IMS: USD 25 billion opportunity in PV manufacturing equipment upgrades by 2016

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 20:57 (Solarserver)

On February 10th, 2012 IMS Research (Wellingborough, U.K.) announced the release of a report which states that despite sharp declines in the market for solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing equipment, 20 GW of equipment will need to be replaced or upgraded by 2016, representing a USD 25 billion market. The company's quarterly PV Manufacturing Equipment report states that equipment markets will decline 65% in 2012. This follows the losses reported by equipment vendors at the end of 2011, and IMS notes that utilization rates in the PV industry are at an all-time low. Read more

Concentrating photovoltaics: Solar Junction closes USD 19.2 million funding round, partners with British semiconductor producer IQE

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 15:52 (Solarserver)

On February 13th, 2012 Solar Junction Corporation (San Jose, California, U.S.) announced the close of a USD 19.2 million Series D funding round, as well as a strategic investment and partnership with semiconductor maker IQE Plc (Cardiff, U.K.). Solar Junction notes that the round is its largest to date. Investors included New Enterprise Associates Inc. (Timonium, Maryland, U.S.), Advanced Technology Ventures (Palo Alto, California, U.S.), Draper Fisher Jurvetson (Menlo Park, California, U.S.), and IQE. Read more

2012 PV Forecast: Industry Value Chain Blues

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

At the turn of the year, photovoltaics manufacturers are faced with difficult choices: continue selling at prices that do not allow for positive margins, or shutter production and wait for the current situation to settle down. With significant inventory on the supply side, and expectations on the demand side for continued low pricing, the correction is likely to be long and painful. Read more

Concentrating photovoltaics: Soitec secures financing for 50 MW South African CPV plant

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 13:42 (Solarserver)

On February 9th, 2012 Soitec SA (Bernin, France) announced that it has secured financing from Investec Bank Ltd. (La Lucia, South Africa) to build a 50 MW concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) plant in South Africa's Western Cape region Investec has committed to finance the project in Touwsrivier, Western Cape and raise the equity to construct the plant. Soitec expects all financing arrangements to be finalized by the end of the second quarter of 2012. Read more

SOLON terminates Italian PV module manufacturing

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 13:38 (Solarserver)

On February 8th, 2012 SOLON SpA (Carmignano di Brenta, Italy) announced that it has closed its solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing department and will now function solely as a systems integrator and PV module distributor. 70 employees are affected by the closure of the department. The company also notes that this change in strategy is part of a larger restructuring with the SOLON Group, following SOLON SE's (Berlin, Germany) announcement of its application for insolvency on December 13th, 2011. Read more

REC ASA losses continue in 4Q 2011

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 13:22 (Solarserver)

Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC, Sandvika, Norway) has reported negative results for the fourth quarter of 2011, contributing to a year of heavy financial losses. In results released on February 8th, 2012, REC reported a 5% quarter-to-quarter decrease in revenues to NOK 2.86 billion (USD 499 million), an operating margin of -96% and a net loss of USD 463 million. Over the full year 2011, the company reported revenues of NOK 13.4 billion (USD 2.33 billion), a 3% decline over 2010, an operating margin of -71% and a loss of USD 1.75 billion. The company blames falling prices for both solar photovoltaic (PV) products and polysilicon, as well as the shut-down of capacity Read more

DECC launches smart metering Data Communications Company consultation

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 11:36 (Solarpowerportal)

Government has published a consultation on a draft Statutory Instrument that will enable the licensing of a new national provider of communications services to and from gas and electricity smart meters, to be referred to as the Data and Communications Company (“DCC”). Read more

Canadian Solar and HelioPower complete 500 kW PV system for Giumarra Vineyards Corporation in Bakersfield, Calif.

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 20:48 (Solarserver)

In February 2012 Canadian Solar Inc. (Ontario, Canada), HelioPower (Murrieta, California, U.S.) and Giumarra Vineyards Corp. (Bakersfield, California, U.S.) announced the completion of a 516 kilowatt (kW) commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Bakersfield, Calif. The solar energy system will use 2,296 Canadian Solar 225P PV modules, which will power Giumarra Vineyard's main production and cold storage facility. HelioPower provided design, engineering, construction, and utility commissioning for the ground mounted agricultural solar installation. Read more

SolarWorld supplies solar panels for 1.3 MW PV plant at U.S. Naval headquarter in San Diego, California

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 20:42 (Solarserver)

On February 9th, 2012, SolarWorld (Hillsboro, Oregon, U.S.) announced that its solar panels were used in a 1.3 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) complex, a headquarters for high-tech military command, communications and surveillance in San Diego, California. Read more

Moser Baer Solar to complete over 100MW of PV installations in first quarter

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 19:09 (PV-Tech)

Moser Baer Solar Systems plans to complete over 100MW of installations in the first quarter of 2011 with projects undertaken in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Orissa, India. Projects in the fourth quarter of 2011, such as a 5MW plant in Jodhpur, Rajasthan in the 3rd quarter under the NVVN migration scheme and a 30MW Project in Gujarat were also completed and operational, according to the company. Read more

Mercury Solar and NJR Clean Energy complete US$17.2 million solar project

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 18:56 (PV-Tech)

Mercury Solar Systems has completed the installation of a 3.6MW solar system, with over 12,000 solar panels, in Manalapan, one of the largest ground-mounted, grid-interconnected solar systems in New Jersey. Read more

Summary of DECC?s proposed changes to the solar FiT

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 18:42 (Solarpowerportal)

Last week DECC announced a raft of measures intended to improve the feed-in tariff framework and secure the long-term future of the scheme. Below is a summary of all the changes announced last week that will directly affect the solar feed-in tariff rate and the manner it operates. Read more

Scheuten Solar contracts in excess of 2.5 MW of PV projects in January 2012

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 18:41 (PV-Tech)

Scheuten Solar has announced the contracts it has won so far this year are worth in excess of 2.5MW of medium-sized PV projects. Project sizes vary from 300kW to 1MW. Read more

How Distributed Solar Can Reduce Electricity Prices

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 16:51 (Renewable Energy World)

What if installing more solar could reduce electricity prices? It's already happening in Germany, world leader in solar power, and it's likely to happen in the U.S., too. Right now the idea of solar reducing electricity prices seems silly.  After all, when subsidies aren't factored in, the cost of residential solar will be higher than re Read more

ICIM certifies Trina Solar PV modules as "Made in EU"

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 15:47 (Solarserver)

On February 13th, 2012 Trina Solar Ltd. (Changzhou, China) announced that its multicrystalline silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules manufactured with European-sourced silicon wafers have been certified to receive a 10% feed-in tariff premium in Italy. ICIM SpA (Milan, Italy) granted the "Made in EU" certification following the inspection of two factories and two tests of final products. Trina Solar notes that these modules comply with the most recent rule revisions made in December 2011 by Gestore Servizi Energetici SpA (Rome, Italy), which manages the feed-in tariff. Read more

SolarMax Technology completes 756 kW solar PV carports in New Jersey

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 13:13 (Solarserver)

On February 7th, 2012, SolarMax Technology Inc. (City of Industry, California, U.S.) announced that it has completed a 756 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) carport system at the Wyndham Mt. Laurel Hotel in New Jersey. The PV array will help offset the hotel?s energy bills by 67%, according to SolarMax Technology President David Hsu. Read more

Where the Renewables Are

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 12:00 (Renewable Energy World)

If you were looking for a good reason to head to sunny California in February, I've got one. Come to the Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo, co-located with Solar Power-Gen Conference and Exhibition and get all jazzed up about renewable energy. Read more

AEG Power increases sales in 2011 on polysilicon and PV power plant projects

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 7:54 (PV-Tech)

3W Power, the holding company of AEG Power Solutions increased revenue in 2011 by 39.9% to ?428.2 million, compared to ?306.0 million in 2010. EBITDA reached ?53.1 million compared to a negative ?23.9 million in the previous year. Growth was seen in its Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) segment, which reported revenue of ?224.0 million compared to ?110.2 million in 2010, driven by demand within the solar value chain, from polysilicon plants (power controllers) to solar inverter solutions and monitoring & controls for utility-scale PV power plants. Read more

Wind Energy Installed in 2011 Totals 41,000 MW

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 15:00 (Renewable Energy World)

The global wind industry installed just over 41,000 MW of wind power in 2011, bringing the world's total installed capacity to more than 238,000 MW, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) reported. Read more

European Offshore Wind Sector Holds Steady

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 11:00 (Renewable Energy World)

With 235 new offshore wind turbines grid-connected and worth approximately ?2.4 billion, 2011 was a stable year for the offshore wind industry, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) which has published its annual offshore wind statistics for 2011. Read more

Yingli Green signs US$100 million materials deal with DuPont

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 23:02 (PV-Tech)

Following-on from an RD&E collaboration between DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions and Yingli Green Energy in January, 2011 the companies have signed a new US$100 million strategic agreement, that will see Yingli Green purchase DuPont?s ?Solamet? metallization pastes and ?Tedlar? polyvinyl fluoride backsheet for its solar modules. The agreement is designed to extend DuPont and Yingli commercial relationships and material supply availability. Read more

Independent report finds little risk in DOE Loan Guarantee portfolio

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 21:05 (Solarserver)

On February 10th, 2012 the Administration of U.S. President Barack Obama released the results of an independent review of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) loan guarantee portfolio, finding that the portfolio is expected to perform well and holds less risk than was expected when the program was approved by the U.S. congress. The report was conducted by former Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Herbert Allison and includes recommendations to improve the program. The report is the latest to confirm the soundness of the program, which came under heavy attacks by members of the Republican Party in the U.S. Congress following the bankruptcy of DOE loan guarantee recipient Read more

3Power Energy Group to acquire 100 MW PV plants in Italy

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 20:32 (Solarserver)

On February 9th, 2012, 3Power Energy Group Inc. (New York, U.S.) announced that it has entered into a frame agreement with a Chinese investment group to acquire 100 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants from their portfolio in Italy. The total investment in the projects due to 3Power Energy is quoted around USD 500 million with USD 400 million financed by long term banks? credit facility. Read more

Welspun Energy to construct 100MW plant in Anantpur, India

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 18:12 (PV-Tech)

Following speculations surrounding construction deadlines, Welspun Energy has now announced that it won a Rs 950 crore contract with the Andhra Pradesh government to install a 100MW solar system in Anantpur. The government will be giving the company Rs 950 crore to construct, operate and maintain the plant which is due to be completed by 2013. Read more

MIT Research: Liquid Batteries for Utilities Could Make Renewables Competitive

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 17:44 (Renewable Energy World)

The biggest drawback to many real or proposed sources of clean, renewable energy is their intermittency: The wind doesn't always blow, the sun doesn't always shine, and so the power they produce may not be available at the times it's needed. A major goal of energy research has been to find ways to help smooth out these erratic supplies. Read more

Electricity consumption in Italy falls by 2.6%

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 16:21 (PV-Tech)

Electricity demand in Italy during January has dropped by 2.6% compared to the same period last year, it has been reported by figures released by electricity transmission grid operator, Terna. Read more

AEG renewable energy sales double in 2011 driven by orders throughout PV value chain

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 13:28 (Solarserver)

On February 9th, 2012 AEG Power Solutions' holding company 3W Power SA (Luxembourg) released preliminary unaudited financial results for 2011, reporting a doubling of annual revenues in AEG's Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) division to EUR 224 million (USD 296 million). These strong RES sales contributed to an overall 40% increase in 2011 revenues to EUR 428 million (USD 565 million). AEG also achieved a 12% EBITDA margin and increased its order volume 9% during the year, despite a slow fourth quarter. Read more

Green entrepreneur urges Government to take the ?coal? out of Coalition

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 12:38 (Solarpowerportal)

Adam Twine, the green entrepreneur behind wind and solar co-operatives at Westmill Farm, has expressed his dismay at MPs who wrote to David Cameron challenging the subsidy afforded to wind energy. Read more

New report says ?it?s time for Ministers to give power to the people?

Monday, 2.13.2012 - 11:16 (Solarpowerportal)

Government must begin to recognise the potential of renewable energy in the community sector if the UK is to reach its legally-binding climate change, emissions and fuel poverty targets. Read more