ET Solar modules power rooftop project in Austria

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 23:03 (PV-Tech)

ET Solar was the sole module provider for a 1.45MW commercial rooftop project in Austria. Read more

Curtin University student develops PV/diesel solution to power remote locations in Australia

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 18:49 (Solarserver)

A Curtin University (Australia) student has designed and installed an innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) diesel hybrid system for the Veterans Retreat of Western Australia at Meentheena Station, 75 km east of Marble Bar, Australia. The system was developed by Shaji Mathews from the university's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in conjunction with Regen Power. Read more

Philip Comberg to remain CEO of Congery, company will build 21 MW of PV in Thailand

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 9:19 (Solarserver)

Conergy AG (Hamburg, Germany) has retained Dr. Philip Comberg as its CEO, as well as appointing Dr. Andreas Plesske to the position of chairman. Dr. Comberg will remain in charge of strategy, corporate development, corporate communications, human resources, compliance and legal issues. The company has also won a contract to build two solar photovoltaic (PV) plants totaling 21 MW in Thailand from Thai Solar Energy Company Ltd. (Bangkok, Thailand). Read more

Spire shipping first blue light enhanced sun simulators in Q4

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 7:31 (PV-Tech)

PV equipment supplier, Spire Corporation is shipping the first number of ?Spi-Sun Simulator 5600SLP,? which uses enhanced blue light technology required for advanced solar cell/module performance measurement. Read more

Ground broken for 1.68 MW PV plant in Oakley, California

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 0:03 (Solarserver)

Hayworth-Fabian LLC, the City of Oakley (California, U.S.) and the Oakley Chamber of Commerce have broken ground on a 1.68 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in Oakley (California, U.S.). The PV facility will use S-Energy's 295 watt (W) solar modules to provide shaded parking for the RVs and boats at the executive RV & boat storage facility in Oakley. Read more

Lightway to supply 22MW of panels for Suntuity projects

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:55 (PV-Tech)

Lightway Solar America has signed the agreement with Suntuity to deliver 22MW of solar panels for 31 of Suntuity?s solar projects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California. Read more

Peru?s Tacna, Panamericana solar projects acquire two new investors

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:36 (PV-Tech)

Private equity investment firm Conduit Capital Partners and CAF, development bank of Latin America, have invested in Peru?s Tacna and Panamericana solar projects. Read more

Gehrlicher nears completion of first Romanian solar plant

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:20 (PV-Tech)

Gehrlicher Solar plans to connect its 8.75 Romanian solar project to the grid by 15 November. Read more

Sky Solar begins development on 18MW solar plant in Chile

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:07 (PV-Tech)

The 18MW Sky Solar project, located in Chile?s northern Arica province, is the first project for Sky Solar in the country. Read more

Sky Solar begins development of 18MW solar plant in Chile

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:07 (PV-Tech)

Chinese developer Sky solar is to begin work on its first project in Chile, a 18MW solar plant located in the country?s northern Arica province. Read more

Areva-led Consortium Pulls Plug on 250-MW Australian CSP Project

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 21:20 (Renewable Energy World)

A consortium led by French nuclear group Areva has ditched a A$1.2 billion ($1.2 billion) concentrated solar thermal project after the federal government pulled critical funding. Read more

DayStar enters into LOI to acquire solar power generation and storage technology provider Premier Global Holdings

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 18:56 (Solarserver)

On November 7th, 2012, DayStar Technologies Inc. (Union City, California, U.S.) announced that it has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire Premier Global Holdings Corp. Premier Global Holdings Corporation has rights to a proprietary patent pending solar power generation and storage unit. It is based on photosynthesis, which is how plants convert light in to a useable energy, and it can be implemented using abundant and readily replenished and renewable biomaterials, the company notes. Read more

Report: Solar is fastest growing renewable technology

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:43 (PV-Tech)

Renewables are set to become the world?s second largest source of power generation by 2015 with solar the fastest growing renewable technology, according to the International Energy Agency. Read more

The Question Day 29: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:25 (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

Centrosolar revenues fall 22% in first nine months of 2012

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:09 (Solarserver)

Centrosolar AG (Munich, Germany) has released third quarter 2012 results, reporting a 24% year-over-year decline in quarterly revenues to EUR 55.5 million (USD 70.6 million), despite a 29% increase in international sales of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems. Over the first nine months of 2012, Centrosolar's revenues have fallen 22% year-over-year to EUR 175 million (USD 223 million), with a -11% operating margin and a net loss of EUR 24.4 million (USD 31.1 million). The company does not expect a year-end rally in the PV market. Read more

Solar Green Technology completes 7.8 MW of rooftop PV in Italy

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:04 (Solarserver)

LDK Solar Company Ltd. (Xinyu City, China) has announced that subsidiary Solar Green Technology SpA (Milan, Italy) has completed the first 7.8 MW of a 12 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Italy. The Century project consists of industrial rooftop PV plants throughout the nation ranging between 300 kW and 1 MW. LDK notes that these plants will benefit from higher feed-in tariff rates under the fourth Conto Energia. Read more

Trina Solar cuts Q3 shipment guidance and gross margin to zero

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 15:28 (PV-Tech)

Overcapacity, ?irrational? pricing of some competitors and a non-cash inventory write-down have forced Trina Solar to lower its module shipment guidance and gross margins for Q3. Read more

Manz cites solar bookings evaporation as sales decline 23.1%

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:57 (PV-Tech)

A significant fall in orders and bookings within its Solar division were partially offset by increased business within its Display division, specialist equipment supplier, Manz reported. Read more

Manz cites evaporating solar bookings as sales decline 23.1%

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:57 (PV-Tech)

A significant fall in orders and bookings within Manz?s solar division were partially offset by increased business within its display division, the specialist equipment supplier has reported. Read more

Memo to the President; Re: Your Forgotten Promise to Put Solar on the White House

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:30 (Renewable Energy World)

  Memo to: President Barack Obama Re: The Promised Solar Panels on the White House. Please advise. Dear Mr President: Now that the election is over, I?d like to follow up on a significant announcement Energy Secretary Chu made in October 2010. He announced that the Department of Energy would put solar hot water and solar PV systems on the roof of T Read more

Mainstream Renewable Power begins building 100MW PV projects in South Africa

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 13:37 (PV-Tech)

Irish developer Mainstream Renewable Power is ready to break ground on two proposed solar projects in South Africa after inking financing, power purchase and implementation agreements with the South African government. Read more

One Man's Fight To Cut California Solar Permitting Fees

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 13:18 (Renewable Energy World)

One of the satisfactions of being a Sierra Club volunteer is knowing that you have helped with some environmental victory. But few volunteers can boast of the achievement of Kurt Newick: two bills were signed into California law that would not have happened without him. They were the outcome of his hard work over seven years (see January-February 2011, page 4), and he helped draft them. Lots of other volunteers were involved, of course, but it was Kurt's initiative, hard work, and expertise that made the laws possible. Kurt notes with appreciation, "There was always someone willing to work with me." Read more

Gestamp Solar signs PPAs for 30 MW of PV in South Africa

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 12:52 (Solarserver)

Gestamp Solar SL (Madrid, Spain) has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the sale of electricity from two solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in South Africa totaling 30 megawatt (MW). The company has also secured EUR 80 million (USD 100 million) in financing through Nedbank (Johannesburg, South Africa) and IDC (Sandton, South Africa) for the projects. The two projects are among 28 selected as "preferred bidders" in December 2011 under the first round of the nation's Renewable Energy Independent Producers Programme. Read more

Singulus reports heavy losses in 3Q 2012

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 12:48 (Solarserver)

Singulus Technologies AG (Kahl am Main, Germany) has released financial results for the first nine months of 2012, reporting a 31% decline in revenues to EUR 83.5 million (USD 106.3 million) and an operating margin of -64%, largely due to extraordinary charges. As a result, Singulus states that it will undertake a restructuring, including laying off 40% of its workforce at subsidiary Singulus Stangl Solar GmbH's Fürstenfeldbruck site, as previously announced in late October 2012. However, Singulus also reported a strong order intake of EUR 111 million (USD 141 million). Read more

Solar Dawn Consortium cancels A$1.2 billion project

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 12:03 (PV-Tech)

The Solar Dawn Consortium in Australia has cancelled plans to develop its beleaguered A$1.2 billion (US$1.3 billion) Western Downs facility, it has been announced. Read more

Research: 98% of UK PV arrays working ?to spec?

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 11:57 (Solarpowerportal)

Almost all of the 2,000 solar arrays in a two-year university research project are performing as well as specified by their manufacturers. Read more

PVA TePla Solar Systems division sales only ?6.6 million in 9-months

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 10:09 (PV-Tech)

Silicon crystallization equipment supplier, PVA TePla generated revenue of ?83.7 million in the first nine months of 2012, slightly higher than the same period a year ago when revenue reached ?77.3 million. Read more

S.A.G. Solarstrom sales bounce back in 3Q 2012

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 9:32 (Solarserver)

S.A.G. Solarstrom AG (Freiburg, Germany) has released results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a sequential increase in quarterly revenues to EUR 55.4 million (USD 70.4 million), more than the previous two quarters combined. The company also reported an operating margin of 4.0%. While sales for the first nine months of 2012 declined 48% over the first nine months of 2011 to EUR 109 million, the company achieved an operating margin of 0.3%. S.A.G. Solarstrom expects to achieve an installation volume of 100 MW in 2012, as well as a positive operating margin. Read more

Centrosolar sales up in Q3, year-end revenue guidance down

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 9:30 (PV-Tech)

Centrosolar reported its core downstream business of rooftop installations increased 29% in Q3 2012 as sales in Italy, Belgium and North America improved. Read more

Centrosolar sales up 29% in Q3; lowers 2012 revenue guidance

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 9:30 (PV-Tech)

Centrosolar reported its core downstream business of rooftop installations increased 29% in Q3 2012 as sales in Italy, Belgium and North America improved. Read more

Aalborg to supply steam generator for 25 MW CSP plant in Gujarat, India

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 9:25 (Solarserver)

Aalborg CSP A/S (Aalborg, Denmark) has received an order to design and deliver a steam generator for a 25 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) project in the Indian state of Gujarat from Cargo Power and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. (New Delhi, India). The plant will be the first CSP plant in India to supply thermal energy storage, with the capacity to supply electricity for an additional nine hours. The plant will be also be Gujarat's first CSP plant upon scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2013. Read more

Everyday Low (Fuel) Prices: Drop-in Advanced Biofuels for Under $100 per Barrel

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 15:28 (Renewable Energy World)

Brent Crude trades this past week at a transorbital $109 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate at a suborbital, if high, $85). It puts the conventional wisdom that biofuels are too infrastructure incompatible and too costly to the test. Are they? Read more

GE Wins Indian Wind Share as Suzlon, Vestas Suffer Market Shift

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:16 (Renewable Energy World)

A shift in India's wind market toward bigger, more efficient projects is benefiting General Electric Co. (GE) as dominant turbine suppliers Suzlon Energy Ltd. (SUEL) and Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) see cash dwindle. Read more

Attend #SolarChat on Climate Change and Solar Solutions this Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. EST -- Register Here

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 22:04 (Renewable Energy World)

http://solarchat-111412-estw.eventbrite.com/ Read more

IEA initiates discussion on energy security impacts of climate change

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 19:02 (Solarserver)

On November 8th, 2012, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that it has met with a select group of companies from the energy and manufacturing sectors to discuss the threats to energy systems from climate change. The meeting, which had been scheduled for several months, comes a week after Hurricane Sandy caused tens of billions of dollars' worth of damage along the East Coast of the United States. The storm's aftermath highlighted the vulnerability of even the most well-developed economies and energy systems to environmental impacts. Read more

Cupertino Electric installs 1.2MW PV system for Californian school district

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 18:47 (PV-Tech)

Cupertino Electric?s Energy Alternatives Division has completed a 1.2MW PV system on property owned by the Golden Valley Unified School District in Madera, California. Read more

U.S. Clean energy sector job announcements see slowdown in Q3 despite improving economy

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 18:44 (Solarserver)

On November 8th, 2012, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2, Washington, U.S.) has released a report stating that job growth in the clean energy sector was slow in the third quarter of 2012. According to the report, more than 10,800 jobs were announced in the clean energy sector and related industries in the third quarter of 2012. Despite an improving economy, the job growth was dramatically less than in the previous two quarters of this year. Read more

Ontario's Green Energy Act: Domestic Industry and International Trade Wars

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:29 (Renewable Energy World)

When the Canadian province of Ontario introduced its Green Energy Act in 2009, its local content restrictions, which now dictate that new solar power plants have at least 60% of their equipment sourced in Ontario and new wind power plants require at least 50%, were seen as a way to build a new industry in the province which had been hit hard with f Read more

Funding for UK energy efficiency studies

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 16:08 (Solarpowerportal)

Minister for energy and climate change Greg Barker has announced £26 million funding from two research councils to support energy efficiency policy and contribute to cutting carbon use and greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Read more

ARENA launches renewable energy programme for remote Australian areas

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 15:55 (PV-Tech)

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched a new programme under its inaugural General Funding Strategy which aims to drive renewable energy adoption in regional and remote areas in Australia. Read more

Renewable Energy to Rival Coal for Power Generation in 2035

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 15:09 (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable energy is set to rival coal as the main generator of the world's electricity by 2035 as the costs of technology fall and subsidies rise, the International Energy Agency said. Read more

Energy efficiency drive could cut UK consumption by 11% by 2020

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:31 (Solarpowerportal)

A government energy efficiency strategy has outlined a range of measures that could slash UK energy usage by 11% by 2020. Read more

What Stops Banks from Lending to Energy Efficiency Projects?

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Four years after the U.S. credit market crashed, energy efficiency projects continue to struggle to secure financing. What?s the problem? A slow economy, of course. But when it comes to energy efficiency ? and on-site renewable energy ? the problem runs deeper. It?s not lack of interest in green energy. To the contrary, says Angela Ferrante, direct Read more

The Asia Report: Australia Lays Out 2050 Renewable Energy Vision

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 14:12 (Renewable Energy World)

Renewable energy sources could rapidly expand to provide 40 percent of Australia's energy needs by 2035 and 85 percent by 2050 and virtually eliminate coal-fired power stations, the nation's government said in its long-delayed energy white paper. Read more

Businesses fearful of UK energy security

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 13:04 (Solarpowerportal)

Businesses in the UK are becoming increasingly worried about energy security and believe the government?s aim of creating a ?diverse energy mix? will avoid creating future supply problems. Read more

Order Focus: SMA and EDF Renewable Energy 110MW collaboration in California

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 12:21 (PV-Tech)

Renewable energy developer EDF Renewable Energy, formerly enXco, in collaboration with inverter manufacturer SMA, has installed a 110MW AC solar plant in Kern County, California, US. Read more

Vidaris expands renewable energy division

Monday, 11.12.2012 - 12:14 (PV-Tech)

Vidaris, a US-based provider of technical consulting and monitoring services for high-performance buildings and speciality structures, has expanded its renewable energy division as a result of growing demand for renewable energy solutions including PV, BIPV, BAPV and solar thermal integrated technologies. Read more