thursday, 11.1.2012 - 0:44 (PV-Tech)

Ambassador Energy?s Southern California sales team is adding personnel in response to solar repayment programs such as property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing. Read more