News of the year 2012

Date: 13.11.2012



Photovoltaics

BPVA aids Norfolk installation

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 18:17 (Solarpowerportal)

Trade group the British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA) has supported local businessman John Dace with his appeal when North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) sent him a notice of ?unlawful development? for a rooftop PV system he had fitted. Read more

3W Power/AEG Power reports PV inverter sales increasing

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 17:44 (PV-Tech)

Power systems provider 3W Power/AEG Power has reported Q3 2012 results that were impacted by overcapacity in polysilicon production but bolstered by growth in the downstream PV inverter market. Read more

Capacity Control: How Will China and Taiwan Survive Post-Tariffs?

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:15 (Renewable Energy World)

Overcapacity is the biggest issue facing the global solar manufacturing industry, and nowhere is the issue more apparent ? and the losses deeper ? than in China and Taiwan. Together these countries account for over 70 percent of solar cell manufacturing. GTM Research estimates that China alone has the capacity to manufacture 59 GW of solar modules ? dwarfing even rosiest demand forecasts for 2012, which is around 30 GW. Taiwanese makers add another 8 GW of manufacturing capacity to this equation. The U.S. Department of Commerce antidumping tariffs intend to impact this condition by pricing Chinese solar cells out of the market, and sideline a significant chunk of the global Read more

Beijing EV Campaign Targets Mass Buyers

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Struggling electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD (HKEx: 1211; Shenzhen: 002594) got a major boost last week when Beijing announced an innovative new plan to stimulate an anemic industry whose sales have failed to take off despite generous government support. The plan this time around looks much smarter than previous ones by focusing on big customers. Unl Read more

Conergy pushing business in US and Asia as Europe wanes

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 14:21 (PV-Tech)

Impacted by 40% module price declines, tightening project finance environment and the cancellation costs associated with a wafer supply deal with MEMC, Conergy reported Q3 2012 revenue of ?108.0 million, down from ?182.4 million in the same period a year ago. Read more

PacifiCorp commissions 2 MW PV plant in Oregon

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 11:31 (Solarserver)

On November 9th, 2012, PacifiCorp (Portland, Oregon, U.S.) announced that it has commissioned a 2 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Lake County (Oregon, U.S.). The company's Black Cap solar facility is located on a 20-acre site and now connected to the grid. The plant will produce enough solar electricity to meet the annual energy needs of about 400 average residential customers, PacifiCorp notes. Read more

Cupertino Electric completes 1.2 MW PV plant for U.S. school

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 11:27 (Solarserver)

On November 9th, 2012, Cupertino Electric Inc. (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced that its energy alternatives division has completed a 1.2 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant for the Golden Valley Unified School District in Madera (California, U.S.). The PV system, designed and built by Cupertino Electric, was installed on canopies and nearby land owned by the district between February and June 2012. Read more

Spire revenues fall 48% in 3Q 2012

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 11:02 (Solarserver)

Spire Corporation (Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S.) has released results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 48% year-over-year decline to USD 4.2 million, which it says is the result of fewer units shipped in its solar photovoltaic (PV) module equipment business. The company also reported a -48% operating margin and a net loss of USD 2.3 million. Spire predicts that the PV equipment business will recover as soon as late 2013, and states that it is well-positioned to take advantage of this recovery. Read more


Thermal Power/Heating

EU and China negotiating on trade despite solar disputes

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 18:32 (PV-Tech)

European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht has announced that the European Union will commence negotiations on trade market access with China. Read more

Hyundai?s US$20.8 million solar research centre operational

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 18:05 (PV-Tech)

An investment of US$20.8 million has resulted in Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) completing its new Solar R&D Center in Eumseong, Korea, home to its 600MW of cell and module manufacturing operations. Read more

SolarCity to install solar panels on 4,700 US Army homes

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 17:06 (PV-Tech)

SolarCity has unveiled plans to install solar panels on up to 4,700 military homes in the United States. Read more

How Do We Lower Solar Installation Costs: Standardize and Harmonize

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:54 (Renewable Energy World)

Soft costs can be pretty tough. The cost of solar installations can be generally separated into "hard" costs ? representing primary components such as modules, racking, inverters ? and soft costs including legal, permitting, and financing. While the former group ? particularly modules ? have dropped dramatically over the last several years, the latter have not. According to a recent NREL analysis, these costs represent roughly 30% of both residential and utility installations (slightly less for commercial-host systems). See Figure 1 below. Read more

The Question Day 30: What is the Most Difficult Issue Facing the Solar Industry?

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 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

China Solar Energy Lifelines Defy Speculation of Forced Mergers

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:17 (Renewable Energy World)

China's $20 billion solar industry is avoiding loan defaults and mergers by taking aid from local governments, preserving jobs at money-losing companies such as LDK Solar Co., the world's second-biggest maker of solar cells. Read more

Ecotricity solar farm hits generation target in first year of operation

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:04 (Solarpowerportal)

Green energy company Ecotricity?s Fen Farm Sun Park in Lincolnshire, Britain?s first large-scale solar farm, has hit electricity generation targets in its first 12 months of operation. Read more

Ecotricity solar farm hits electricity generation target in first 12 months of operation

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:04 (Solarpowerportal)

Green energy company Ecotricity?s Fen Farm Sun Park in Lincolnshire is Britain?s first large-scale solar farm that has hit electricity generation targets in its first 12 months of operation. Read more

AES Solar completes USD 752 million in financing

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:03 (Solarserver)

AES Solar (Arlington, Virginia, U.S.) has completed three debt financings totaling USD 752 million, including project financing for its 266 MW-DC Mount Signal solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and 22.4 MW-DC of PV plants in France, as well as a corporate revolving credit facility for the company. AES has additionally begun construction of the Mount Signal Solar project in Southern California's Imperial Valley, and expects to commission the plant in 2014. Read more

AES Solar closes transactions worth US$752 million

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:57 (PV-Tech)

AES Solar has completed three financial transactions totalling US$752 million relating to a 266MW PV project in the US, 22.4MW of PV projects in France and a corporate revolving credit facility for the company. Read more

JA Solar to launch 152 mm full-square mono PV module product line

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:57 (Solarserver)

JA Solar Holding Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) has unveiled a new 6-inch (152 mm) full-square monocrystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) module series, and will begin mass production of the new line in November 2012. The modules have received certification from TÜV Rheinland (Köln, Germany), and offer a maximum efficiency of 16.82%. The company's 60-cell modules offer a mainstream power output of 270 watts. Read more

REC Solar celebrates 15th year anniversary

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:49 (PV-Tech)

Wafer, cell and module manufacturer REC Solar is celebrating its 15th year anniversary this week. Read more

REC Solar celebrates 15-year anniversary

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:49 (PV-Tech)

US-based PV installer, REC Solar is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this week. Read more

Capacity Control: How Will China and Taiwan Solar Manufacturers Survive Post-Tariffs?

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:15 (Renewable Energy World)

Overcapacity is the biggest issue facing the global solar manufacturing industry, and nowhere is the issue more apparent ? and the losses deeper ? than in China and Taiwan. Together these countries account for over 70 percent of solar cell manufacturing. GTM Research estimates that China alone has the capacity to manufacture 59 GW of solar modules ? dwarfing even rosiest demand forecasts for 2012, which is around 30 GW. Taiwanese makers add another 8 GW of manufacturing capacity to this equation. The U.S. Department of Commerce antidumping tariffs intend to impact this condition by pricing Chinese solar cells out of the market, and sideline a significant chunk of the global Read more

Message to US Solar Panel Manufacturers: Stop Whining and Get Busy Innovating

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

When the International Trade Commission voted unanimously that imports of Chinese solar cells have harmed U.S. solar manufacturers, which will result in tariffs added to solar modules manufactured in China, a new era in the solar industry began. Sadly, this era is seemingly based on American whining and foot stomping instead of focusing on innovation and market development. Read more

Report: Australian solar could benefit from extended clean energy fund

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 14:16 (PV-Tech)

Separating Australia?s renewable energy target from a new A$10 billion clean energy fund could lead to a 37% increase in anticipated large-scale renewables by 2020 with solar particularly benefiting, according to a report. Read more

European bank to help fund South Africa solar project

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 12:52 (PV-Tech)

The European Investment Bank is providing ?50 million ($63.5m) towards the first large concentrated solar power project in sub-Saharan Africa. Read more

Standard Bank Group is leading investor in South Africa procurement process

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 12:40 (PV-Tech)

South Africa?s Standard Bank Group has emerged as the leading investor in the first round of the country?s renewable energy independent power producer (REIPP) procurement process, backing a total of 11 solar and wind projects. Read more

Canadian Solar supplies modules for 540 kW PV plant at Turkish airport

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 11:17 (Solarserver)

On November 9th, 2012, Canadian Solar Inc. (Ontario, Canada) announced that it has supplied its CS6P-P solar photovoltaic (PV) modules for a 540 kilowatt (kW) power plant at Izmir airport in Turkey. The PV system is comprised of a ground-mounted installation with a generation capacity of 450 kW and 90 kW of off-grid systems on several radar stations; which makes it the largest PV system currently installed in Turkey. Read more

Developers, government pull the plug on Australia's Solar Dawn CSP project

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 9:44 (Solarserver)

The Solar Dawn Consortium has confirmed that it will abandon its project to build a 250 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in the Australian State of Queensland. The move follows the Australian Renewable Energy Agency's (ARENA) decision not to fund the project in its Investment Plan 2012-2015. It also follows the government of Queensland's termination of USD 75 million in funding for the project, after the consortium failed to meet financial close on June 30th, 2012. Read more

Abengoa shows continued growth, profitability in nine-month 2012 results

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 9:38 (Solarserver)

Abengoa SA (Seville, Spain) has released results for the first nine months of 2012, reporting a 17% year-over-year increase in revenues to EUR 5.61 billion (USD 7.13 billion), a 16% operating margin, and a profit of EUR 117 million (USD 149 million). The company showed growth in both its Engineering and Construction and Concession-type Infrastructures divisions, with the solar portion of the latter division growing 162% year-over-year to EUR 259 million (USD 329 million). Abengoa also notes that the United States and Latin America contributed nearly 50% to its nine-month revenues. Read more


Biomass/Pellets

There are no news available

 



Wind Energy

Governors Urge Congress to Renew Wind Energy Production Tax Credit

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 20:35 (Renewable Energy World)

With the expiration of the wind energy Production Tax Credit looming and the clock ticking rapidly away to the end of 2012, a bipartisan group of U.S. governors is urging Congress to act now to save jobs. In a joint press conference held today, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) stressed that uncertainty over the extension of the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) is already beginning to have an impact on renewable energy jobs. Read more


Hydropower

There are no news available

 



Hydrogen/Fuel Cell

There are no news available

 



Geo Thermal/Heat Pump

There are no news available

 



Energy Policy/Climate/CO2

Climate Change and Solar Solutions: A Hurricane Sandy (Ongoing) Experience

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 19:30 (Renewable Energy World)

Raina Russo drives through the ravaged streets of her coastal neighborhood in New York, dodging downed trees and aware of the constant sirens that indicate emergency workers are responding to yet another fire. This is what she calls her "new normal" in her life post-Sandy. Read more

Clenergy adds 12MW to 40MW PV project in Jiayuguan

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 17:57 (PV-Tech)

PV mounting system manufacturer Clenergy has helped an unnamed Chinese solar company add 12MW to its 40MW PV project in Jiayuguan, China, supplying its new mounting system for the project. Read more

EDF Energies Nouvelles commissions 115MWp PV plant in France

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 16:51 (PV-Tech)

French renewable energy firm EDF Energies Nouvelles has announced it has commissioned a 115MWp PV facility in the Lorraine region of eastern France. Read more

Report: 59 GW of Coal-Fired Generation Capacity Should Retire; Could Open the Door for Renewable Energy

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:19 (Renewable Energy World)

Today, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released the findings of an economic analysis indicating as much as 18 percent of the country's coal-fired energy generating capacity should be considered for closure. The study found as many as 353 generators in 31 states, totaling 59 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generation capacity, likely will be more expensive to operate after installing modern pollution control equipment than switching to cleaner energy alternatives such as natural gas, renewable energy, or using greater energy efficiency measures. These potential closures are in addition to 41 GW of already announced coal retirements. Read more

Report: 59 GW of Coal-Fired Generation Capacity Should Retire; Could Open Door for Renewable Energy

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:19 (Renewable Energy World)

Today, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released the findings of an economic analysis indicating as much as 18 percent of the country's coal-fired energy generating capacity should be considered for closure. The study found as many as 353 generators in 31 states, totaling 59 gigawatts (GW) of electricity generation capacity, likely will be more expensive to operate after installing modern pollution control equipment than switching to cleaner energy alternatives such as natural gas, renewable energy, or using greater energy efficiency measures. These potential closures are in addition to 41 GW of already announced coal retirements. Read more

Davey: Gas price riggers will face full force of law

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 15:18 (Solarpowerportal)

Ed Davey has promised ?firm action? against any individuals or companies found to have manipulated wholesale gas prices in the UK. Read more

German Utility EON Plunges: Shift to Renewable Energy Presents 'Huge Challenges'

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 14:46 (Renewable Energy World)

EON AG plunged the most in a year after Germany's largest utility scrapped profit forecasts and said the shift to renewable energy presents "huge challenges." Read more

8minutenergy Renewables breaks ground on first phase of 800MW PV project

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 13:16 (PV-Tech)

Utility-scale PV developer 8minutenergy Renewables has begun work on a 266MW solar farm in Imperial Country, California, after securing US$636 million in project financing. Read more

U.S. Post-election "swing state poll" shows voters support renewable energy

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 11:40 (Solarserver)

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) and Advanced Energy Economy Ohio Institute (AEE Ohio Institute) have released new swing state polls showing that voters in Colorado, Iowa, Ohio, and Virginia - all of which helped decide the outcome of the election - support clean, secure, and affordable energy. Conducted the day after the election, the surveys demonstrate that American voters understand the benefits of clean energy despite the millions of dollars opponents poured into attacks on the industry. Read more

California Public Utilities Commission approves renewable portfolio standard compliance plans

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 10:54 (Solarserver)

On November 8th, 2012, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved plans for the state's three large private utilities to meet their obligations under the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) policy. The decision will allow Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E, San Francisco, California, U.S.) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E, San Diego, California, U.S.) to proceed with bidding programs. Southern California Edison (SCE, Rosemead, California, U.S.) will instead focus on procurement from distributed generation. Read more

IEA: Non-hydro renewables to reach 15% of global power supply by 2035

Tuesday, 11.13.2012 - 9:32 (Solarserver)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released the 2012 edition of its "World Energy Outlook" report, predicting that renewable energy will continue its growth to become the world's second-largest source of power generation by 2015, and will rival coal as the largest source of energy by 2035. However, the report also predicts that fossil fuels will remain dominant, supported by subsidies and with a marked increase in North American production. IEA warns that even under new policies the world is on track for a long-term average temperature increase of 3.5 degrees Celsius, and an increase of 6 degrees or more without these policies. Read more


Solar-/Electromobil

There are no news available

 



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