Enphase supplies micro-inverters for 400 kW PV installation in Santa Rosa hires new executives

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 20:50 (Solarserver)

On November 19th, 2012, Enphase Energy (Petaluma, California, U.S.) and One Sun Inc. (Graton, California, U.S.) announced that construction has begun on a 400 kilowatt (kW) commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa (California, U.S.). Enphase Energy will supply 1,656 micro-inverters for the PV system, which is expected to cover 90% of the center's power needs. Read more

Order Focus: China Sunergy delivers 7MW of PV modules for Dutch rooftop project

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 18:55 (PV-Tech)

Solar cell and module manufacturer China Sunergy has delivered 7MW of its polycrystalline PV modules for Oskomera Solar Power Solutions? (OSPS) residential rooftop projects in the Netherlands. Read more

Georgia Public Service Commission approves 210 MW PV plan for Georgia Power

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:58 (Solarserver)

On November 20th, 2012 the Public Service Commission in the US state of Georgia approved a plan for Georgia Power company (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.) to add 210 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity by 2016. The Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI) promises to increase PV capacities in Georgia many times greater any other state in the Deep South region. Georgia Power will add 90 MW through a distributed sliding scale program for residential and commercial projects through 2015, as well as 120 MW of utility-scale generation. Read more

UK PV market slumps in 3Q 2012, no FIT degression to occur in January 2013

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 10:13 (Solarserver)

UK solar photovoltaic (PV) installations have fallen below the level needed to trigger a 3.5% degression in the nation's feed-in tariff (FIT) in January 2013, according to an analysis published by Solar Power Portal UK. DECC figures show that the nation installed 95.6 MW of PV through the program in the three-month period from August through the beginning of November 2012, less than the 100 MW threshold. The FIT program has seen four different reductions since it was introduced 2 1/2 years prior, and analysts warn that consumers are losing faith in the system. Read more

UK PV market slumps in 3Q 2012, no FIT degression to occur in January 2012

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 9:43 (Solarserver)

UK solar photovoltaic (PV) installations have fallen below the level needed to trigger a 3.5% degression in the nation's feed-in tariff (FIT) in January 2013, according to an analysis published by Solar Power Portal UK. DECC figures show that the nation installed 95.6 MW of PV through the program in the three-month period from August through the beginning of November 2012, less than the 100 MW threshold. The FIT program has seen four different reductions since it was introduced 2 1/2 years prior, and analysts warn that consumers are losing faith in the system. Read more

PV Crystalox Solar lowers guidance

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 21:04 (Solarserver)

On November 19th, 2012, PV Crystalox Solar PLC (Oxfordshire, United Kingdom) has issued an interim management statement for the period from June 30th, 2012, to date. According to the company's statement, trading conditions remain extremely challenging due to the vast overcapacity in the photovoltaic (PV) industry. This oversupply, which originates primarily in China, has maintained downward pressure on prices across the value chain during the last 18 months, PV Crystalox emphasizes. Read more

Power-One, Phono Solar form global strategic alliance

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 20:58 (Solarserver)

Power-One Inc. (Camarillo, California, U.S.) announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Phono Solar Technology Co. Ltd., a solar panel manufacturer and system developer, to market and sell photovoltaic (PV) systems worldwide using Power-One inverters and monitoring systems. Read more

Semprius to supply HCPV modules for air force's USD 2.3 million solar project

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 20:55 (Solarserver)

On November 19th, 2012, Semprius Inc. (Durham, North Carolina, U.S.), an innovator in high concentration solar photovoltaic modules (HCPV), announced that it will supply its HCPV modules to Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), which won a USD 2.3 million award from the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) office of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). PWR will install a 200 kilowatt (kW) solar array at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Read more

BioTherm wins financing for 47MW South African solar and wind projects

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 19:22 (PV-Tech)

South African developer BioTherm Energy has announced it has closed on the financing of one wind and two solar PV renewable energy projects located throughout the country. Read more

Solar Millennium sells stake in Arenales Spanish solar project

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 18:54 (PV-Tech)

The sale of collapsed firm Solar Millennium?s 26% stake in the 50 MW Arenales Spanish solar project to Germany?s STEAG 1 Beteiligungsgesellschaft GmbH has been finalised. Read more

Georgia Power?s solar initiative receives approval

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 18:28 (PV-Tech)

Georgia Power, a utility firm owned by Southern Company, has announced it has received approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) for its new solar initiative called Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI). Read more

Sundog expands solar advice service to other renewables

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 18:17 (Solarpowerportal)

Following the success of Sundog Energy?s recently launched solar advice centre, the Cumbria-based renewable specialist is expanding the facility to include wood-pellet biomass boilers, ground and air source heat pumps, solar water heating and wind turbines. Read more

SolarReserve obtains permit for 150MW CSP project in Arizona

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 17:06 (PV-Tech)

SolarReserve, a utility-scale PV plant developer, has received a special use permit from the Board of Supervisors of Maricopa County, Arizona for its Crossroads Solar Energy Project. Read more

China Solar: New Suntech Cuts And Shrinking Stocks

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:29 (Renewable Energy World)

There's a flurry of news coming from the embattled solar sector, led by a sharp cutback by Suntech (NYSE: STP) at its main US plant that looks suspiciously like it is being ordered by Beijing part of a government rescue plan for the struggling company. Meantime, JA Solar (Nasdaq: JASO) and LDK (NYSE: LDK) are struggling just to stay listed as their Read more

U.S. Army Housing to Get Solar Panel Makeover Courtesy Project SolarStrong

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

Having the stated objective of achieving 25 percent reliance on renewable energy by the year 2025, the Department of Defense is already off and running in pursuit of that goal. Thanks to the combined efforts of SolarCity and Balfour Beatty Communities, plans are currently in motion to install rooftop solar panels on 4,700 military homes at Fort Bliss, Texas and neighboring White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. The solar equipment that is set to generate up to 13.2 megawatts of capacity when completed will be leased to the Department of Defense by SolarCity, which will perform installation as well as maintenance. Read more

MASEN and ACWA-led group sign US$1 billion PPA for Morocco?s first CSP plant

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 14:32 (PV-Tech)

The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with a consortium led by Saudi Arabia-based ACWA Power International for electricity generated by a proposed 160MW CSP plant in Morocco. The deal is worth US$1 billion. Read more

Solar met 1.3% of demand across ENTSO-E territories in 2011

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 14:24 (PV-Tech)

Solar accounted for 1.3% of electricity demand in 2011 across the European territories covered by umbrella grid operator body ENTSO-E, figures published by the organisation reveal. Read more

ET Solar to build 50 MW of PV projects in Romania

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 10:44 (Solarserver)

ET Solar Group Corporation (Nanjing, China) has been chosen by Tinmar-Ind SA (Bucharest, Romania) to build 50 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in the counties of Gorj, Giurgiu and Dolj in Southern Romania. ET Solar has begun construction on 20 MW of these projects, which it expects to complete by the end of 2012, with commissioning scheduled for the first quarter of 2013. The company will begin construction on the remaining 30 MW by the end of 2012. Read more

JinkoSolar revenues down year-over-year as margins improve sequentially

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 10:39 (Solarserver)

JinkoSolar Holding Company Ltd. (Shanghai, China) has released results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 22% year-over-year decrease in revenues to USD 220 million, despite a 30% increase in shipments to 335 MW. The company also reported a -3.7% operating margin, and a net loss of USD 8.7 million. JinkoSolar notes that this is its third consecutive quarter of reducing losses and improving its margins. Read more

IHS iSuppli: Solar polysilicon prices still falling fast

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 9:49 (Solarserver)

IHS iSuppli (El Segundo, California, U.S.) has released an analysis which finds that global demand and prices for solar polysilicon fell in October 2012 at the highest rate since February 2012. IHS iSuppli notes that spot market prices for 9N solar polysilicon fell more than 9%, with contract prices falling roughly 1%, and the company concludes that polysilicon supply still exceeds demand. IHS iSuppli expects prices to fall further in November 2012, and recover slightly around the end of 2012. Read more

Trina Solar revenues, margins slip in 3Q 2012

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 9:38 (Solarserver)

On November 20th, 2012 Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) released financial results for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a 38% year-over-year decrease in revenues to USD 298 million, a -26% operating margin and a net loss of USD 57.5 million. During the third quarter Trina Solar implemented a restructuring, including splitting its global business into separate module and systems business units, and reducing its workforce by an unspecified number of jobs. The company has also expanded its international sales and development presence. Read more

Affordable Naval Biofuel: First Comes the Feedstock

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:57 (Renewable Energy World)

Pain at the pump. $5 gasoline in California. $8 gasoline in the EU. We hear about it all the time. But in biofuels, the pain comes long before the pump. It arrives with the plant. Read more

Geothermal Innovations, Part 2: Stimulating Reservoirs in the Field and Partnerships in the Industry

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:02 (Renewable Energy World)

The U.S. geothermal industry's recent innovations contribute to increasing potential for the use of geothermal to power the renewable energy future, but high upfront risks and costs of development are one reason geothermal needs federal funding programs to expand. Read more

Romania proposes reducing green certificates for PV

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 16:07 (PV-Tech)

The Romanian National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has suggested the number of green certificates awarded to investments in PV and biomass should be cut. Read more

International Renewable Energy Agency: Costs of PV, CSP continue to fall

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 16:03 (Solarserver)

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released a new policy brief which finds that renewable energy costs are falling fast, and that renewables are the most cost-effective way to generate electricity for the hundreds of millions globally who do not have access to electricity grids. "Renewable Power Generation Costs" notes that solar photovoltaics (PV) is set to reach grid parity with residential electricity prices in many locations, with costs currently ranging between USD 0.16 to 0.36 per kWh. The report also finds that while currently more expensive, concentrating solar power (CSP) also has potential for cost reduction. Read more

Germany's Grid and the Market: 100 Percent Renewable by 2050?

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 15:51 (Renewable Energy World)

Most of Germany?s pro-Energiewende voices think that Germany will far exceed its 2020 target of 35% clean energy. The Heinrich Böll Foundation, a Green think tank, is definitely among them. It argues that Germany could ? with the right policies ? go 100% renewable by 2050. But for Germany to do it, argues the report "A European Union for Renewable Read more

Energy Bill due ?early next week?

Wednesday, 11.21.2012 - 11:45 (Solarpowerportal)

Energy Secretary Ed Davey has confirmed that the long-awaited Energy Bill will be published ?early next week?. Read more